The ground floor three bedroom apartment at Wick Hill House offers elegant yet flexible accommodation, within a beautiful historic house with an intriguing past. It has been beautifully updated by its current owner.

Historic Grade II Listed building, believed to date back to the mid 1800s

Private outdoor space which consists of a veranda overlooking communal gardens and its own private courtyard garden to the side.

Stunning period features, including high ceilings, feature fireplace and full height sash windows.

Kitchen by Studio One Design of Sunningdale.

The Story

Impressive Wick Hill House is so special that Emma bought her ground-floor apartment within it without even seeing it. “I was away for work at the time and could see how incredible it was just from the photographs,” she admits. “With its high ceilings, many other period features and amazing space, I knew it had great potential. Although it was within a building with other apartments, it had a huge amount of private space. It had its own courtyard garden and beautiful, long veranda, as well as access to the communal, lawned garden. In addition, it had the most fascinating history.”

A place in history

Believed to date back to around 1854, the grand property was in fact once the residence of renowned explorer Clement St George Royds Littledale and his wife Teresa, who had her own key part to play in his daring expeditions. Many of the artefacts the couple collected can still be seen today in the Natural History Museum in London. “It is said that many notable people visited Littledale at his home here, including King Edward VII and Sir Winston Churchill, who is believed to have wound Littledale’s clock for him!” Today Grade II-listed, the splendid abode, which has also housed offices in the past, encompasses seven, exclusive apartments. It still retains much of its Victorian elegance, including its portico entrance, impressive facade, wrought-iron detailing, great sash windows and colonial-style veranda. “For example, I still have original shutters, a marble fireplace and high skirting boards within my apartment,” Emma adds.

Former Glory

In the four years that she has been in her gorgeous home, Emma has, in fact, worked her way through it from top to bottom, improving it, renovating it and bringing it back to its former glory. She has spared no expense in finishing it to the highest specification and relished restoring its exquisite, period charm, while also ensuring it offers 21st-century comfort. “I let it sit for a time while I worked out exactly what I wanted to do with it,” she recalls. “Where possible, I had features replaced or repaired and where I brought in anything new I thought carefully about it to ensure it would be sympathetic to the original style.”

Attention to detail

Every inch of the apartment has been deliberated and worked on. Bathrooms have been replaced, ceilings reskimmed and walls finished to a high standard; plasterwork has been repaired and rooms decorated in a selection of carefully chosen Farrow & Ball colours. Among other things, Mandarin Stone and Fired Earth tiles were brought in, new, sympathetic panelling was added and doors were replaced. “Each detail was considered, right down to the hinges on the doors,” she admits.

Natural Light

The apartment, which comes with a storage cellar, is entered via a porch, featuring an extremely useful cupboard. A central hall, leads to all the accommodation, including the magnificent drawing room to the left. Here two enormous sash windows bring the light flooding in and a door is set into a panelled arch. “Sitting in here, watching the birds and squirrels in the garden, is so relaxing,” she agrees. “When I have friends over, we can be in here during the winter or out on the veranda or garden in the summer.” The kitchen has another full-height window, through which she can step out on to the veranda with a cup of coffee on fine days. The master bedroom, with its beautiful, en suite wet room, is filled with glorious light all day and, like the other bedrooms, has a wardrobe. The spare bedroom is another striking, light-filled space. Here guests can throw open French windows, as well as raising the sashes, to bring in a summer breeze. “I use third bedroom as an office but have a double sofa bed in there too and there is plenty of room to pull it out,” she adds. “The accommodation here is very flexible.”

Peace and Quiet

Emma’s immaculate home, which has a parking space, is in a quiet corner of Bracknell, with good access to parks and other green, open spaces, as well as the town centre itself. “We each have a key here, which enables us to exit through a side gate and walk into town within six or seven minutes,” she explains. “I can go out for drinks or go shopping so easily and yet it doesn’t feel busy at all here.” The property is within easy reach of Windsor Great Park, Swinley Forest and motorways and major roads. “It is such a lovely place to live and I have put so much love and effort into making it what it is today – anyone who comes to live here now is very lucky indeed.”

Setting the scene

The apartment enjoys a very private, enclosed courtyard garden, which is ideal for relaxation, entertaining and hosting barbecues. It also benefits from encompassing a great stretch of the original veranda and has access to the mature, communal lawned gardens. The property comes with parking.

Disclaimer

Chewton Rose Estate Agents is the seller's agent for this property. Your conveyancer is legally responsible for ensuring any purchase agreement fully protects your position. We make detailed enquiries of the seller to ensure the information provided is as accurate as possible. Please inform us if you become aware of any information being inaccurate.