Forest Road, Moseley, Birmingham

The handsome profile of this red-brick-and-stucco house in Moseley, Birmingham is partially covered by a mature wisteria that, come spring, erupts in purple flora. Inside are six bedrooms and a range of reception rooms that have been carefully refurbished to enhance their Edwardian charm. The area is characterised by broad streets and 19th-century villa-style houses originally built for the burgeoning middle class. The village centre remains as such, and is soon to be serviced by a new train station with direct links to Birmingham New Street.  

Setting the Scene 

Moseley is recorded in Domesday, where it is listed as ‘Museleie’, translating to ‘mouse clearing’, perhaps in reference to its originally diminutive scale. At that time, it would have been a small hamlet in an area of forests and heathland.  

Between 1850 and 1910, Moseley developed from a rural village into a fashionable suburb, stimulated by the new railway line and trams linking Moseley with the centre of Birmingham. Large country estates were split up and sold off for housing developments and fine Victorian houses were built, many in the Arts and Crafts style. Today, there is a conservation area that helps preserve this elegant historic environment.  

The Grand Tour 

The house's entrance hallway is an archetypal example of Edwardian proportions and decoration. Here, soft light falls through ornate stained-glass windows onto restored terracotta tiles. The current owners have enacted a brilliantly nuanced refurbishment that both supports and enhances its original features. The staircase, wall mouldings and banister have been painted in 'Lichen' by Farrow & Ball, a sage green that complements Morris and Co's 'Willow Boughs' print wallpaper.

Doors beneath pronounced architraves open onto two reception rooms on the ground floor. The room to the front of the plan has is used as a dining room, arranged in front of a large bay window. There is a fireplace with a marble surround at its centre and white cornicing that contrasts with the deep shade of 'Obsidian Blue' by Little Greene that elongates its tall walls.

Decorated in a softer colour palette, the sitting room ushers in sunlight from a glazed door to the garden and through two sash windows. The fireplace has a large stone surround and is flanked by alcoves that are ideal for bookshelves.

The kitchen is opposite, with windows that frame long views out over the garden. Generous countertop space, formed with a lightly speckled Corian, makes this an inviting and practical space. The cabinetry conceals integrated Siemens appliances and is painted in the timeless 'Setting Plaster' by Farrow and Ball, that contrasts elegantly with the ceiling, which is finished in 'Paen Black' also by Farrow and Ball. Calacatta Viola marble tiles wrap around the room, its dramatic veining juxtaposed by the soft linen curtains that accent the cupboard fronts. A lean-to provides additional space for storage, and the bright light from multiple windows makes it the perfect spot for propagating plants.

There is a substantial cellar below the house, currently housing a large larder space and a home bar area.

Four bedrooms are positioned at each compass point on the first floor. The primary bedroom is lavishly lit by a bay window, whilst dark, slender floorboards emphasise its grand proportions. In the fireplace, glassy green tiles are a luxurious nod to the Edwardian style. The three remaining bedrooms all draw in an excellent quality of natural light and any could be repurposed as a study or workspace. A family bathroom has a generous walk-in shower.

In the attic, two bedrooms are tucked beneath the house’s sloping roofline. There is plenty of storage here, and the attic floor is served by its own bathroom, also with a shower.

The Great Outdoors

The house is set back from the road by a considerable cobbled driveway, bordered by stone walls topped with neat bay hedging. Wisteria climbs the two-storey bay window, in turn fronted by fiery plumes of crocosmia.

Set in formal tiers and defined by a pleasing symmetry, the rear garden is well-structured and well-maintained. Stepping down from the raised ground floor through the living room's French doors, a neat lawn is bordered by mature perennials and orientated around a central area for entertaining. Looking back towards the house, a palette of deep purple smoke bushes and black elder contrast with variegated laurel and blousy hydrangeas. A decked area stretches across the end of the garden, set against a backdrop of trailing vines and clambering red roses. Tucked discretely into the corner, a garden shed provides storage.

Out and About

Moseley is a popular neighbourhood on the outskirts of Birmingham. Forest Road lies between the green spaces at Cannon Hill Park, Mosley Park and the rolling greens of Highbury Park, a beautifully tended parkland in the grounds of the grand 1870s residence of the Lord Mayor.

The well-appointed high street is on the far side of the park with a range of major shops and independent cafés, shops and restaurants, including The Early Bird Bakery, The Heath Bookshop, Chakana and Grace + James. There is a vibrant farmers' market in the village on the last Saturday of each month, and for the more musically-minded, the annual Moseley Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival and Folk Festivals offer a variety of entertainment. The centres of Bournville, Edgbaston and Kings Heath are also close by.

A walk along the River Rea leads to the Midlands Art Centre, set beside the expansive greens and boating lake of Cannon Hill Park, which has a popular café, cinema and exhibition space. Edgbaston Cricket Stadium is also close at hand. For a walk with literary heritage, nearby Moseley Bog was the childhood playground of J. R. R Tolkein, now with wood-fired pizza.

The centre of Birmingham is easily accessible. Its intricate waterways wind throughout the city and along the Fazeley Canal, connecting a series of lively neighbourhoods, including the ever-popular Jewellery Quarter. Here, a variety of independent bars, restaurants, coffee shops, florists, chocolatiers and home furnishers can be found. Southside and Digbeth, once dubbed among the ‘coolest neighbourhoods in Britain’ by the Sunday Times, are also easily reached.

The house lies within the catchment of Moor Green Primary School and Moseley Church of England Primary School, both rated “Outstanding” by Ofsted and the former just a two-minute walk from the house. The area has several excellent secondary schools too.

There are nearby bus routes running services into central Birmingham in less than half an hour. Bournville is the nearest station, running trains into Birmingham New Street in under 15 minutes; from here, connections into central London take around 90 minutes. New train stations are being built in Moseley and Kings Heath and are due to open at the end of 2024.

Council Tax Band: E