Ashburnham Grove Greenwich SE10

Its Georgian and Victorian terraced houses have deeper front gardens than surrounding streets, and good-sized back gardens too. The street is also home to the Ashburnham Arms, a traditional pub that has been pulling pints since 1850 and draws families to its front terrace and back garden on warm weekends.

Running alongside is another family favourite - Ashburnham Retreat, one of Greenwich’s popular Play Streets that’s closed to traffic so that children can play safely outdoors. Ashburnham Grove is also a naturally quiet street as traffic can only enter from one end.

39 Ashburnham Grove has a further selling point as it’s one of the biggest houses on the street. It’s one of a small cluster of four-storey properties built in the 1850s that retain many of their original architectural features, including their traditional front doors, sash windows and white stucco detail on their facades.

Thanks to their period charm, quiet location and easy proximity to Greenwich town centre’s many amenities and transport options, houses in Ashburnham Grove are always high on buyers’ wishlists.

Front garden

The front gardens form an important feature of Ashburnham Grove, providing a continuous run of mature greenery that includes towering conifers and palms.
At No. 39, the south-facing front garden – which measures 24’ by 16’9 - provides a sunny spot for an afternoon cup of tea, with space for a bench or a table and chairs amid the lavender bushes and roses.

Ground floor

This three-bedroom house of 1,688 sq ft has the familiar charm, proportions and comforting solidity of a tall, early Victorian London townhouse – in this case, inspired by Georgian design flourishes.
Leading off the entrance hall – which features grey slate floor tiles and one of the house’s four sturdy, cast iron radiators – is the main living space, originally two reception rooms that have been knocked through. They are currently used as a living room (12’1 x 11’7) and a music room/home office (12’5 x 10’), but this large, light-filled space offers the flexibility to be configured as you choose – perhaps as one large living area or with the rear half as a dedicated dining room. It works perfectly too as a workspace with large windows overlooking the verdant garden.
There are original fireplaces in many of the rooms – most of them purely decorative - but the one in the living room houses a working gas fire, keeping this room wonderfully cosy on cold evenings.
Also on the ground floor is one of the house’s four WCs, which have all given names by the vendors, inspired by their décor. This one is known as Manhattan.

Lower ground floor

You can either descend the staircase from the ground floor – or use a separate entrance accessed by steps from the front garden. The vendors comment that this is by far their preferred route and they rarely use the house’s main front door.

This basement floor, which has a total area of 458 sq ft, is home to the kitchen (15’5 x 11’18) and dining room (15’7 x 12’3), both bathed in light from large windows at both ends. It is the most used area of the house for the current owners - so much so that some of their dinner guests have never even seen upstairs!

The kitchen has all the fully-fitted essentials concealed behind glossy powder blue units, including an oven, separate microwave/oven, large fridge freezer and dishwasher. There is a large larder too – originally the house’s coal hole – and there’s space in the kitchen for a sofa, so family or guests can chat and watch the chef at work.

In the adjoining dining room or reception room, under-stairs cupboards provide invaluable storage – and a useful spot to hide the washing machine. Alongside is the colourfully decorative WC nicknamed Versailles. Bifold doors lead out to the rear garden.

First floor

The large, south-facing master bedroom (16’ x 12’5) has two large windows that overlook Ashburnham Grove, an ornamental fireplace and a large modern wardrobe. There is also an ensuite shower room measuring 8’2 x 3’.
Sharing this first floor is the main family bathroom (10’3 x 9’4) with a freestanding shower, bath tub, sink unit and WC.

Second floor

Bedroom 2 (15’10 x 12’6) benefits from daylight flooding in through two large sash windows. It’s the perfect child’s or teenager’s retreat tucked away at the top of the house, with two built-in cupboards, plenty of space to play or study beyond the sleeping space (big enough for a kingsize bed).
Bedroom 3 (12’10 x 10’7) is also bright and spacious enough for a super king-size bed. It’s also wonderfully quiet, with views over neighbouring gardens and treetops, and Canary Wharf’s towers in the distance.

Back garden

From the basement kitchen, six wide steps lead up to the 69’3 x 16’7 back garden, which is mainly lawn framed by mature planting. The space provides a peaceful, green sanctuary, which includes a large shed next to the house and, at the far end, a semi-circular decked dining and BBQ area. There is also a garden room (6’ x 3’10) that is fully wired, double glazed and well-insulated, making it a perfect workspace or artist’s studio, or teenage offspring may eye up its potential as a TV snug and chillout space.

On your doorstep

Ashburnham Grove has a quiet, village-like feel. Yet it is also within a short walk of Greenwich town centre, with its many cafes, bars and restaurants, and a wide array of leisure and entertainment including the Greenwich Picturehouse cinema and Greenwich Theatre, world-famous museums and Greenwich Park. The riverfront path – and historic pubs such as the Trafalgar Tavern and Cutty Sark – are all on tap too.

For shopping, there are much-loved local independents such as Drings and The Creaky Shed on Royal Hill, and various supermarkets within walking distance, including Sainsburys Local and Aldi Shop & Go on Greenwich High Street and Waitrose in New Capital Quay.

The vendor says: “I also enjoy Deptford market on Saturday, which is a 12-minute walk away across the Creek, and there are various great restaurants around Deptford’s arches too.”

Getting around

Part of the great appeal of Ashburnham Grove is its proximity to transport links, including Greenwich Station, which has rail services to London Bridge and Cannon Street, and DLR services to Canary Wharf and Bank, and various bus routes on nearby Greenwich South Street and Greenwich High Road. Greenwich Pier is also within a 10-minute walk, with regular, fast Thames Clippers into central London or east to the O2 Arena and Royal Arsenal Woolwich.

The vendor comments: “We don’t have a car, so we make the most of public transport, including the 129 bus, which stops near the house and is currently free to use and goes to London City Airport" To check broadband and mobile phone coverage please visit Ofcom here ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/advice/ofcom-checker