On leafy, boulevard-style Fortis Green, between the vibrant North London villages of Muswell Hill and East Finchley, Albion Lodge is an extremely rare Grade II Listed mid 19th century villa with country house proportions, both inside and out, which has hit the sales market, for the first time in 40 years, for £2.75million with DEXTERS.
Designed in Georgian farmhouse style, with a white stucco front, sash windows and a gabled porch, semi-detached Albion Lodge has more than 2,775 sq. ft. of living space, five bedrooms and four main reception areas over two storeys. Equally extraordinary is the size of its plot: it is approached by a 100 ft. driveway, culminating in an area capable of parking five cars, with a 140 ft. long garden to the rear, providing in total a third of an acre of private grounds. There is also flexible side access to the property.
One of only a few such homes in the area – one being the home it adjoins, its twin built at the same time and thus perfectly architecturally pleasing – it incorporates important heritage features including an original attached coach house, hayloft and stable, where horse-drawn vehicles, animals and coaching apparatus would have been stored.
The stable is now used as a large garage but could easily be repurposed as a studio space or for further accommodation, subject to the necessary consents. Also still in situ is an intriguing rear housekeeper staircase, the original panel of housekeeper’s bells and bell pulls and several fireplaces.
With so many period homes in the area now converted into apartments, spacious, beautifully maintained houses with tangible history are hard to find. Albion Lodge offers both a sense of secluded, light-filled country house, well set back from the road, and the best of cosmopolitan North London. It’s just a short walk from Muswell Hill’s hip Broadway and radiating streets – where you’ll find boutiques, beauty salons, a Planet Organic, an Everyman Cinema and panoramic views over London – and East Finchley’s delicatessens, artisan bottle shops, cafes, galleries and Underground station.
On entering Albion Lodge via the sheltering porchway, you are greeted by a high-ceilinged hallway which leads on to a 35 ft. long double reception/dining space with stripped wooden floorboards. The living area of this double space features an impressive silver-grey marble fireplace, and almost a full wall of glazing, with floor-to-ceiling double doors opening onto the wonderfully private patio area, with plenty of space for drinks parties and alfresco dining, and then on to the landscaped rear garden beyond. There is also a lovely, sunny conservatory, set up as a summer dining room, which opens onto another section of the garden.
The ground floor incorporates a further, generously proportioned reception room, with an ornately embellished black fireplace, and a stone-floored kitchen with cream cabinetry and black granite-topped island. Beyond this is a separate, family-friendly breakfast room. Further “country house” property perks include a walk-in larder and utility room.
Up on the first floor, there are five bedrooms, two of which still have their original fireplaces, lending a grand yet cosy feel, and there are two family bathrooms and a versatile walk-in attic space – useful for storage, or to create a home working/study nook or playroom.
The vendors, who have cherished Albion Lodge for the better part of half a century, say they love the character and historic charm found in every room, but in particular, the reception area overlooking the garden, with its wonderful views all the way to the rear of the property and beyond, and the way natural light enters the room from dawn to dusk.
Albion Lodge may be an idyllic retreat, but its location on the north side of Fortis Green also means it’s perfectly placed to enjoy the best of both buzzing family life and entertainment on offer in the local area. Hot spots include dog-friendly cafes Caffeinate N10 and Doppio, Beam for brunch, and pubs The Clissold Arms pub for a Sunday roast, or the Village Green for live music and comedy nights. A perfect weekend stroll away is Alexandra Park, with playgrounds, woods and a boating lake, and iconic hilltop 19th-century edifice Alexandra Palace offering a huge range of year-round events.
Rowland Slinn, Sales Manager at DEXTERS (Muswell Hill) says: “For sale for the first time in 40 years, Albion Lodge presents an incredible opportunity for new owners to take over a beautifully maintained Grade II Listed home, with 2,775 sq. ft. of living space, between vibrant Muswell Hill Broadway and the excellent transport links of East Finchley.
“It is extremely rare to find a home retaining so many original period features and on such a large plot in this part of North London, with a third of an acre of secluded gardens. It’s a dream family home, with excellent schools, cafes, shops, woodland walks and entertainment on its doorstep – but once you’re inside, you feel as if you are in a secluded country house.”
Albion Lodge is extremely well connected, within walking distance of several Underground stations including East Finchley 0.4m (Northern), Highgate 1.02m (Northern) and Finchley Central 1.64m (Northern). It also has easy access to mainline rail services from Alexandra Palace, and excellent road connections to the M1 and M25.
Albion Lodge is available to buy freehold for £2.75million
