Neville Road, Forest Gate, London, E7

Handsome Victorian character abounds in this spacious but incredibly cosy and welcoming two-bedroom maisonette, just a short walk from leafy West Ham Park, Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ schools, and fantastic local pubs, bars, and restaurants.

Part of a charming row of Victorian terraces, with their smart London Stock brickwork, dormer windows, stone lintels and colonnaded bay windows, Neville Road combines ornately coved high ceilings with premium paintwork, new brass power sockets and light switches, and bi-fold doors to a low-maintenance south-facing garden.

In 2019, numerous improvements were made throughout the property, including installing new flooring and bi-fold doors in the kitchen, replacing the stairs to the basement level, where a new carpet was fitted, and replacing the boiler. In 2023, a new front bay window roof was installed, and the back gutting has been recently cleaned and reinforced.

STEP INSIDE

Set back from the street behind a low brick wall and patio, the recessed front entrance with its pretty foliage capitals reflects the traditional Victorian frontage. A navy panelled front door with a knocker and transom window also respects the period. It opens into the hallway, where distinctive moulding adorns the incredibly high ceiling, and floorboards run underfoot. There’s also useful coat hooks.

Turn right into the primary bedroom – a fabulous, light-filled sanctuary painted in sophisticated Farrow & Ball ‘Scotch Blue’ that pops against the white ceiling and intricate cornicing to make a real statement. The huge square bay window extends the footprint while capturing the available sunlight, but it’s fitted with wooden shutters to ensure privacy. A cream carpet also adds to the relaxed ambience.

Lying behind the front bedroom, bedroom two is another well-proportioned double lit by a stylish pendant bulb and a large, south-facing window fitted with a wooden Venetian blind. The neutral carpet underfoot ties in with the tonal coffee paintwork, which meets delicate coving for a refined finish.

Back in the hallway, a white-painted wooden staircase descends to the basement level. Painted in Farrow & Ball ‘Off Black No.57’ and lined with a cream carpet, it feels miles away from the nearby shops and restaurants. Currently used as a lounge and cinema room, it works equally well as a gaming area, home gym or office.

Returning to the ground floor, you’ll find a boiler cupboard with space for a laundry appliance and a tiled three-piece bathroom with a shower and curtain rail over the bath, a pedestal basin, and a close-coupled toilet beneath the side window.

At the back of the property, you’ll discover a bright, spot-lit kitchen with a good range of cream cabinetry, tiled splashback, and wooden tops, ending in a breakfast bar. There’s an integrated oven, gas hob, and space for a fridge-freezer and dishwasher.

The black tiled floor flows into the living area and picks up on the Crittall-style bi-folds, which open onto the garden for sunny mealtimes and cool breezes. Meanwhile, oversized pendant bulbs promote a cosy glow during the evening, and a side window brings in extra light.

OUTSIDE

Step out through the bi-fold doors onto a paved patio (lit by an outdoor lantern) that joins a paved side return and a slate-chipped al fresco dining area. Surrounded by recently replaced extra-high fencing, it’s a private sun trap that soaks up the rays throughout the day. Follow the paved path to the rear patio to enjoy the fragrant scent of rosemary from the planted border.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNER

‘I love the community; I have lived here single and now with a new baby, and throughout my seven years, I have felt so safe. Great location, near shops, very close to Upton Park, which takes you to so many places, a short bus ride to Stratford and a short walk to the Elizabeth line. I love to run around West Ham Park; we have always found the oriental garden particularly calming. There’s lots going on in Forest Gate – it’s a really great place to live right now.’

GETTING AROUND

Upton Park Tube (Circle and District lines, Hammersmith & City) is only a 12-minute walk, while the Elizabeth line at Forest Gate is a 19-minute walk for quick links to Heathrow, Paddington, and Shenfield. In addition, Stratford station (Overground) is a 35-minute walk or short bus ride away.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

On the border of Forest Gate, Neville Road is perfectly positioned to enjoy the highlights chic bars, excellent restaurants, and a long history of hosting musical icons, arty Forest Gate borders Wanstead Flats (a great running loop) and the expansive green oasis of Wanstead Park with its bluebell woods and lakes, not to mention its riding school and stables.

Even closer to home, West Ham Park offers play areas, a splash park, ornamental gardens, and sporting facilities, and lies just at the end of the road. Nearby, in East Ham, Plashet Park, with its water fountains and historic bowls club, is another tranquil escape. In the corner of the park, you’ll find a local gem: Applecart Arts – a theatre, arts centre and licensed café hosting everything from comedy nights and yoga to music, pottery classes and children’s activities.

Great places to eat and drink in the neighbourhood are Wanstead Tap for craft beer, Forest Gate Tavern, Wanstead Kitchen on Pevensey Road and Fiore Truck for excellent Italian cuisine. The current owner also recommends Joyau Wine Bar, Leytonstone Tavern, and Giovanna’s Deli & Wine.

Nearby, East Ham is known for its tree-lined streets, diverse communities, shops and cuisine, markets, and great schools. Central Park Café is a short bike ride away and sells excellent homemade bread and pastries. The Denmark Arms, Red Lion and Boleyn Tavern pubs (recently named one of ‘Britain's prettiest’ after a £1.5m refurb) are all easily reachable. East Ham is also famed for its excellent Indian and Sri Lankan food, with Taste of India and Udaya and Vasantha Vilas vegetarian restaurants some of the most popular.

SCHOOLS

The area is home to several schools rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, including Kensington Primary, Shaftesbury Primary School (5 mins), Elmhurst Primary (6 minutes) and Essex Primary. St Stephens (which also has a great daycare and nursery) is a 7-minute walk.

Well-regarded secondaries nearby include Plashet School for Girls, 20 minutes on foot, and the Good-rated Stratford School Academy, just down the road (both rated ‘Good’). St Bonaventure's – an ‘Outstanding’ Catholic school – and its equally well-rated sister, St Angela's Ursuline School – are both a short walk away. Nearby Brampton Manor Academy also has a solid reputation for securing Oxbridge places for its students.