Montpelier Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1

Radiating Regency charm, this elegant four bedroom terraced house with four storeys of sunlit rooms is Grade II listed to preserve its classic beauty. With friendly shops and cafés at each end of this exclusive street in the ‘Knightsbridge’ of Brighton, this light and spacious home offers options if you work from home or want a fifth bedroom, and is in Montpelier & Clifton Hill CA, one of the most desirable – and expensive- areas of the city, 5 mins walk from Waitrose and the al fresco lifestyle of Western Road, 5 on foot from a good primary school and adjoining park (3 mins by car), 10 from the beach- and 12 minutes from Brighton Station’s direct trains to Gatwick and London (or 4 by cab).

Inside blends precious period features with the best of the 21st century. The magnificent reception has a working fireplace and central doors to the dining room/5th bedroom whilst on the lower floor, the fabulous custom made kitchen/breakfast room opens to the patio for easy entertaining in summer and has a working fireplace for guests to relax by in complete seclusion.

At the far end of the hallway, a quiet room with natural light is used as a big storeroom, but it could also become a comfortable home office. Incorporating contemporary needs there is a cloakroom on both the ground floor and lower floor, and there is a sophisticated utility room with heated rails and access to outside.

Upstairs has both a luxury bathroom and chic shower room, and all four bedrooms are quiet, comfortable doubles ready for your move – and one has an oblique sea view! Surrounded by good schools both state and private (including Brighton Girls and Brighton College) and within a 10 minute radius of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, this stately home is far quieter than its fashionable location may suggest, as it is also just a short walk or drive to the Clock Tower at the beating heart of Brighton, to the vibrant, picturesque North Laine and the fashionable bars, cafes and shops of 7 Dials – and its 7 routes into the whole of the city, out to the National Park or to the A23/A27 for Lewes, the coast and M23.


Style: Grade II listed terraced house, Regency style, circa 1840’s
Type: 4 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms + 2 cloakrooms, reception, dining room/home office/5th bedroom, kitchen breakfast room, utility
Location: Montpelier & Clifton Hill CA
Area: 1808 sq ft
Outside: West patio
Parking: Permit zone Z
Council Tax Band: E

Why You’ll Like It:

A prestigious address, Montpelier & Clifton Hill CA is acknowledged as one of the UK’s most important architectural treasures and this beautiful house with rounded bays and wrought iron detail has been sympathetically restored to its former glory, keeping its historic elegance and irreplaceable features intact whilst subtly integrating the best of the 21st century. Inside, painted in the heritage sensitive tones of Farrow& Ball, the hushed hallway is inviting with a high ceiling and original plaster work overhead, and oak underfoot continues through into the spacious reception.

The Reception and Dining Room/5th Bedroom and Home Office:

A timeless beauty, this formal reception has ample space to share and blends elegant period proportion with a classic finish. With a graceful, curved bay almost filling the east wall it is full of sunlight and as the ceiling, with swan neck coving, soars to approx. 3 meters overhead it is a stately retreat at the end of the day. Custom made cabinets in keeping with the age of the house are on each side of a handsome cast iron fireplace which now has a flame effect gas fire set within it. Tall central doors behind you keep options open whilst entertaining and reveal the splendid dining room, which can also be reached via the entrance hall.

With generous floorspace guests can enjoy a traditional dining experience in a beautiful room which delivers rare seclusion for this central location, although this space is a versatile one as there is room for the family to come together for work, rest or play, or it could also be a guest/au pair bedroom as there is a chic cloakroom nearby.
At the end of the hallway, a light room is discreetly tucked away. Used as a big storeroom, it would be an ideal home office.

The Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Utility and Garden:
Downstairs, opening to the patio and to the front steps from the street, the kitchen breakfast room is all about enjoying friends and family. Built in an age reliant on natural light it has a cheerful east/west orientation with a big window at the front and French doors at the back to bring the outside in. Full of character and completely private, the eating area has plenty of space for a big table for family time or informal suppers, and it is welcoming at any time of year as the fireplace has a gas fire which warms the room at a flick of a switch, and dimmer switches ensure ambient lighting.

Skilfully designed to create a dream space which works well for everyday but is also perfect for parties, the large, bespoke kitchen flows around a stylish central island with a wood top where homework can be encouraged as you cook. Well planned with sophisticated storage solutions and almost indestructible granite working surfaces, high end appliances include a dishwasher, a double Villeroy & Boch Belfast sink with a hot water and hose tap, and a Neff Microwave, whilst the Falcon multi fuel range could stay, subject to circumstance.

A secret retreat, the spacious patio is is a tranquil haven surrounded by other gardens where it is easy to forget just how central this location is. Child and pet secure it becomes an extension of the house during summer – and celebrations- and landscaped for an easy, al fresco lifestyle with paving underfoot and the owner’s palms in pots, it is a tropical, trouble free oasis to return to after a day in the city– and it is level with the house, a feature hard to find in a city built on hills.
Returning inside, at the far end of this floor, an unusually large utility has space for 2 machines, organised storage, heated rails for drying woollens and silk, and access to the garden – and a cloakroom.

