Dukesthorpe Road, Sydenham, SE26

This beautifully presented Edwardian four-bedroom house, in The Thorpes conservation area, is a wonderful example of the architecture of the road. With almost 1600 sq ft of living space, the property has plenty of room for a family.

• OFFERED CHAIN FREE
• New boiler fitted in 2022
• New bathroom fitted in 2021
• New highly insulated roof fitted in 2010

It has a traditional porch with a red tiled roof and a close-boarded timber fence, one of the key features of the road. It has an original door with leaded windows, creating a welcoming entrance to the property.

As you enter the house you feel a sense a space from the large wide hallway that leads to the kitchen, with direct views to the rear garden beyond. To the left is the large lounge with a stylish fireplace and period cornicing. It's a large through lounge and dining room, with French doors leading to a patio area that is part of the garden. The dining room is light and spacious and can easily accommodate a large dining table.

The gardens of houses in the Thorpes Estate contribute greatly to the period feel of the area and are testimony to the quality of the original development. The garden of this Dukesthorpe house is particularly restful, with mature planting designed to provide privacy and a sense of seclusion - essentially another room in the house.

South-east facing, the rear of the house gets full sun from morning until evening - flooding the main bathroom and kitchen with light. In the afternoon, the front of the house benefits from full sun.

There's scope to extend to the rear if required. It's set out over three floors, with the first landing having a recently upgraded family bathroom with roll-top bath and separate enclosed shower and three bedrooms.

The second floor has another bedroom and a separate shower room, all beautifully presented with gorgeous wood floors and bespoke hand-made wardrobes to the master.

For family fun and walking the dog, the beautiful Mayow Park is a stone's throw away and is a lovely green space. Park highlights are the tennis courts, a children's playground and an outdoor gym. At the park entrance is the Brown and Green Cafe, serving quality coffee and food throughout the day - it is a magnet for families at the weekends.

There's a huge Sainsburys at Bell Green in Sydenham for weekly shops, or locally on Sydenham High Street smaller shops for essentials.

For nights out, you've decent pubs in Sydenham, Forest HIll, Dulwich and Crystal Palace, all within a short car ride.

About Sydenham

The name Sydenham (early variations of which include Sypenham, Sibbenham and Cippenham) is possibly derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'Cippas' settlement', meaning the drunkard's settlement. During the 6th century the then heavily forested area along the banks of the River Pool was cleared by Saxon or Jutish farmers moving south from Lewisham and the Thames. These colonisers settled on high ground near the river at Perry Hill, Bell Green and the eastern end of Sydenham Road. The 'drunkard's settlement itself was centred near where Catford Hill now becomes Perry Hill.


History of the Thorpes Estate conservation area

The Thorpes Estate conservation area is an Edwardian development on the former garden of 'the Old House', which stood next to Sydenham Road until the early 20th century. Located between Sydenham Road and Mayow Park, it comprises of six roads - all ending with 'thorpe'. This stunning house is located on Dukesthorpe Road.

The Old House was formerly known as Brookehouse Farm, after a 16th century tenant. In 1713 the farm was sold to a wine merchant, Edward Hodson, who added to its lands. In 1898, the heir to the Old House estate sold it in 1900. The house and land were acquired by Edmondson and Sons, a firm of developers, who began to build the Thorpe Estate across the former gardens of the Old House. The six roads of the Thorpe Estate were built between 1901 and 1914, and on the demolition of the Old House a long parade of shops was built on Sydenham Road. These houses were at the more substantial end of the scale of contemporary developments and were aimed at the more affluent members of the new lower-middle class population. This is reflected in the size and form of the houses themselves, as well as the quality of the design and detailing. The layout of the area demonstrates the planned nature of the development, and the groupings of houses of different designs is evidence of the gradual nature of the process, which took 13 years to complete. This Dukesthorpe Road house was built in 1903.

The site of the conservation area is on a hillside; the grid-like road network slopes down between Mayow Park to the north and Earlsthorpe Road, then gently up again to Sydenham Road to the south. The long, straight streets have a strong sense of enclosure, and the sloping nature of the site contributes to a series of attractive views through and beyond the area.

Architecture of the Thorpes Estate

The character of the conservation area depends largely on the cohesive nature of the Thorpes development. Despite their several different styles, which in part reflect the gradual development of the area, the houses in the conservation area have a strong group identity due to a limited palette of materials and common design elements drawn from the most popular of contemporary architectural influences.

The houses have shallow front and much deeper rear gardens, which, with roadside trees, contribute to the calm suburban atmosphere of the area. The straightness of the roads and the shallow setback of the building line from the rear of the pavement also results in a fairly strong sense of enclosure.

The quality and interest of the design and detailing of the houses contributes greatly to the character and appearance of the area. The attractive and unusual villa pairs and terraces have a strong period feel.

Council Tax Band E Lewisham - £2,354.34

Sold Chain free.

Images by Home Exposure www.home-exposure.co.uk/