Letchworth Lane, Letchworth Garden City

Distinguished and distinctive early Garden City detached house built in the ‘Arts & Crafts’ style to a 1904/05 design by the noted architect, Halsey Ricardo • Exceptionally fine Grade II listed family home with many fine original features • The modern extension adds greatly to the versatility of this spacious home • The gardens extend to grounds of 1.36 acres • Integral double garage and generous off-street parking • Very desirable location

The Property - This distinguished and distinctive early Garden City detached house dates from 1903 and is one of only two in the town designed by the renowned 'Arts & Crafts' architect and designer, Halsey Ricardo. It was one of six entries in a competition for the design of the new town and it is believed that its failure to win was due to Ricardo's absolute refusal to adhere to the stricture that Garden City houses should be roughcast rendered externally. Elm Tree House proudly displays its bricks, made just a few miles away at the Arlesey brickworks.

The attention to detail in this remarkably fine family home is truly impressive from the metre-and-a-half wide entrance door to the delicate curve of all the window reveals and the pastel stained glass window on the stairwell. Most of the original fireplaces remain and the Grade II listed house fully retains its 'Arts & Crafts' charm. It has, however, been very well updated and a new wing was added some twenty years ago. This includes the double garage and study/workroom on the ground floor, with two rooms above, and ideal as office space for those working from home, additional bedrooms or a potential annexe for dependent relatives.

The accommodation in the main house is arranged over three floors, with a single-storey wing linking old and new and housing the excellent kitchen/breakfast room, laundry and cloakroom/WC. The main ground floor includes the dining room, sitting and drawing rooms semi-open-plan around a central fireplace, conservatory and morning room. The first floor provides three double bedrooms, the master having a large and well-appointed en suite shower room, and a family bathroom with both shower and bath. The second floor comprises two further double bedrooms, a second bathroom, again with bath and shower, and a box room, which, on the original architect's plan, was delightfully designated the 'Housemaid's Closet'.

The house is constructed of cavity brickwork, the modern section having cavity insulation, under a pitched tiled roof. The modern sections benefit from double-glazing and the central heating and hot water are supplied by the two gas boilers located in the laundry.

The Outside - The house stands elevated in impressive grounds extending to some 1.36 acres with access on to The Glade to the rear. The plot measures approximately 303' by 268' (92.33m x 81.9m) overall. The house is approached via a shingle driveway opening to a wide shingle forecourt providing generous off-street parking and leading to the integral double garage with its twin power-operated up-and-over doors. The house is screened from the road by numerous trees and shrubs, both deciduous and evergreen. The remainder of the garden to the front is laid to lawn with herbaceous borders.

The gardens to the sides and rear, some 241' (73.6m) in depth, are truly impressive and laid to sweeping lawns with paved patios, herbaceous beds and borders and numerous specimen trees, conifers and ornamental shrubs. A strip of informal woodland forms the rear of the garden, bordering on to The Glade.

The property even boasts an air raid shelter from World War II, as well as the more conventional timber garden shed.

The Location - Letchworth Lane links Willian and the original Letchworth, two of the three old villages absorbed by the Garden City, with the main part of the town. Elm Tree House is within a mile to the south of the town centre and mainline railway station. Letchworth Garden City is on the Cambridge to mainline with services running regularly throughout the day. The fastest service to London Kings Cross takes just 29 minutes with Cambridge 27 minutes away in the other direction. Junction 9 on the A1(M) is only 1.9 miles away by car.

Designed in the early 20th Century to combine the benefits of town and country, Letchworth Garden City was the world’s first example of this concept and succeeds to this day in achieving its aim. The town provides excellent schools, shops, green open spaces and leisure facilities including cinema/theatre, library, skate park, heated lido swimming pool, tennis courts, playgrounds, splash pool and picnic areas. Letchworth Golf Club is just 372 yards away and the house is conveniently located for easy access to schools, including St Francis College, St Christopher School, Lordship Farm Primary School, the Highfield School and St Thomas More RC Primary School, all of which are within half a mile.

Council Tax - Currently Band G, but subject to an improvement indicator. The banding may be revised following a sale.

Services - MAINS water, sewerage, gas and electricity are connected to the property.
BROADBAND: A choice of providers with claimed download speeds of up to 1000 Mbps.
MOBILE SIGNAL: Most providers claim up to 4G coverage, some claim to provide 5G.

The Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation - To maintain the integrity of the Garden City concept and design, properties are subject to the additional planning requirements of the Heritage Foundation.

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