House & Detached Annexe, Fountayne Street, York

A substantial and particularly versatile period townhouse, offering beautifully presented accommodation together with a detached one-bedroom cottage, private parking and a mature walled garden.

Dating from the late nineteenth century, this handsome period townhouse has been the home of the present owner for around twenty-five years. During that time, the property has evolved into a wonderfully individual and surprisingly substantial home, combining the proportions and character of its original architecture with a series of thoughtful additions and improvements.

The accommodation extends over three floors and is notably generous for a house of its type. An entrance hall leads into the principal reception rooms, with a sitting room to the front and a separate dining room beyond, the latter centred around a wood-burning stove. The chimney serving the stove has been swept annually, with the remaining chimneys capped and ventilated.

To the rear is the kitchen, which opens into an extended garden room overlooking and providing access to the courtyard walled garden. Constructed in 2004, this later addition has become an integral part of the house and was further improved in 2024 with a replacement roof incorporating triple-glazed rooflights. Oak plank flooring, laid in 2003, runs through the ground-floor accommodation and adds warmth and continuity to these spaces.

The first floor is arranged around three bedrooms and the house bathroom. The principal bedroom is particularly well conceived, incorporating its own dressing area, walk-in wardrobe and en suite shower room. Two further bedrooms complete this floor and are served by a modern house bathroom with walk-in shower, bath, w/c and hand wash basin.

A staircase continues to the second floor, where the loft was converted in 2000 to create a further good-sized bedroom together with a separate study area. This is a useful and adaptable part of the house, lending itself particularly well to those working from home, older children or simply as a quieter space away from the main living accommodation.

The garden is one of the property's most appealing features. Enclosed by mature walls and planting, it has the sheltered, established feel of a traditional city centre walled courtyard garden. The garden is mature with planted, seating and lawned areas. A driveway passes through double timber gates, providing off-street parking for a small car or a rather useful cover storage area, before continuing into the garden and towards the detached cottage beyond.

Originally a joiner's workshop, the cottage was converted to provide independent accommodation for a family member and has more recently been used very successfully for short-term holiday letting. Its accommodation is arranged over two floors, with a double bedroom and shower room at ground-floor level and an impressive vaulted open-plan living, dining and kitchen space above with exposed beams. French doors open from the first floor onto a private balcony, while electrically operated Velux windows and blinds can be controlled remotely. Outside the cottage enjoys a secluded walled and paved seating area and useful store.

The cottage adds an unusual degree of flexibility to the property. It would lend itself equally well to multi-generational living, independent accommodation for visiting family, a substantial home-working environment or, subject to the relevant requirements, continued use as a holiday let.

Its established Airbnb history is particularly noteworthy. Gross income for 2024/25 was approximately £16,500 and, over the twelve months to 24 August 2026, the cottage achieved an occupancy rate of 58%, alongside an exceptional guest rating of 4.99 out of 5. The current owners have maintained a broadly similar level of occupancy year on year and are on course to achieve a comparable income for 2025/26. Importantly, the cottage has not been operated with the objective of maximising occupancy, leaving clear potential for a future owner wishing to develop its commercial use further.

Both the main house and cottage benefit from their own fibre broadband connections, newly installed in 2025 and operated independently of one another. The main house currently has a 500Mbps package, comfortably serving two home offices alongside general household use, while the cottage has its own connection which has proved more than adequate for guests, including those working remotely during their stay. A number of improvements have also been made to the energy systems of both properties. The main house has privately owned solar panels, which returned approximately £550 in payments during the last year. The associated Feed-in Tariff payments are understood to be transferable to the new owner, providing a modest ongoing benefit. A new Ideal combination boiler was also installed in 2025.

The cottage is independently heated by radTherm ceramic-core electric radiators, installed in 2024 and capable of being controlled either manually or remotely via an app. Hot water is provided on demand by a Sunamp Thermino 150 ePlus system, also installed in 2024. Together, these improvements provide the cottage with modern, independently controlled heating and hot-water systems.

Fountayne Street occupies an appealing position just off Haxby Road, placing the house within easy reach of York city centre while retaining the more relaxed character of an established residential neighbourhood. Everyday amenities are close at hand, with local shops, cafés, schools and green spaces all readily accessible, while the city walls, independent shops, restaurants and cultural life of central York can be reached with relative ease.

For those wanting a home from which much of day-to-day life can be enjoyed on foot or by bicycle, yet with the considerable advantages of private outside space, off-street parking and completely independent ancillary accommodation, the location works particularly well. Rarely does a townhouse of this period combine such generous family accommodation with a genuinely private garden and an entirely separate cottage. The result is a characterful and highly adaptable home which has served its present owner for a quarter of a century, but which offers considerable scope to adapt once again to the needs of its next owner.

Tenure: Freehold
Services/Utilities: Mains Gas, Electricity, Water and Sewerage are understood to be connected
Broadband Coverage: Up to 5500* Mbps download speed
EPC Rating: TBC
Council Tax: C - City of York
Current Planning Permission: None

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