Windsor Terrace, Clifton, Bristol

This magnificent Grade II*-listed home forms part of one of Bristol's finest terraces, where sash windows frame views out over Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge and Avon Gorge. It comes to market for only the second time in a century, and has been well preserved by its current owners. At the rear is a beautiful and naturalistic garden embraced by mature trees. Windsor Terrace sits close to Clifton Village, North Somerset, the iconic Bristol Harbourside and the thriving city centre.



Setting the Scene



Described by Historic England as “part of the visually very important view of Clifton from across the Avon,” Windsor Terrace was commissioned in 1790 by William Watts. The plans originally comprised a terrace of 20 houses, in the style of the grandiose Camden Crescent in Bath.



However, Watts spent most of his capital on constructing the vast retaining wall and the vaults below the houses and the terrace, and only this house and its neighbour were completed to the original plan (by the architect John Eveleigh) before the financial collapse of 1791. Smart dressed freestone, tall pilasters and an entablature with a modillioned cornice define the house’s façade, while interiors are peppered with marble fireplaces and grand archways. The four houses on either side of the central pair were later built on a much smaller scale by the developer John Drew.



Having had only two owners in well over 100 years, this home retains nearly all its original detail, including its great hall, marble fireplaces, fine-panelled doors and shutters, renovated sash windows and ornate plaster cornices. A particularly magnificent 16-pane conical skylight crowns the building, allowing light to cascade through the handsome period staircase.



The Grand Tour



A white-painted front door with a cobweb fanlight is set into a grand façade of dressed freestone. On entry, a porch opens onto a generous entrance hall, an ornate archway emphasising its soaring ceilings. On the garden side, a large sitting room has an arched alcove, fitted shelving and sash windows with original shutters. It leads to a conservatory, in need of some repair, with arched tracery and French doors onto a verdant garden.



At the front of the house, an expansive kitchen and dining area is filled with light from two arched sash windows, offering far-reaching views across the city skyline to the Mendip Hills. Tall bespoke cabinetry sits within an arched alcove, and cabinetry is topped with generous work surfaces.



A sweeping staircase with a mahogany handrail ascends to the first floor, where a vast sitting room is illuminated by three full-height sash windows with spectacular views across the city. Intricate cornicing traces the ceiling, and there is an original marble fireplace. To one side, fitted bookshelves are flanked by tall columns. On this floor, there is also a principal bedroom with a sash window, adjacent bathroom and views of Clifton Suspension Bridge.



An en suite bedroom lies on the second floor, with sash windows that afford views over south Bristol. There is another bedroom and a laundry room on this floor, along with a shower room. The third floor is home to a sitting room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom.



Two well-lit bedrooms are found on the lower ground floor, along with a living space, kitchen, study, bathroom and a separate WC. On the floor below, there is an atmospheric original wine cellar.



The Great Outdoors



The garden includes an original small circular ‘Bristol diamond’ encrusted grotto with two added stained-glass windows by the distinguished artist Rosalind Grimshaw, who lived and worked in No 6 from 1971 to 2020. The 100-foot-long garden leads, via a doorway, into the Avon Gorge woodland with an established right of way to The Downs.



The views are outstanding, with glimpses of the suspension bridge and the Avon Gorge below.



Out and About



Windsor Terrace is a short walk from the thriving Clifton Village, which jis home to a wide range of independent shops, cafes and restaurants, including Primrose Cafe, Burra, Fish Tales, and Nutmeg. The much-loved Clifton Lido is also close by, as is the neighbourhood of Hotwells.



Clifton Down is an excellent spot for a walk, with views of the suspension bridge. Across the river, the National Trust-maintained Leigh Woods offers miles of trails for running, cycling, and dog walking. The expansive Ashton Court Estate is across the bridge or around a 10-minute drive away, and is known for its great mansion house. Bristol Harbour can be reached in around 10 minutes on foot, and forms a circular walk to the city centre.



Well-served for cultural activities and annual festivals, Bristol has a thriving art and music scene, with Royal West of England Academy, Arnolfini and Spike Island leading a well-regarded annual programme of contemporary exhibitions and performances. The Bristol Old Vic and Tobacco Factory Theatres ensure a wide variety of performances throughout the year, while the Watershed, a much-loved institution located along the harbourside, hosts talks and events alongside a programme of independent film screenings. There is also a popular Everyman Cinema on Whiteladies Road.



There is a good selection of state and privately run schools in the city, including Bristol Grammar School, Clifton College Preparatory and Upper School, Christ Church of England Primary School, Hotwells Primary School and Clifton High School.



Temple Meads rail station is around a 25-minute bus ride – or a 15-minute cycle – from the house. Here, connections run to Bath in 12 minutes, or to London Paddington in an hour and a half. Bristol is also well-placed for easy access to the surrounding countryside and the coastlines of Devon, Dorset and Cornwall. The city’s international airport is reachable by car in around 20 minutes.



Council Tax Band: H