Musician's Victorian Cambridge home for sale
Haslemere House, located on Magrath Avenue in Cambridge, is a lovely refurbished family home, on the market with Carter Jonas.
Restored to a high quality, this Victorian terraced house built in around 1880 boasts original period features – including high ceilings, picture rails and fireplaces – combined with a very modern interior.
The ground floor is host to a large kitchen/breakfast room – part of a rear extension – open-plan sitting room and dining room and a downstairs cloakroom, while the first floor boasts three generously proportioned bedrooms and a bathroom.
A fourth bedroom can be found on the second floor and benefits from an en-suite.
Outside, the property has an enclosed garden primarily laid to lawn and a decking area – perfect for entertaining.
The house is situated in the picturesque north city location just outside of the city centre.
Stewart Essence, who works in the performing arts industry, has lived at Haslemere House for around eight and a half years, having relocated to Cambridge from East Dulwich in south-east London with his wife and two children.
He says the main thing that brought him and his family up to Cambridge was the schools.
“Schools are better in Cambridge, or certainly they were at the time,” he said, adding that the close proximity of the city centre was another ‘pull factor’.
“Our neighbours are great,” said Stewart, “we have a little street party every year where people come out and share a drink or two and have a chat about local things.
"It’s just a nice way to get to know some of the neighbours that you don’t see every day.”
Stewart says that he and his family previously lived in a Victorian semi and notes that they’ve always been into period homes.
“The house had recently been refurbished [when we moved in] so we’ve only had to maintain it,” he explained.
“I’ve also built my music studio in the second reception, which is sympathetic to the period characteristics.
"I have managed to maintain these features and have a contemporary music studio at the same time.”
On further changes that could be made, Stewart said: “There isn’t a lot you can do to it really… it’s a plug in and play house, but you could possibly vault the ceiling in the third bedroom.”
Stewart is particularly fond of the kitchen. “The kitchen’s great,” he said. “I’ve hard-wired the speakers in there with a minimal outlook as well, so you can listen to music separately from the studio which is great for dinner parties.”
The family are moving back to London “solely for work purposes,” said Stewart.
“If we could drag this house into South London, it would be ideal. We’re going to find it hard to find a house like it – it suits us perfectly.”
Stewart is part of the production crew of CampoSancho, a family-friendly niche festival located only 45 minutes from Cambridge which takes place at the end of July. More information can be found here: sanchopanza.org.
carterjonas.co.uk/01223 403330
