St Katharine By The Tower, London, E1W

The Dockmaster’s House was designed in 1827 by leading Architect Philip Hardwick, treasurer of the Royal Academy, and whose next project was Goldsmith’s Hall in the City of London. Built during the reign of George IV, the house has a fascinating history which is well documented - the late Queen's brother-in-law, Lord Snowdon, campaigned against the threat of demolition as it’s purpose changed from being the home of the Dockmaster, who managed the Dock, to a private domestic dwelling.

The Grade II listed house was combined with The Toll House (the attached former Dock Office) during the current owner’s tenure, seamlessly creating an interior redolent of a Georgian English country house. The Toll House was acquired and gutted, the roof raised and it was entirely redesigned and decorated in the image and style of Sir John Soane (1753 -1837).

The river Thames surrounds the house on two sides and this aspect is uniquely exploited in the first floor drawing room and raised ground floor dining room below it. Both have a full width apsidal window facing the river and side windows which frame Tower Bridge and The Shard beyond. These rooms give the impression of being in the captain’s quarters of an 18th century English 1st rate ship of the line; a truly unique experience. The barrel windows are the architect Philip Hardwick’s master stroke as he has combined them with an extended eave overhang from the elegant shallow pitched roofline giving the exterior a very striking main feature.

The Georgian cellar survives and houses many dozens of cases of wine in an environmentally controlled atmosphere. It was restored to assist the whole property for entertaining with a dumb waiter from the cellar to the saloon. The ground and first floors are connected by a central symmetrical feature atrium, open to the first floor which is crowned by a high, ornately decorated, cupola ceiling with a beautiful staircase that climbs in a stately fashion. There is also a second staircase on the south side of the house. When combined with the principal rooms the proportions give an impression of the volume of an historic country house in the style of John Soane.

The front of the house faces south with the garden surrounding it on three sides. It was conceived and planted by the owners with input from Todd Longstaffe Gowan (Kensington Palace Gardens), in formal country house garden style with a parterre, mature roses and plants and many different locations for outdoor entertaining, including a raised terrace giving elevated river views, open sided rotunda, intimate riverside folly (built to commemorate the millennium), ornamental Koi carp pond and an open area which gives the ability to erect a marquee to seat 60 guests for lunch or dinner. The garden is flanked by a high wall, providing great privacy and security, which is almost unrivalled as this dock is also patrolled 24 hours a day by private security. There is also daily private refuse collection, for which there is a small annual charge.

Pedestrian and vehicular access to the rear from Tower Hill is via the ‘Red Bridge’ over the lock, which, as it can be raised, is rather like a draw bridge over a castle’s moat. From the other side, the entrance to St. Katharine’s Way is protected by an automated barrier with numberplate recognition and an intercom to the dock security office so guests can obtain access. Turning off St. Katharine’s Way there is a large private off-street parking area which leads to a double garage and through gates to a spacious secure walled yard offering further space for multiple car parking. Here there may be scope to roof-over to create a single-story building which could be used for recreational, luxury garaging, security or domestic staff accommodation, or many other uses – this is very unusual for London.

This is the first time this truly unique property has been sold as a single set in surrounding grounds.