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I am OBSESSED with this house.

89 replies

Nancy66 · 28/11/2012 12:22

I've looked at it on streetview and area looks a bit rundown. Anyone know more - is it complete Shitsville?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39199298.html

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ATourchOfInsanity · 28/11/2012 16:20

Not sure if you have kids or interested in the schools around, but if you are here are the local top GCSE ones I was thinking of:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/education/school_tables/secondary/11/html/eng_maths_845.stm?compare=

Nancy66 · 28/11/2012 16:21

Yes, 7 year old and 3 year old so schools important. Thanks ATourch

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OwlLady · 28/11/2012 16:25

a lot of places on the coast have drug problems, high unemployment and deprivation unfortunately :(

I personally wouldn't buy in an 'up and coming' area in a recession unless you are okay with living there for a long time and not making any money on the property, but that goes for lots of places now

it's a lovely house. There is water ingress in that one room though (I presume you have noticed!:o)

Narked · 28/11/2012 16:28

If you're thinking of that area, rather than just that house, you could always make a weekend of it. Look at a few different places nearby and get a feel for them.

ATourchOfInsanity · 28/11/2012 16:29

They keep on saying about electrifying the train line to Hastings too, so could help the area (and prices), plus Hastings Pier just got lottery funding to be re-built so don't judge that bit too harshly when you go there :)

NotQuintAtAllOhNo · 28/11/2012 16:29

Look at the room with the big binocular, quite a bit of water damage?

Looks like it will be very expensive to renovate, but if you put a cheeky offer in, and spend some of the surplus from house sale, IN ADDITION to saving quite a bit in case you change your mind.... Go see it

MadBusLady · 28/11/2012 16:30

I'm in the maps tab and zooming in on the satellite view. Because of the tower and the 70s housing next door it's pretty easy to spot which house it is. It looks like the garden is 30-40 foot?

OwlLady · 28/11/2012 16:31

I am perplexed by the minton tiled room. Why is it tiled all over? is it a chapel?

iwantanafternoonnap · 28/11/2012 16:33

St leonards is pretty rough. High deprivation, high suicide rate, high unemployment, high murder rate too plus quite high level of child abuse. I am sure it has it's nice bits though Grin

MadBusLady · 28/11/2012 16:33

That was what I first thought it looked like, OwlLady! Maybe it's an old-school bathroom. As in, so old school there isn't any plumbing and it just used to be where the tin bath was kept.

ATourchOfInsanity · 28/11/2012 16:33

I'd say if you like it get them to do the work before completion. You don't want to be in the cold in a new area with builders you don't know traipsing about.

I'm imagining turning tiled room into a wetroom!

AmberLeaf · 28/11/2012 16:36

This one is ready to go

The tower one is lovely, but the Cloudsly rd one would give you parking at least!

AmberLeaf · 28/11/2012 16:37

Ooh nice

Nancy66 · 28/11/2012 16:39

From the English heritage website:

EDWARD ROAD 1. 5204 St Leonards TQ 8009 22/582 No 11 (The Towers) II 2. C1840 house in Italianate style, originally called 'The Campanile'. Two storeys stuccoed with rusticated ground floor and mansard slate roof. To the rear is a three storey tower with upper storey a wood and glazed belvedere with hipped roof, which accounted for the original name of the house, and further forward an octagonal clock turret. Parapet and moulded eaves cornice. Balustraded band above ground floor. Some sashes with verticals only, an oriel window and ground floor canted bay. Some Venetian style triple round- headed windows separated by columns. Round-headed doorcase.

The house contains a most interesting and complete interior of the period including Carrara marble floored hall with inset of the dog of Pompeii, elaborate plastered over mantels and cornice, and painted ceiling with 'putti' and monochrome panels and portraits. The other ground floor rooms contain a white marble fireplace covered with fruit and flowers, an oak panelled study with carvings and Wedgwood plaque in the ceiling, and a carved door, possibly C17 depicting the story of Diogenes and a mythological scene, presented to the owner by Swedish soprano Jenny Lind during her stay in the house while she was visiting Hastings. Staircase of Carrara marble with mahogany handrail and brass banisters. One of the first floor bedrooms has an ornamental gilded and painted fire-place consisting of a pediment supported on two pillars, about 8 feet high and 6 feet wide, and a room with a painted ceiling with Grecian scenes,and walls painted in fresco similarly with Grecian scenes. The outlook tower has walls painted in fresco with Chinese scenes. This house is included for its very complete interior of the period.

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OwlLady · 28/11/2012 16:39

if you have crap neighbours i would go for detached as it takes away the anxiety, but maybe I am getting old :)

MadBusLady · 28/11/2012 16:40

I LOVE that second link, Amber.

I love it when floorplans are so ridiculously big you'd be living in a game of Cluedo.

Nancy66 · 28/11/2012 16:41

that first one is lovely Amber

second is part of a larger country house which puts me off a bit

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OwlLady · 28/11/2012 16:41

so it was a bell tower?

HullyEastergully · 28/11/2012 16:43

The second of Amber's isn't in a good place tho. Yours and her first are better located for Norman road and seafront.

MadBusLady · 28/11/2012 16:45

Ah, I see why no-one's buying it now. As well as all the usual sash window/original plastering stuff they make you do at Grade II you'd have to preserve/restore all those features in the listing including the original frescos in the tower that's riddled with damp. That is a proper, proper labour of love.

It's sad though, because nobody will buy it at that price and so the frescos will eventually disintegrate anyway. Sometimes protection is a bit of an ass.

AmberLeaf · 28/11/2012 16:48

Yeah I think if I had to spend that much, Id want detatched too.

I think the second one looks nice and solid though. That would be a fab house to play hide and seek in Grin

Nancy66 · 28/11/2012 16:49

..ahh that prob explains why someone attempted a rennovation and then gave up half way through.

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Hassled · 28/11/2012 16:50

If I had the money and the desire to relocate I would be putting an offer in on that place faster than a speeding bullet - I LOVE it. It has history, character, a tower for God's sake - Nancy, you have to buy it.

Narked · 28/11/2012 16:52

If you're going to take on a huge, old house you need a touch of obsession and love.

Hully could give you more streets to look at.

Nancy66 · 28/11/2012 16:52

I keep picturing myself writing from my tower and gazing out to sea....

DP is working overseas at the moment. I need to view it before he comes home and pisses all over the idea with his annoying common sense and practicality.

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