A spacious 19th-century home filled with personality and joy
A spacious 19th-century home filled with personality and joy
This handsome seven-bedroom Victorian house in Doncaster has been reinvigorated with a spirited use of colour, texture and materiality. It unfolds across three generous storeys, with a basement level and a large separate workshop space. New additions are sensitive and complementary to the hearty original features woven throughout, including an impressive timber staircase that rises through the home’s core.
Setting the Scene
Although Doncaster gained city status only in 2022, its roots run much deeper: it was a Roman fort, Danum; a major medieval market town; and, later, an important part of Britain’s industrial boom, strategically located between larger northern cities such as Sheffield, Leeds, and Hull.
Built in the early 1900s, this remarkable house speaks to Doncaster’s 19th-century history, when more homes were built to accommodate a growing population. Its red-brick frontage features a pitched gable, quatrefoil designs and floral tiles - a grand profile that hints at the spacious, ornate rooms within. A careful reimagining under current ownership has made use of paint colours from Farrow and Ball, along with high-quality materials and fixtures.
The Grand Tour
Entry is to a wonderfully spacious hallway with original three-finger parquet floors. On the right is the sitting room, a sumptuous space with a panelled ceiling, now picked out in the rich shade of 'Red Earth' by Farrow and Ball. A marvellous bay window ushers in plenty of light, and there is a broad fireplace with decorative encaustic-style tiles on one side.
Behind lies a second reception room, currently arranged as a dining room. Its green theme echoes the view framed by a wonderful curved glazed door to the garden. There is another fireplace here, and, like the living room, restored original floorboards run underfoot.
Opposite lies the kitchen, a vibrant space with a sunshine-yellow ceiling, light-blue range-style cooker, and forest-green cabinetry, where quatrefoil cutouts nod to the home’s façade. On one side is space for an informal dining area, while opposite, a door opens to the rear entrance and a WC/utility room beyond.
There are seven bedrooms on the upper floors; all are airy and spacious, with carefully chosen colour schemes and period fireplaces. The principal is on the first floor, with a magnificent bay window with the same shape as that on the ground floor. Directly above is another large bedroom, an alternative principal, with built-in storage and wallpaper from House of Hackney.
The first-floor bathroom is beautifully and traditionally styled: it has a roll-top bathtub (painted powder blue to match the joinery) and a large walk-in shower. A second-storey shower room serves the top-floor rooms, one of which is currently used as a study.
The house has plenty of storage space in its basement. There is also a large and bright workshop in the garden - a peaceful and roomy work-from-home nest.
The Great Outdoors
A generous garden unfolds behind the house, with a brick-laid terrace closest to the house. In the summer, French doors between the two can be opened out to create a natural sense of flow. From here is a large lawn with plenty of room for playing and relaxing.
In front of the house is a neat garden, with space to park up to four cars.
Out and About
Thanks to its multilayered history, Doncaster has an impressive wealth of historic buildings. Cusworth Hall, a Georgian house with beautiful landscaped parkland, is well worth the visit, as is Doncaster Corn Exchange, a striking Grade II*-listed building that now houses creative studios and independent traders. Doncaster Market has been in operation since the 13th century and is fantastic for local produce.
Blending old and new, Danum Gallery, Library and Museum brings together a historic facade with impressive civic design and hosts a brilliant programme. Contemporary art centre The Point has a strong community feel and runs events for all ages. The Savoy Cinema shows blockbusters, indies and National Theatre Live performances. Slightly further afield but easily reached are the internationally regarded Yorkshire Sculpture Park and The Hepworth Wakefield.
Sheffield is around a 25-minute drive from the house, while Leeds can be reached in under an hour. The Peak District National Park is also under an hour away, while the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape can be reached in around an hour and a quarter. The Lincolnshire coast is around a 90-minute drive away and is the setting for the Donna Nook Grey Seal Colony.
Doncaster station is around a 20-minute walk or a six-minute cycle from the house. It is exceptionally well-connected: direct services run to London King’s Cross in under two hours, and there are services to a host of northern cities like York, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield and Newcastle, as well as to Birmingham and Edinburgh.
Council Tax Band: E
