Semi-detached house for sale in Malvern WR14, 5 Bedroom

Originally built in 1870 the property was conceived and designed as part of Hillside School to educate sons of Victorian noblemen and gentlemen. The school had extensive facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, chapel, classrooms, dormitories and pleasure gardens. All that is now left of the school is the Headmasters' House (of which Hillside forms half), a staff house and laundry cottage. Constructed of distinctive local Malvern stone, mined from the nearby quarry that was in operation at the time, the house has a striking external facade and generous accommodation that extends to approximately 3024 sq feet on three floors. Most of the principal rooms enjoy a view of the surrounding hillside, woodland and beyond towards Herefordshire. In 2011 the property was imaginatively and sympathetically renovated. The second floor loft was converted into two bedrooms and a bathroom and a new oak and glass feature staircase was constructed. The original porch was demolished and a garden room with double glazing and underfloor heating created in its place. The kitchen and dining room were completely reshaped to provide the main focal point of the house, a very fine open plan room with four oven aga, bespoke units and an impressive central island unit. Other improvements carried out in 2011 include the replacement of all the ceilings (with the exception of the lounge and dining room), new wiring, radiators and piping, the installation of telephone points in all reception and bedrooms and the sanding and treating of parquet flooring at ground level. While all these improvements and changes were being made the essential character and features of its Victorian heritage were retained and enhanced, notably floor coverings, impressive sash windows (including a lovely stone bay in the sitting room), internal doors and joinery and the staircase leading to the first floor. The result is a home that manages to blend its Victorian history with all that is best in contemporary design.

The main entrance to the house is via a new canopy porch that opens into a particularly impressive garden room which has a high vaulted ceiling giving it a real feeling of space. Off this room there is a small utility room and a separate door leading into an elegant dining hall where the original Victorian staircase leads to the first floor. Off this hall is a formal sitting room with a lovely bay window and glazed doors leading into the garden. The focal point of this floor is the fine open plan kitchen/family room with its bespoke units, aga, parquet flooring and glazed doors into the garden. Off the kitchen there is a small larder. On the first floor there are three bedrooms, two of which share an en-suite shower room. There is also an impressive contemporary bathroom. A new oak and glass staircase leads to the second floor where there is a suite of two bedrooms, both with dressing areas and a shower room.

The property enjoys a pleasant approach via a gated entrance on to a block paviour driveway that can accommodate several vehicles and leads to a very large double length garage constructed of Malvern stone. Immediately behind the house is a walled courtyard off which there is a large brick building sub-divided into three sections that provides storage for fuel and where there is an outside WC. The gardens themselves extend to approximately half an acre. These provide a lovely setting which is private and enjoys a view across countryside to woodland and Herefordshire beyond. A further bonus is a gated entrance leading directly on to the hills themselves.

Ground floor