Kennington Road, London

“A distinguished 18th-century home on one of south London’s most historic streets”

This magnificent Georgian home is found on leafy Kennington Road, south-east London. Over 4,000 sq ft of space extends over five storeys, with seven well-appointed bedrooms. Grade II-listed, the house is peppered with period features, including triple sash windows, smart cornicing and an elaborate dentilled doorcase. To the rear lies a verdant garden with a York stone terrace. The house is brilliantly positioned within easy reach of the South Bank, the National Theatre and the Tate Modern.

Setting the Scene

This fine home was built circa 1775, and once formed part of a school along with its neighbours on either side. Its smart façade of London stock brick is topped with a smart stone-coped parapet, while a striking flat brick arch frames a first-floor window. It is positioned within the "division-bell area", a historic eight-minute walking perimeter around the UK Houses of Parliament where external division bells are connected to alert MPs of an upcoming vote.

Inside, delicate cornicing traces high ceilings, while a pair of original Doric columns in oak flank the entrance hall.

The Grand Tour

A cast-iron gate framed by neat hedging forms the shared approach to the house. Set into an ornate doorcase with dentilled detailing, the front door opens onto a grand entrance hall defined by a pair of towering Doric columns. Dark-stained oak flooring runs throughout the house, here leading to a voluminous double reception room decorated in sultry tones. A gold-painted archway divides the two spaces. To front of the plan, panelled shuttered windows capture leafy treetop views, and there is an original working fireplace. To the rear, a large bay window fills the space with light. On this floor, a guest WC with an oculus window has been washed in midnight blue.

A wonderful kitchen lies on the lower ground floor, its dark grey cabinetry finished with a beautiful marble worktop. In the adjacent sitting room, a short flight of steps rises to a set of triple French windows that open to the garden. On this floor, a long corridor known as “the passageway” houses a back kitchen, a utility area and vaults currently used for storage.

The principal suite stretches across the first floor. From the bedroom, French doors open onto an expansive sitting and dressing area with tall sash windows and built-in pedimented wardrobes. An en suite bathroom has a bathtub with stone surround and a separate shower.

Three further bedrooms are found on the second floor. One has an en suite bathroom, and there is a separate shower room with a stone shower base.

The top floor is home to two additional bedrooms, one with fitted storage and the other with a walk-in wardrobe. A bathroom washed in a warm orange hue completes the plan.

The Great Outdoors

A tranquil walled garden extends at the rear of the house, its borders filled with climbing roses and hydrangeas. A York stone terrace close to the house provides opportunities for outdoor dining, and mature wisteria climbs the rear façade. A lower ground floor kitchen terrace at the front of the house has two vaults, currently used as a shed and a wine store.

Out and About

Kennington Road is known for its highly regarded cafes, shops and restaurants. There is excellent coffee and cake at Vanilla Black, Sally White and Urban Botanica, while a local flower market provides endless supplies of freshly cut flowers. The nearby Prince of Wales on Cleaver Square is loved by locals and home to lively games of boules throughout the summer.

Kennington Road itself has several excellent pubs, including The Dog House and The Ship. Slightly further afield is local favourite The Canton Arms. The Kennington Triangle has undergone something of an artistic rebirth in recent years. Within a short walk are Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, Cabinet, Gasworks, The Camera Club, The Tea House Theatre and The City & Guilds London School of Art.

The manicured open space of the Grade II-listed Kennington Park is 17 minutes away on foot. It is a short walk or bus ride to the Thames Path, the South Bank, Tate Britain, Tate Modern and Borough Market.

Lambeth North (Bakerloo line) is a seven-minute walk away, while Kennington, Oval (Northern line) and Vauxhall (Victoria Line and Overground services) are also close by. There are excellent bus links into central and south London, and good cycling and walking routes towards the South Bank and Soho.

Council Tax Band: G