5 bedroom detached house

Southcot House is a generously proportioned Georgian home occupying an elevated yet secluded position, tucked away behind a walled garden and courtyard. It has some of the most incredible views of Bath city centre and is just a short walk from Widcombe high street and Bath Spa Station.

Built-in 1777, extended in Victorian times and renovated in recent years, this four-storey house is packed with period features and flourishes. Tiled floors, decorative plasterwork, attractive fireplaces and original flagstone floors have been enhanced by the current owner's refurbishments from 2012 onwards; the decoration in complementary quality designer paints creates a stylish and characterful home.

From the rear, all four floors - each with its own bay - can be seen, the battlements along the rooftops adding to the grandeur of the architecture. The main entrance is at the side, up a few steps to the front door. The entrance hall is a Victorian extension and features original floor tiles; from here, the music room is to the left, and the recently refurbished conservatory is to the right. Straight on leads to the inner hall and the rest of the ground floor accommodation. The adjoining kitchen and breakfast rooms both feature Shaker-style units with wooden worktops and floors, and a restored cabachon stone flooring leads to the back door that opens on to the courtyard, across which are the garage and studio.

The drawing room is the showstopper on this floor: its grand proportions, elegant ceiling height and tall central Venetian-style triple windows with panoramic views of the garden, city centre and surrounding hills are impressive. A marble fireplace, framed by storage cupboards on either side, is the centrepiece at one end of the room, while at the other end, a door leads into the dining room, with garden views.

Originally, the lower ground floor would have been the working quarters for staff, and there are several original stone and brick fireplaces that add character to the large spaces at this level. The rooms are well-ventilated and light, with good-sized sash windows and a garden door opening on to the rear terrace. There's ample storage here, too, as well as the conversion of the vaults into useful rooms such as the utility, a workshop and a wine cellar.

The staircases are carpeted on all floors and the landings of the first and second levels. The first-floor split-level landing is spacious. The principal bedroom suite features a triple sash window with incredible views of Bath's city centre and the hills beyond. An ornate fireplace, built-in storage and WC are on one side of the room, and on the other side, steps down into a modern dressing room and bathroom that offers an attractive contrast. There are two further bedrooms, one en suite, plus a family bathroom, a shower room and a separate WC on this floor. The views are even more far-reaching on the second floor, where there are three more good-sized bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The coach house studio is on two floors: a ground-floor garage with a first-floor studio. The garage has space for at least two cars and is accessed via electric doors from the roadside and a side door from the courtyard garden. There's a separate door into the studio, where a contemporary staircase leads to a large, open-plan space. The roof shape creates interesting architectural angles to the studio ceilings, and large circular roof windows allow light to flood in. A kitchen and bathroom are hidden behind a feature wall, adding to this accommodation's flexibility as a separate dwelling for guests.

Lyncombe Hill's proximity to Bath Spa Station, the city centre and Widcombe make it a prime location. Just above Lyncombe Hill, there are 10 acres of pasture land - open public spaces owned by Bath and North East Somerset Council and managed by Friends of Lyncombe Hill Fields . Widcombe has a good community with a modern social club, pubs, cafés, doctor's surgery, dentist, pharmacy, supermarket, shops and restaurants. Regular bus service and well-regarded schools are easily reached, including Widcombe, Moorlands, St John's infant and junior schools, and a range of highly regarded secondary schools. Bath has excellent cultural and leisure amenities, including many fine restaurants and specialist shops, museums, art galleries and theatres, as well as its premiership rugby ground and its famous Thermae Spa. There's a high-speed train services from Bath Spa Railway Station to London Paddington (approximately 90 minutes) and Bristol Temple Meads (15 mins).