- Historic Regency Gothic Residence – A distinguished early 19th-century home, part of one of the oldest surviving pairs on Downshire Hill, with a balconied façade and more charm than Colin Firth. +
- Spacious Accommodation (2,379 sq ft) – Arranged across versatile living spaces with five bedrooms and two bathrooms, offering both practicality and elegance. +
- Multiple Reception Rooms – Includes a formal dining room, garden room, TV room, and study, creating a balance between entertaining and private family living. +
- Rich Cultural Heritage – Once home to composer Martin Shaw, stage designer Edward Gordon Craig, and novelist Elizabeth Jenkins, with connections to British theatre and literature. +
- Idyllic Setting – Set discreetly behind a generous front garden on Hampstead’s most sought-after street, lined with elegant Regency villas and historic architecture. +
- Proximity to Hampstead Heath – Just moments from 800 acres of parkland, woodland, and swimming ponds, offering an unrivalled balance of heritage living and natural open space. +
Most houses grate, this house is great.
Set discreetly behind a generous front garden, this balconied Regency Gothic house is part of a distinguished pair—believed to be among the oldest homes on Downshire Hill, dating back to the early 19th century. Between 1815 and 1822, during the reign of George III under the Regency of his son George IV, houses were constructed at the top of the street. These early villas at Nos. 4–8, including this one, remain some of Hampstead’s most evocative Regency residences.
The house has played host to a remarkable history. From 1900 to 1902 it was the headquarters of the Purcell Operatic Society, where composer Martin Shaw—who later wrote All Things Bright and Beautiful and Morning Has Broken—lived with stage designer Edward Gordon Craig. Together they staged productions that influenced a generation of British theatre. Decades later, the novelist and biographer Elizabeth Jenkins (1905–2010) lived here from the 1930s until her death, writing some of her most celebrated works from within these walls.
Presented in excellent decorative order, the five-bedroom, two-bathroom home unfolds with a natural flow across versatile living spaces: a study, dining and reception areas, tv room, and a delightful garden room. Every corner speaks of both charm and purpose, balancing daily life with moments of quiet inspiration.
Location:
“Sloping gently down towards the Heath, Downshire Hill is regarded as one of Hampstead’s finest streets.“ – Remarkable Homes of NW3, by David S. Percy
Downshire hill is renowned for its charm and historical significance. As noted in Remarkable Homes of NW3, this "dignified development" began in the Regency period and has since drawn notable residents, including the painter John Constable. The street is lined with elegant stuccoed brick villas featuring cast-iron balconies, bay windows, and canopies, many of which are listed, preserving the architectural beauty of Hampstead's past.
Extending from Rosslyn Hill to East Heath Road, Downshire Hill meets the entrance to Hampstead Heath—an 800-acre natural haven with open parkland, scenic trails, woodlands, and peaceful open-water swimming ponds.