Set within the characterful town of Bradford-on-Avon, this three-bedroom, Grade II-listed house has been given an attractive renovation by its current owners. Spanning over 1,300 sq ft across three storeys, the house was built in the latter half of the 17th or early part of the 18th century was constructed using pale yellow Bath stone – the vernacular material synonymous with this part of the country. The house has separate side access from the quiet street as well as a wonderful rear courtyard garden and a roof terrace that takes in views of the surrounding area.

Setting the Scene

Traversing the river valley and rising up the hill to the north, the ‘broad ford’ on the River Avon has been home to a settlement from the Late Bronze Age. A substantial Roman villa has also been found within the area. The ford at Bradford was the site of a fifth-century Saxon battle, but it is the 13th-century Norman bridge which still stands today.

The area of Newtown, rising out of the medieval nucleus of the town, was owned by the Methuen family. It was Paul Methuen, a wealthy clothier and cloth merchant who settled in Bradford on Avon in 1646 (living in The Priory that still stands today) and began to develop the area. Constructed of coursed rubble with stone mullion windows, the house is a delightful early modern example of a Cotswold townhouse.

The Grand Tour

Along a quiet street, the stone terrace on which the house is set curves gently. Entry is through a substantial timber door within a hewn stone architrave; from here, an airy open-plan space is revealed. A cosy wood burner emanates warmth from within the handsome original stone fire breast with sweeping depressed arch moulding, while a chamfered beam runs overhead. A comfortable kitchen occupies two walls and there is plenty of room for a dining table.

A dog leg staircase picked out deep tones of ‘Railings’ by Farrow and Ball rises through the house. The first floor is home to three bedrooms, with the principal at the front. The room is delightfully papered in ‘Seraphic Star’ by Soane Britain with woodwork in complementary tones ‘Stiffkey Blue’ by Farrow and Ball. A window seat under the stone mullion casement window takes advantage of the morning light, and a double cupboard provides plenty of storage.

Adjacent to the primary room is the second bedroom, currently used by as an office. It has generous built-in storage, another period mullion window and a peaceful blue walls painted in ‘Oval Room Blue’ by Farrow and Ball (with the cast iron radiator matched). The third bedroom is at the rear and has easy access to the courtyard via its own private door, making it a brilliant and private retreat for family and friends. A newly renovated bathroom is tiled in zellige tiles from Mosaic Factory and has antique brass taps and a rain shower by Bespoke. The floor is in reclaimed antique tiles from Maitland and Poate.