The Luxury Bathroom:

At the top of a broad staircase, you can bathe in glory in this spa like bathroom which has a Regency influence in the talon foot tub, its traditional style shower attachment and Savoy handbasin, but there is nothing old fashioned about the separate walk in shower with a dual head system and heated rails – or the airing cupboard next door with power for a dryer.
The First Floor Guest Room and Principal

Bedroom:

Up on the first floor, this house spreads its wings with a peaceful guest room at the back where guests can enjoy garden views with space for storage to cater for different needs. At the front, the principal bedroom is a serene sanctuary with calm decoration, a slender bay to flood the room with morning sunshine and custom made wardrobes providing all the storage you could dream of, so you won’t need to change a thing.
Two Second Floor Double Bedrooms and Shower Room:

With plenty of space and character of their own, two lovely bedrooms at the top of the house are of pretty equal size, so there shouldn’t be any lively discussions about allocation! At the back, the bedroom is not overlooked as the prosperous properties behind are lower, and there is an oblique glimpse of the sea. At the front, the fourth bedroom is a delight with historic views and these two rooms share a chic shower room where a Bristan shower ensures water pressure isn’t an issue.

Agent’s Thoughts:

“Montpelier & Clifton Hill CA is the Regency jewel in our coastal crown and is acknowledged as one of the most important in the UK with its protective listing. This beautiful house is a rare find within the golden triangle of the city where the sea, vibrant shopping and the station are within a 10-12 minute walk. Perfect for professionals and families our air is fresh, local schools are good and our cultural heart is chic and inclusive, there are also a host of local cafes, restaurants and bars to explore – and more along the local beaches.”

Owner’s secret:

“We fell in love with the light which streams through the house. It has beautiful proportions and original features in every room, and the layout gave us flexible options as the family grew. There was always room for us to enjoy friends and family together, although we kept the central doors on the ground floor, so the teenagers also had separate space to enjoy their friends…and their own musical taste! The patio is secluded, but large enough for entertaining and we are surrounded by parks and just a short walk from the beach. There’s a great community here as people tend to stay and we also have independent cafés at each end of the street. In the golden triangle you have freedom from the car as you can walk everywhere, nearby bus routes give older children independence, and close to the 7 Dials you can be into or out of the city in minutes.”

Where it is:

Shops Local shops, cafes and bistro pubs around the corner, Waitrose & Western Road 5, 7 Dials 6 mins walk (3 by car)
Train station Brighton 10-12 mins walk, 7 by cab
Seafront or Park St Nicholas Rest Garden and playground 5 mins walk, St Anne’s Wells sports, playground and café 8 on foot (both 2 by car) Seafront 10 mins on foot

Closest schools

Primary St Paul’s C of E, St Mary Magdalen
Secondary Varndean, Dorothy Stringer
Sixth Form BHASVIC, City College, MET, BIM
Private Brighton Girls, Brighton College, Roedean, Lancing, Bede’s

A 10-15 minute walk or 4 mins drive from the station with buses covering the whole of Brighton and Hove on Western Road, this fabulous location is just moments from a local al fresco lifestyle as well as having easy access to the 7 Dials and the world famous shops, clubs, bars and restaurants at the centre of our legendary coastal resort. The picturesque cultural heart of the city surrounding the Royal Pavilion is easy to reach, and it is also conveniently located for parks that provide open spaces, sports facilities and host legendary events during our festivals. Local schools are good and major employers of the city like Amex and the County Hospital are all within a 10 minute radius. For those who love the outdoors, the beach, water sports at Hove Lagoon and cosmopolitan Marina are easy to reach - and don't forget our glamorous racing weekends and easy access to the fresh air, horse riding and starry nights of the National Park! For those who commute by car there is swift access to the 7 Dials and its 7 routes into or out of the city, with particularly swift access to the A23 and A27 for the Amex Stadium or M23.

A 10-15 minute walk or 4 mins drive from the station with buses covering the whole of Brighton and Hove on Western Road, this fabulous location is just moments from a local al fresco lifestyle as well as having easy access to the 7 Dials and the world famous shops, clubs, bars and restaurants at the centre of our legendary coastal resort. The picturesque cultural heart of the city surrounding the Royal Pavilion is easy to reach, and it is also conveniently located for parks that provide open spaces, sports facilities and host legendary events during our festivals. Local schools are good and major employers of the city like Amex and the County Hospital are all within a 10 minute radius. For those who love the outdoors, the beach, water sports at Hove Lagoon and cosmopolitan Marina are easy to reach - and don't forget our glamorous racing weekends and easy access to the fresh air, horse riding and starry nights of the National Park! For those who commute by car there is swift access to the 7 Dials and its 7 routes into or out of the city, with particularly swift access to the A23 and A27 for the Amex Stadium or M23.