The prettiest historic country house in central London; a rare opportunity for a buyer for whom a statement property, in a globally renowned city, with iconic views, exceptional accommodation, almost unrivalled security and an important historical provenance is appealing.
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.
The next steps...
1
Establish funds
How will you fund the purchase?
Before making an offer on a property you will want to consider your financial situation, your income and outgoings.
Will you finance the purchase of your next property from the sale of an existing property which can put you in a chain, arrange a mortgage through your bank or buy the property outright.
To help you finance your next property purchase, we have a long established relationship with an independent mortgage broker who can discuss your situation with you.
They do all the legwork for you, working on your behalf with the lender
They compare wholesale mortgage rates from a large number of banks and lenders all at once
Their wholesale interest rates can be lower than retail (bank branch) interest rates
They offer more loan options because they work with numerous banks and lenders
They can finance tricky deals because of their knowledge and various lending partners
They are typically easier to get in contact with, and are less bureaucratic.
However advantages of working with your bank are:
You may be able to build off an existing relationship (and gain discounts if you have a checking or savings account)
You may already know the banker who will handle your mortgage
Banks may be more accountable than a smaller shop
They may offer lower interest rates in some cases
Their ability to add mortgage to existing banking profile and make automatic payments from linked account.
2
Making an offer
with Carter Jonas.
When you see a property you are interested in on our website, call us 24/7 to arrange a viewing. Or if you prefer, get in touch via our website and we will call you back to find a time to view the property that suits you.
Once you’ve found a property you want to buy, it’s time to make an offer. A bit of negotiation is to be expected, however don't offer so little that you end up in a lengthy negotiation process, as you might lose the property altogether if someone else makes a higher bid.
If other offers have been made on a property we aren't legally able to tell you what they are, but we may indicate if they were close to the asking price.
3
Need to sell a property
or thinking of letting?
If you have a property to sell, why not see how we can help you.
Or if you’re considering letting your property, we can take the stress out of managing your rental, and our award winning lettings team offer a service that can be tailored to your needs.
Combined with nearly 170 years of experience and one of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry, Carter Jonas is the perfect property partner.
