An elegant Georgian home with spirited contemporary rhythms
An elegant Georgian home with spirited contemporary rhythms
This joyful Grade II-listed townhouse lies in the centre of Margate, close to its Old Town, beach, and near the peaceful greenery of Hawley Square. It spans some 1,337sq ft across four storeys, with four bedrooms and a wonderful set of living spaces. New additions, including a beautiful kitchen, have been added with sensitivity and a desire to enhance the home’s original 19th-century design.
Setting the Scene
Margate was once a small fishing village. ‘Meregate’ had a large, partly 12th-century church – St John’s – set on a hill with a track leading down to a cluster of houses around the harbour. The local fishing industry gave way to an increasing popularity for sea bathing in the 1730s, which sparked the growth of Margate as a fashionable resort, praised for its fine sand that extends several miles on either side of the original harbour.
This home sits in the middle of a Georgian terrace, traditional with its wrought-iron railings and exterior stucco dressings. Original features are aplenty, and include tripartite canted bay windows at the front and exquisite curved sash windows at the rear. Inside, natural materials and refined paint colours have been thoughtfully employed, creating a home that upholds its period integrity.
The Grand Tour
Entry to the house is via a smart front door set within a round-headed doorcase with a simple fanlight. From here is a hallway, with reinstated panelling and walls drenched in Farrow and Ball's 'Setting Plaster'. On the left is a dining room, with walls washed in ‘Mouse's Back’ by Farrow & Ball. A wide bay window brings plenty of light, and an original fireplace lends a mantel to place cards and flowers.
At the rear of the ground floor is the kitchen, a marvellously redesigned space with ruddy granite countertops, walnut fronted cupboards and playful Amtico tiles atop underfloor heating. Appliances are integrated and include a flush Neff hob, oven and microwave. A curved bay window overlooks the garden, which is accessed from a door at the end of the entrance hall.
In typical Georgian fashion, the living room sits on the first floor. It has tall proportions, filled with light from another bay window. There is another fireplace here, and deep-toned originalboards underfoot. At the rear of the first floor is a sublime bathroom with a second curved window and a bathtub, plus a separate shower.
The house has four well-appointed double bedrooms. The principal lies on the uppermost floor, next to a smaller bedroom currently used as a dressing room. The remaining two rooms are on the lower ground floor: one has a light scheme, while the other is finished in a sophisticated dark paint that highlights the greenery framed by an eight-over-eight sash window overlooking the garden.
The Great Outdoors
A peaceful courtyard garden lies behind the house, with high, partly orange-painted walls that provide colour and an enhanced sense of privacy. A vigorous jasmine climbs the wall and flowers in the summer. Largely gravel laid, there is plenty of space to dine or barbecue outside.
Out and About
The seaside town of Margate is renowned for its creative community, exemplified by Turner Contemporary, designed by architect David Chipperfield. It is a brilliant art space with far-reaching views over the sea, named after landscape painter J. M. W. Turner, who went to school in Margate and called its skies and sunsets “the loveliest in Europe”. Bolstering Margate’s thriving artistic scene are Carl Freedman Gallery and The Tracey Emin Foundation/TKE Studios.
Margate seafront is a brief walk from the house and has a wonderful community sauna. There is also public greenery, including Hawley Square and Dane Park. The Kentish Coastal Walk, which connects Margate to Ramsgate, is a wonderful way to spend a bright afternoon.
Margate Old Town and its host of numerous restaurants, including Angela’s, a sustainable seafood bistro; Pomus, a well-loved local wine bar; Sargasso a fantastic restaurant and wine bar with a seasonally changing menu positioned on Margate's Harbour Arm, and the family-run Bottega Caruso for homemade Italian cuisine. For keen cooks, further foodie highlights can be found at the International Food Centre, Oast bakery and the monthly farmers' market.
The town has excellent links to London. Margate rail station is a 13-minute walk from the house, with trains to London St Pancras in under 90 minutes or London Victoria in around 95 minutes. There are trains to Canterbury every 30 minutes. Connections to Europe are also very good, with the Eurotunnel running to Calais from Folkestone.
Council Tax Band: C
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