On the market: The Knoll 12-bedroom grade II-listed Victorian property in Lancaster, Lancashire
We haven’t featured much Victoriana of late, but this 12-bedroom Victorian property in Lancaster, Lancashire is well worth flagging up.
The Knoll, as it is known, is described as ‘a fine Victorian gentleman’s residence’. Indeed, it was built in 1879 for one such gent, Hubert Austin, a prominent architect of his day.
It was used as a house for around 100 years before the local county council took it over and used it as a resource centre. Now, it’s back on the market, with many of its original features preserved and with the added bonus of it being set in a conservation area. Those original features are probably the main reason why this place has that grade II-listing, including the stairway, fireplaces, plaster moulding, lead windows and original delft tiling.
The house is is set in gardens of in excess of an acre, complete with trees protecting your privacy. Get beyond that and you’ll find a two-storey red brick building with additional attic and basement space. Work would be needed to turn this civic build back into a house, but there is guidance on how to do that from the seller (aka the council).
As for the space within, a ground floor front porch with Victorian tiled floor and a glazed door opens to the original reception with oak staircase and panelling, plus period fire surround. That leads off to the cloakroom, the drawing room with windows on three sides and ornate fire surround, the dining room with carved oak surround to the fireplace and blue and white delft tiles, a good-sized kitchen space and an inner hall, which leads to a further WC, side room and study.
A stone staircase takes you to the Victorian basement with original arched brickwork, original wine cellar and large storage cellar with good head height. From the oak staircase, you’ll reach the first floor and feature stained glass window.
Up there, you’ll find six rooms (see the listing for all the sizes), a kitchen space and toilets. There is a secondary staircase linking to the ground floor garden and the second floor. There, you’ll find another six rooms to play with, along with a venal staircase, which takes you to a roof top viewing platform with safety balustrade.
A good location in a town where houses rarely come cheap in the right areas. This one has a guide price of £750,000 and is unlikely to be on the market long.
