The Grand Tour
Set back from the pavement behind original cast-iron railings with ornate club finials, the stuccoed house is presented in a pale grey. Convex zinc canopies above the first-floor bowed bay windows define the façade, with neat cast-iron flower boxes at each sash window. The entrance is approached via a short gated path to the side of the house, allowing for greater privacy from the street.
Stepping into the hallway, painted floorboards run underfoot and continue throughout much of the house. On the ground floor, there is a sitting room to the front of the plan, benefitting from the light that pours in from two large sash windows. Here, an original fireplace with a black marble surround offset by vibrant Victorian glazed tiles forms a focal point.
A bedroom on this level is currently used as a peaceful study with garden views. The capacious family bathroom, with its striking black and white chequerboard flooring and green roll-top bath, completes the ground-floor plan.
A handful of steps descend to the lower-ground floor, where the kitchen sits at the rear. Windows face the garden and the patio above, while rustic, free-standing units provide ample storage and workspaces for the culinary inclined. A brilliant red gas Aga sits centrally beneath the window and to the side, a reminder of the homes’ long history, an incredible iron bread oven with a ceramic-fronted door within an attractive, moulded surround. Dining and lounging are accounted for in the neighbouring room – a bright and open space with two original cupboards fronted with handmade timber doors.
The three remaining bedrooms are on the second floor, with the principal enjoying the same generous footprint as the sitting room below. The bowed design affords an increased sense of space, while double fenestration brings a brilliant quality of light. The second and third bedrooms are both large enough to fit double beds and have tranquil outlooks over the private garden and towards the varied vegetation of the Hotham Park Estate. As throughout the rest of the house these rooms nod to the home’s 19th-century beginnings in the form of well-preserved period features including a sweetly placed cast-iron fireplace and handsome original doors and architraves.
The Great Outdoors
In the rear garden, a neat area of lush green lawn is surrounded by a density of shrubs and perennial florals, well-established and providing a wash of colour through the spring into summer. Old-fashioned weigelia, with its distinctive pink and white tubular flowers, is a highlight when in bloom, rivalled only by some rambunctious pink roses growing to the rear of the plot. The current owners have found the perfect spot for a table and chairs, tucked away at the bottom the garden offering a view of the rear façade.
Out and About
Bognor Regis has a centuries’ old history of attracting holidaymakers to its long and famously sunny beach, with 2.7 miles of promenade and, according to the Met Office, the most sun-soaked hours per year of any British town.
The much-loved local Grade-II listed cinema,
The Picturedome, is housed in an elaborate 1880s red-brick gabled building and was fully converted into a picture house in 1919. This iconic structure has been the subject of ongoing restoration at the hands of local campaigning. The local Alexandria Theatre has also secured increased funding in recent years and there is great excitement surrounding an ever-improving programme of theatre and event.
The house is well placed not only for the amenities and cultural events of Bognor but also for the wider county. The charming and ancient town of Arundel is just 20 minutes by car and has a wonderful farmers’ market, a number of lovely cafes and of course, offers the opportunity to visit the historic
Arundel Castle and grounds. Petworth and Midhurst are also a short drive away, as are the bucolic delights of the
South Downs National Park.
St Mary’s Catholic Primary school and Edward Bryant School are both close by and well liked by parents. Secondary schools include The Regis School and Felpham Community College.
Trains run direct from Bognor Regis station to London Victoria in under 1hr 45mins and to Gatwick Airport in just over 1hr.
Council Tax Band: E
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