Nelson Place, Broadstairs, Kent

This refined four-bedroom seaside townhouse sits on a quiet residential street minutes from Broadstairs’ beaches. Spanning some 1,678 sq ft internally, the home has recently undergone a sensitive renovation that has respected its original Regency integrity while introducing thoughtful contemporary interventions, including a brilliant double-height light well. Nelson Place is a historic part of Broadstairs, with a selection of fine domestic buildings retaining their Georgian splendour. Centrally located, the house is close to the town’s bustle and to its station, where trains run to London St Pancras in under 80 minutes.

Setting the Scene

The rich cultural heritage of Broadstairs has been drawing people to the Kent coastline for many years. It was an important fishing port (and an infamous site for goods smuggling) in the 1700s, its broad coastline honeycombed with caves and tunnels around nearby Botany and Kingsgate bays. Broadstairs is also home to Bleak House, a prominent building on the cliff overlooking Viking Bay. Charles Dickens used to holiday at the residence, writing his epic novel ‘David Copperfield’ there.

The Grand Tour

The house’s fine Regency façade makes a striking impression from the street. Entry is via a stooped, semi-circular porch with classical tracery, all of which has been painted in a cheery, pastel blue. The hallway beyond leads through to the main drawing room, a light-filled space with dual-aspect windows and walls in ‘de Nimes’ by Farrow and Ball. The current owners have stripped and sealed the original floorboards in a neutral stain, and have reinstated period features like a reclaimed Regency fireplace. The rear of the drawing room has been opened up to the kitchen below, with a stripped double-height chimney breast and light well overlooking the kitchen.

To the rear of the ground floor is a guest bedroom currently used as a study; the space is accessed via a short flight of stairs and overlooks the tranquil garden.

The lower-ground floor is home to a large kitchen diner. Awash with light from patio doors at each end, the room has a bespoke wooden kitchen and large island with marble countertop, as well as space for a large dining table and chairs. The glazed doors at the front of the plan overlook what was once a coal hole, which has been opened up and utilised as a sunny terrarium. The other end of the plan is home to a large utility and separate WC, while patio doors allow access to the tranquil garden beyond.

Ascending to the first floor, the front of the house is occupied by the large primary bedroom suite. Painted in ‘Down Pipe’, the space overlooks Nelson Place through a large bay window. Original features like Regency door architrave have been lovingly restored, alongside a later Victorian fireplace. From the bedroom, there is a large walk-in wardrobe with an en suite beyond. A large family bathroom sits at the rear of this floor, with a freestanding bath, separate shower, vanity and WC.

The top floor of the house is home to two additional bedrooms. Overlooking the front and rear respectively, they have been finished in a palette of neutral tones by Farrow and Ball.

The Great Outdoors

Externally, a charming courtyard garden unfolds to the rear. A veritable suntrap, the space is perfect for entertaining in warmer months. Raised planters are filled with hardy grasses and seaside plants, while climbing along an external wall is an established grape vine that provides glorious blooms in the late summer. The garden has been partially flagged and has an outdoor shower for using when returning from the beach, there is also direct access to a narrow road at the rear of the house (ideal for unloading groceries straight into the kitchen). The garden has a handy workshop and storage space, which has been wired with electricity.

Out and About

In recent years, Broadstairs has enjoyed a palpable resurgence and is now home to a thriving community of independent shops and restaurants, including the revered, Michelin-starred restaurant Stark, seafood specialist Twenty Seven Harbour Street and The Funicular Coffee Shop, which is built into the old ticket office of a long-decommissioned clifftop funicular. The old town itself remains a haven of antique shops, cafés and traditional Kentish pubs. Morelli’s ice cream parlour is a wonderfully eccentric establishment on the seafront.

Nearby Margate is experiencing an extraordinary period of change; an influx of young creatives have been setting up in the town, including Liddicoat & Goldhill, the architects behind Maker’s House, and the internationally renowned Turner Contemporary art gallery, as well as the recently restored Dreamland. These businesses and many more like them have helped to create a thriving art, food and music scene. Much-loved Whitstable and Ramsgate are also within easy reach, as is historic Canterbury.

Broadstairs has a mainline railway station providing services to London St Pancras in approximately one hour and 20 minutes, and there are good road links to London and the rest of Kent via the motorway network. There is easy access to the Eurostar from nearby Folkestone.

Council Tax Band: C