Wykeham House, Christchurch Road, Winchester

This striking three-bedroom apartment is set on the ground floor of a picturesque Victorian house. With wonderful proportions and large banks of glazing, the home is astonishingly bright and airy. Its 1,325 sq ft plan encompasses grand high ceilings, original floorboards and various elegant contemporary interventions. Following suit, a private and immaculate rear garden has also been thoughtfully designed. The home is well-located in the leafy neighbourhood of St Cross, set alongside the water meadows – a tranquil nature reserve wrapped around a river, with excellent swimming spots along its banks. St Cross lies south of Winchester’s city centre, which is easily accessible by bus or a level walk.

Setting the Scene

Winchester has a long and varied history dating back to the Iron Age. Quintessentially Roman, it was built to a grid pattern with a forum in the centre, a marketplace lined with shops and public buildings. Winchester is perhaps best known for its exceptional cathedral, one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in England.

By comparison, Wykeham House, to the south-west of the city, strikes a classically Victorian chord with polychrome brickwork and large bay windows. Inside, modern interventions include sleek handmade plywood cabinetry, tactile bespoke bronze-cast handles, bespoke cast-concrete basins and sanitaryware from Studio Ore. For more information, please see the History section below.

Grand Tour

The whole apartment has been decorated using a refined and tranquil palette of colours, including Farrow and Ball’s ‘Cornforth White’. A fabulous open-plan kitchen and reception room runs from front to back, with a large bay window and two glazed doors on either side of the fireplace that open to the garden at the rear. With a marble surround, the fireplace is particularly grand and ornate. There is plenty of storage here too, in cupboards and a useful pantry.

The spacious principal bedroom has a freestanding antique French cast-iron bath beneath another bay window, perfect for long, restorative soaks. There is also a long run of built-in storage, as well as an adjoining WC. There are two further bedrooms – one of which is currently used as a study, with views over the garden – and a bathroom complete with a walk-in rain shower, roll-top bath and a double concrete-cast basin.

There is also a handy utility room with fitted cupboards and space for washing facilities. A hatch in the floor of the corridor provides access to a large cellar, and there is also a storage cupboard for shoes and outdoor gear in the communal entrance hall.

Great Outdoors

A charming private garden at the rear has been completely reimagined with an emphasis on low-maintenance, meaningful design. Predominantly west-facing, it captures the afternoon and evening sun. It comprises a York stone terrace, herringbone-laid brick paving, a brick and flint bench, handwoven willow fencing and an attractive planting scheme including white hydrangeas and climbing roses.

From a gate in the fence is the communal garden, which is mainly laid to lawn. The en-bloc garage is easily accessible, and there is also a designated off-street parking space.

Out and About

Perched in a hollow at the edge of the South Downs, Winchester is consistently voted one of Britain’s best places to live, with easy access to the surrounding Hampshire countryside, including Test Valley, the South Downs National Park, the New Forest National Park and Old Winchester Hill. The south coast is also within easy reach.

The architecture is a wonderful mosaic of many periods, dating back nearly to King Arthur and continuing to the current day. The River Itchen surrounds the city, where John Keats is reported to have taken afternoon strolls. Its outstanding facilities include a hospital, an Everyman cinema, plenty of shops, and restaurants including the Chesil Rectory, the Ivy and Rick Stein.

The medieval Hospital of St Cross, dating from 1132 and found amongst the water meadows, has been described as ‘England’s oldest and most perfect almshouse’. It is a handsome centrepiece of community life and hosts an annual fete.

The city centre is approximately a mile away, easily accessible via a level walk or a bus along St Cross Road. There are lovely walks through the water meadows, up St Catherine’s Hill, and around Winchester College.

The area is also known for the excellent standard of schools, including Winchester College, Pilgrims’, Twyford, St Swithun’s, Prince’s Mead and Peter Symonds 6th Form. Wykeham House falls within the catchment of St Faith’s Primary School, which is consistently among the top schools in the country for SATs results.

As well as the mainline railway station, Winchester has easy access to the road network via the M3, and is a short distance from Southampton International Airport.

Tenure: Share of Freehold
Lease length: Approx. 978 years remaining
Service charge: Approx. £2,900 per year
Ground rent: n/a
Council Tax Band: D