Newbury Close, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire

This impressive four-bedroom mid-century house has recently undergone a considered modernisation and extension. Set within one of Bishop’s Stortford’s conservation areas and designed in the 1960s by architects Lyster, Grillet and Harding, it unfolds across three floors. Ribbons of glazing draw in plenty of natural light and frame tree-filled views. A private courtyard garden extends from the ground-floor open plan and there is off-street parking for two cars at the front.

The Tour

Despite being just three minutes’ walk from the centre of town, Newbury Close's elevated site lends an enhanced sense of privacy. A wonderful example of mid-century architecture, the external design is characterised by clean, simple lines, ‘box’ shapes and the use of honest materials typical of the era, including brick, timber and concrete.

Internally, the house has a decidedly contemporary atmosphere that enmeshes harmoniously with its mid-century essence. At its heart is a captivating concrete spiral staircase, which unites a cleverly conceived, flexible and bright layout.

On the ground floor is the newly extended and refurbished open-plan living, dining and kitchen area, with full-width glazed bifold doors leading directly to the paved courtyard garden. The kitchen has a U-shape layout with a run of floor-to-ceiling storage and a central island. An oversized roof light hovers above the dining space beyond and ushers light into the plan.

A playroom, or fourth bedroom, lies to the front of the plan. Completing the ground-floor plan is a handy WC/shower room that sits alongside a well-kitted-out utility space with independent access to the garden.

In the centre of the house is an original and impeccably preserved elliptical concrete staircase that sweeps around a newel of stacked circular blocks. It rises to the first floor, where flush plywood double doors open to a wonderful living area. This space runs front-to-back and has full-width windows at both ends that filling the room with natural light. This floor is also home to a single bedroom, currently used as an office, as well as a WC.

The stairs ascend up to the second floor, where two further double bedrooms lie; both have a full-width window with leafy views. The larger bedroom has a wall of full-height storage and an en suite shower room. The second bedroom also has an en suite with a deep oval tub.

Outdoor Space

At the rear of the house is a paved courtyard garden. This is bathed in morning and afternoon sunlight and is a lovely spot for relaxing. An impressive magnolia bursts into bloom in late spring, while colourfully hued raised beds line the perimeter and are home to a verdant selection of flowers, shrubs and bushes.

A gate adjacent to the front driveway provides direct access via a side path to the rear garden, which has plenty of room for outdoor dining.

Approximately half of what was previously the garage has been incorporated into the extended kitchen, while the remaining space can be accessed directly from the entrance hall and offers generous storage for bicycles, garden equipment and the like.

The Area

The house sits in the favoured north-west quarter of Bishop’s Stortford, a historic market town with attractive architecture and quick transport links to London. It has a broad range of shops and supermarkets and offers many dining options, such as No 14 North Street for delicious Pan-Asian fare. Pircio,is a great spot for Italian food while Le Peche Mignon is a further tasty stopping off point for a delicious breakfast or stocking up on deli items.

Bishop's Stortford has a wide choice of outstanding schools. Newbury Close is within the catchment area for the outstanding Northgate Primary School, with St Michael's Church of England and St Joseph's Catholic primary schools also highly regarded. The town is also well served at secondary school level by Hockrill Anglo European School, Bishop's Stortford College and The Hertfordshire and Essex High School.

The town is also well served for entertainment as well as sporting offerings at several leisure centres, including Grange Paddock and the Bishop's Stortford Community Social Club, which are both around 10-minutes' walk from the house.

There are many nearby options for a day out. The Henry Moore Foundation at Perry Green is a lovely spot to wander among the gardens and sculptures, or browse the house and galleries. The open-air immersive museum experiences at Mountfitchet Castle and Norman Village are close at hand, while the ancient royal hunting forest, Hatfield Forest, is a fantastic place to walk and picnic. Nearby Saffron Walden is home to the internationally recognised concert venue Saffron Hall, while Cambridge, around 27 miles north, affords further arts options in the form of galleries, independent cinemas and theatres.

The train station is approximately a 15-minute walk away and runs as many as seven services per hour to London Liverpool Street, a journey that takes approximately 40 minutes. Tottenham Hale is en route to London and provides a convenient link to the Victoria underground line. The M11 runs close to the town, giving access to London, Cambridge, Stansted Airport (five miles east), and the M25.

Council Tax Band: D