Silverless Street, Marlborough, Wiltshire

Situated in the heart of Marlborough, Wiltshire is this Grade II-listed, four-bedroom Elizabethan house, spanning some 2,260 sq ft. Lovingly renovated by its current owners, the home unfolds across three storeys, each connected by a series of wonderfully winding original staircases. A verdant garden is nestled at the rear of the house and has a period well and pump. The picturesque rolling hills of the North Wessex Downs National Landscapes extend beyond, providing an abundance of footpaths and cycling routes to explore.

Setting the Scene

The house is set in the pretty market town of Marlborough, less than a minute’s walk from its distinctive high street. With a twice-weekly market and an array of characterful buildings housing independent businesses, Marlborough has been voted one of the best places to shop in England.

Silverless Street is a quiet, residential street lined with handsome period architecture. This house is no exception, with its navy-blue windows, red-tiled roof, and broad stucco and brick frontage. Although the core of the building dates to the 16th century, a series of later additions – made both during the 19th century and under current ownership – have opened up the house, creating a series of cosy, comfortable and bright living spaces.

The Grand Tour

At the front of the home, three stone steps lead up to an original oak-panelled door that is one of the first indicators of the house’s period provenance. Original flagstones run underfoot in the hall upon entry, with an elegant dining room off to the left. The first of several working fireplaces is found here - perfect for hunkering down after a winter’s day exploring Marlborough’s markets.

On the other side of the hall is a comfortable sitting room, with expansive bay windows and open fireplace. A study, or snug, is found at the rear of the house, with casement windows and a timber-panelled door.

Across the hallway lies a country-style kitchen, complete with an eggshell-blue electric Aga, timber units and worktops and clay quarry tiles underfoot. The kitchen also has a casement window that faces out onto the leafy garden beyond.

Descending a set of ‘hit-and-miss’ stairs in the hallway leads to a spacious cellar with exposed brick walls and flooring, which is currently used as a utility room and workshop.

From the ground floor, a curved timber staircase leads to the first floor, where two generously proportioned bedrooms lie, both with wooden floorboards and characterful casement windows. There are also two bathrooms on the first floor; one has a bath with a blue marble ledger panel and an original Burlington sink, while the other accommodates both a bath and a walk-in shower.

Stairs lead to the second floor, which is home to two additional bedrooms appointed with a similarly gentle finish. There is also a third bathroom here, beautifully lit by Velux windows.

The Great Outdoors

At the rear of the house is a luscious split-level walled garden, with a patio that is perfect for outdoor dining in the summer months. Well-tended flowerbeds add colour to the scene.

The garden also encompasses an original well with pump; although no longer operational, it stands as a reminder of the house’s earliest past.

Out and About

Marlborough is a historic market town that was first mentioned in the Domesday Book. It is the site of Merlin’s Mound, one of the largest Neolithic mounds in Europe, and rumoured to be the burial place of the legendary Merlin. The town also has one of the widest streets in England, created in the wake of the Great Fire of Marlborough in 1653.

Today, it is a thriving market town with a convenient range of shops, including a Waitrose. There are several places to dine in the town: an outpost of Rick Stein’s seafood restaurants brings the Cornish coast to Wiltshire, while La Bobina serves delicious tapas alongside an exceptional selection of sherries.

The town is also renowned for its annual literature festival, as well as its close proximity to nature. Savernake Forest, less than a 10-minute drive from the house, is filled with bluebells in the late spring. The town lies within the North Wessex Downs and is a short drive from the Cranborne Chase National Landscape and The New Forest; as a result, the opportunities for explorations in nature are near endless.

This is a landscape that has remained largely unchanged; its gentle undulations have captured the imaginations of artists and writers over the centuries. Its past can be felt at several National Trust properties close to the house (including Lacock); for historians of a more ancient persuasion, the Avebury Ring and Stonehenge are an 11- and 40-minute drive from the house.

Malmesbury, Frome, Salisbury, Oxford, Bath and Bristol are all within an hour’s drive of Silverless Street; there are also plenty of pretty villages nearby.

There are plenty of schooling options nearby, including the privately run Marlborough College on the outskirts of the town. St John’s Academy is also nearby and is well regarded.

The easiest routes to London are via Swindon or Pewsey, which have direct rail services to Paddington with a journey time of around an hour. Pewsey is a 15-minute drive from the house, whereas Swindon rail station is half-an-hour by car. The M4 provides excellent access to West London in one direction, and Bristol and Bath in the other.

Council Tax Band: F