Midland Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire

This extraordinary four-bedroom home in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has been the subject of a thoughtful restoration by its current artist owners. Built in 1879 for a family of fruit merchants, original cornicing and stained-glass windows depict apples, bananas, berries, and pears, while in more recent years its interiors have been pared back to create a sanctuary-like space. A large south-facing garden is tucked to the rear of the house, its borders brimming with perennials. Wellingborough rail station is within easy walking distance and runs services to St Pancras International in approximately 55 minutes. We previously wrote about this home in our Journal.



The Tour



From the street, the house cuts a striking profile. Embraced by a smart brick wall, a wrought iron gate leads to an oak front door framed by a gabled storm porch with ornate pillars on each side.



Entry is to a bright entrance hall, where original decorative tiling runs underfoot, and wall mouldings and cornicing are relics of the house’s storied past. A voluminous living room sits to the right of the plan, where an original picture rail and cornicing draws the eye upwards to ceilings with a height of ten feet. A grand monochromatic marble fireplace occupies a central position in the space, while ebony floorboards run underfoot. Light floods into the room through a full-height bay window at the front of the plan; to the rear, an interior sash window looks out onto the conservatory and garden beyond.



A reading room is found across the hall from the main living space. It has a marble fireplace, a large bay window, and decorative ceiling plasterwork with details of pieces of fruit; a nod to the house’s first owners.



Towards the rear of the plan, a capacious dining room has original floor tiles. Here, the veins and capillaries of the house are evident in the walls and in the exposed brickwork detailing in the fireplace, while a gently arched interior window provides views into the conservatory. The kitchen sits adjacent, and has a Scandinavian storage system, neatly housing integrated Bosch appliances and finished with custom-fitted fronts and stainless steel hardware.



Across the hall, the conservatory has a pitched roof and original geometric tiling underfoot. Exposed brick walls have been washed in white, and a set of sliding doors opens onto the garden. On this floor there is also a bathroom with a roll-top bathtub.



An original wooden staircase sweeps up to the first floor from the entrance hall. The landing is illuminated by a leaded stained glass window with a fruit motif, while wooden floorboards have been painted white.



The principal bedroom sits to the right of the plan, its walls washed in a soothing olive-green hue. Windows to the front and rear fill the space with an abundance of natural light, and a picture rail traces the walls. The second bedroom has a large marble fireplace and a bay window, and there are two additional bedrooms – one of which is currently used as an office. A shared bathroom is finished in a neutral colour palette, and has a walk-in shower with tiled walls.



The lower ground floor is a versatile space that is currently used as a studio. It has a quarry-tiled floor and strip lighting, while natural light pours in from a light well.



Outdoor Space



A large south-facing garden sits to the rear of the house and has both lawn and patio areas. Its deep borders are filled with 60-year-old lavender bushes, oriental poppies, and peonies, which bloom in spring, roses, and sweet peas. A productive plum tree can be found at the bottom of the garden, and well-developed grapevines and wisteria wind along the side brick wall.



The garden has a greenhouse, and a double garage with a remote-operated gate provides access to the street. At the front of the house, a neat paved garden is bordered with shrubbery to create a sense of privacy and remove.



The Area



Wellingborough is a pretty market town in Northamptonshire. Local favourite haunts included Bewiched Coffee, which serves freshly roasted artisanal coffee, while No. 14 Coffee also produces its own batches to brew at home. For food, Restaurant Ember serves an eclectic tasting menu, while The Snooty Fox in nearby Kettering is another stellar choice.



Other amenities in Kettering include a wide selection of supermarkets, as well as a cinema and a variety of independent shops, including The Bean Hive and Curated by Cransley.



For explorations in nature, there is a wealth of open green space nearby, including Irchester Country Park, Sywell Country Park and Stanwick Lakes. Pitsford Water Fishing Lodge is also perfect for keen anglers and has an excellent running path and café. The spectacular house and grounds of the Althorp Estate are approximately 20 miles away, while the Castle Ashby Gardens are closer to home.



There are a number of well-regarded schooling options in the area, including Wellingborough Public School, a 5-minute walk away, Park Junior School, Wrenn School, and Northampton Academy.



Wellingborough rail station is a 14-minute walk from the house, and runs reliable services to St Pancras International every 30 minutes, with journey times of just under an hour. Northampton is a 20-minute drive away, and Luton Airport is accessible in around an hour.



Council Tax Band: F