North Lodge, Thornton Hough, Merseyside

Forming part of the Thornton Hall estate, the Grade II-listed North Lodge is an historic 19th-century home on The Wirral. It is a house of exceptional character, thoughtfully updated by its current owners while retaining many of its original period features. The house extends across 1,625 sq ft and incorporates four bedrooms and a series of versatile living spaces. North Lodge is set in private grounds, and has a large rear garden with mature flowerbeds and hedging, as well as a smart interior courtyard. The house is excellently located, with central Liverpool just a 25-minute drive away.



Setting the Scene



Thornton Hough is a pretty village named after the Thornton family, who it was owned by during the 14th century. When Roger de Thornton's daughter married Richard de la Hough, the village received the combined surname of Thornton Hough.



North Lodge forms part of the Thornton Hall estate, which was developed in the 19th century and was once home to wealthy shipping merchants Bamford Brothers of Liverpool. Built in 1894, the lodge retains many of its original features, including a gabled porch with intricate carvings and splat balusters, a timber frame and a stone slate roof.



The Grand Tour



A shared driveway lined with trees leads to the private grounds of this exceptional timber-framed house. A gabled front porch frames the front door, which opens onto a tiled entrance hall. To the right is a voluminous sitting room, its walls washed in a deep teal hue. A wide inglenook fireplace is fitted with a log burner, perfect for hunkering down on cooler evenings. Soaring ceilings here and throughout the house amplify the sense of space, while an original picture rail is a relic of its past. French doors provide outdoor access, and a large bay window is fitted with original leaded glazing.



The kitchen sits adjacent, and has contrasting tiling underfoot. Here, forest-green cabinetry with engineered worktops offers ample storage space. A butler sink has brass fittings, and timber framed windows look out onto the pretty interior courtyard. The dining room is found at the front of the plan, illuminated by a large bay window and papered in a striking green pattern.



From the kitchen, a wooden door with beautiful stained-glass panel leads to a tiled interior hallway, currently used as a boot room. It leads to a bright, versatile room currently appointed as a gymnasium, which could also be used as a snug or a home office. A bathroom is attached, with marble tiling and walk-in shower.



On the first floor, a landing drenched in a warm plum tone leads to three light-filled bedrooms, as well as an alcove space currently used as a reading nook. The principal bedroom has a smart original fireplace; although no longer in use, it remains a marker of the house’s storied past. There are two further bedrooms, one of which has a cast-iron fireplace and a brick-framed original window set into an arched alcove. The other has a pitched roof and is fitted with a washbasin.



A shared bathroom completes the plan. It has intricate tiled flooring, a roll-top bath with brass fittings and a separate shower.



The Great Outdoors



A large garden at the rear of the house has been beautifully landscaped with lawns, mature flower beds and smart hedging. The house also has an interior courtyard, which has clay tiling underfoot and space for potted plants. A high wall creates a sense of privacy and remove, while the house’s private grounds are bordered by mature trees.



The house is surrounded by rolling countryside, with captivating views of the fields beyond its borders.



Out and About



North Lodge is nestled in Thornton Hough, a tranquil village surrounded by lush countryside. It has a village hall, an ofsted outstanding primary school (some 2-minutes walk away), a café and a pub, the Seven Stars. For provisions, there is a convenience store a six-minute drive away in Heswall; larger supermarkets, including an M&S Simply Food and a Co-op, are found in nearby Bebington. Nova restaurant is approximately a 10-minute drive from the house, and offers an excellent fine dining experience. Julian’s Restaurant in Hoylake is also highly regarded.



Stretches of coastline frame the Wirral Peninsula and provide plenty of scope for strolling with an ice-cream in hand. RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands are in easy reach, with the Port Sunlight River Park also close at hand.



The delights of Liverpool are just a 25-minute drive away from North Lodge and provide a vibrant food, art and culture scene. The city has a wealth of brilliant museums, including the Walker Art Gallery, Tate Liverpool and RIBA North, and the Museum of Liverpool. It has an Everyman cinema and Fact, which shows both arthouse and blockbuster films. There are also plenty of wonderful places to dine out, from 8 by Andrew Sheridan to Paul Askew’s The Art School.



There are a number of highly regarded schooling options in the local area, including Thornton Hough Primary, Brackenwood Infant School and Upton Hall secondary school.



Port Sunlight station is around five miles from the house, and provides services to Liverpool and Chester with a journey time of approximately 20 minutes and 25 minutes respectively. Liverpool Lime Street is a 25-minute drive from the house, and runs regular services to London Euston in two hours and 20 minutes.



Council Tax Band: F