5 bedroom terraced house

A non-listed, five-storey townhouse in Kensington with an impressive literary history and spectacular views over London.

Entering the property on the ground floor, a long hallway leads into the house. On the right is a dining room, with a bow window providing additional space and light. The next room is a spacious kitchen, its windows looking out over an internal courtyard. Finally, at the far end of the house, a magnificent reception room – formerly an artist studio – stretches out into the garden, with wooden floors and considerable shelving space for books, as well a separate study area.

Downstairs, the lower ground floor includes a reception room with attached kitchen and a bedroom with ensuite bathroom. In addition, this floor contains a large utilities room, a separate street entrance, and an internal courtyard leading to a wine cellar.

Upstairs, on the first floor, a beautiful main reception room occupies the entire width of the property. The room offers high ceilings and tall sash windows, as well as enough space for separate dining and seating areas. This floor also contains a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.

Upstairs again, on the second floor, the generous principal bedroom occupies the entire floor, with a large bathroom and walk-in wardrobe, as well as views over the garden square. Finally, the third floor contains two bedrooms and a shared bathroom with considerable storage. The larger of these two bedrooms also offers fabulous views over North London, with enough space for a separate study.

The property was a family home and belonged to the same owner for many decades. It retains many of its traditional features, including the elegant cornices and mouldings on the ceilings, as well as the carved stone fireplaces and inbuilt wooden shelving. Nonetheless, it has the potential to be reimagined for contemporary family life.

The house includes a large south-facing garden, accessed from the ground floor. In addition, the first floor contains an exceptionally large roof terrace – a rare feature for a house of this kind. The first floor also offers a balcony at the front of the house with views over the garden square. In addition, the property contains a small front garden, separating it from the street, while residents can also access to the private garden square opposite the house.

In the early twentieth century, the property was home to the Llewelyn Davies family, whose children inspired J.B. Barrie to write Peter Pan. Later, it was occupied by the portrait artist Harold Speed, who built the large south-facing studio. In addition, the war poet Siegfried Sassoon wrote two novels while lodging here, and his blue plaque now decorates the building. More recently, it belonged to a successful newspaper editor, giving the property a unique cultural history.
Campden Hill Square is a short walk away from Holland Park underground station, and the open spaces of Holland Park itself. In addition, the restaurants of Notting Hill are nearby, as well as the exclusive shops of High Street Kensington.