Rare gem shines in Cathedral Quarter

Atherstone House is a rarely available, unique Grade I listed property on Lincoln’s historic Eastgate which has been beautifully restored into a spacious family home with outstanding views.

Situated within the renowned uphill area of historic Lincoln, under the silhouette of the cathedral, stands Atherstone House, a magnificent Grade I listed property of historic importance.

Formerly known as ‘The Bishop’s House’, this beautiful building was previously used as a residence by bishops over five decades and is considered one of the finest properties in the area.

With parts of the property dating back to the 13th century, Atherstone House has undergone a huge project of restoration and this rarely available home, which was built in the Early Gothic style as the centrepiece of the city, is expected to be much sought after.

Location, location, location
The vendors, a family with two children, have lived here for two years after moving from the village of Harmston, as they wanted to transfer to the city for the convenience of the shops, pubs and restaurants. Having viewed Athersone House, they immediately knew they had found “the right one”.

“I had known the property previously and was always keeping a close eye on it in case if it ever came to the market,” explains the vendor. “When it did, the time was also just right for us as a family and the scale made it a fantastic project to bring this house to a fantastic standard throughout.

“Location was huge for us and this was spot on, with the added attraction of the potential of developing one of the coolest houses in Lincoln.

“We were conscious of how we updated the property as we needed to be very sensitive to the many great original features. We achieved this by working with the Heritage team in Lincoln who were super pleased that the building was getting the spend and attention to take it forward as a family home.

“There are many great features here including original fireplaces, servants’ door (leather faced) and servants’ call system, but the most satisfying aspect is just the quality all around the house in the method and style that they built it originally.

“Structurally, the building was in a very good condition. We did some extensive surveys prior to buying the house which all came back with great reports, which then allowed us to spend time and money on making the house exactly how we wanted it. It was a six-month project, and a few pounds spent during that time.

“The house had spent much of its life as a home for the Bishop of Lincoln. We were provided with the original plans and the following extensions and alterations that were made over the years from the Heritage team, which were very helpful.

“We love a challenge and after six months of attention we think we got it exactly as we intended.”

Stylish interiors
The vendors have not only fully renovated the house but also thought about the design and flow of the property, which is not only stylish but welcoming too.

“We worked with local interior designers, Treehouse Interiors, whose previous project portfolio convinced us they were the right guys to take on this project. They just ‘got’ the building and knew our likes and dislikes from a previous project we worked on together. Hopefully, when people see the photos, they would agree.”

The vendor admits that if asked, the family couldn’t pick their favourite room: “To be honest all the rooms are great, however the rooms on the front of the building have the astonishing view of the cathedral. We always have a sneaky peak in the morning and it is just breathtaking.”

Sitting in private, quiet walled grounds of approximately 1.2 acres, Atherstone House which is sumptuously presented, deceptively spacious, with a fusion of modern and period features, boasts accommodation and outbuildings in excess of 8,000 sq ft, featuring an impressive and grand entrance hall complete with ornate central staircase with moulded handrails and galleried landing leading to six spacious bedrooms and three bathrooms with a separate staircase leading to the second floor with two further bedrooms, and a range of storage rooms.

Downstairs, the formal dining room is a spectacular double aspect room with French doors opening onto the garden and views of the cathedral, plus a spacious living room with panelled walls and log burner.

The beautiful bespoke kitchen features a stylish range of fitted wall and base units with integrated appliances with quartz worktops, a central island and is open to the cosy family room with a fireplace and with log burner.
The property has also been cleverly designed to accommodate easy home working.

“We developed the old drawing room into a four-person office with separate seating area to allow suppliers and clients to visit. It also provided the perfect space for when the children had to work from home due to the pandemic.”

Visitors to Atherstone House are greeted by the magnificent entrance hall, which more than sets the scene for the rest of the house.

“It is great to see people’s reactions when they first come into the property. We also make a great effort at Christmas with a large tree and decorate the space to suit; in fact the hallway became the Christmas Instagram spot for all visitors!”

Gorgeous gardens
Outside, the house is approached via a gated driveway which sweeps through the manicured gardens to an attractive courtyard and parking for several vehicles. There is an elevated sun terrace and the rear courtyard and patio area: perfect for entertaining throughout the year.

“It is a cool house that is great for inviting friends around (as and when we were allowed due to the pandemic) and for large get-togethers, and the garden has been a great place for BBQs and games of rounders.

“We recently celebrated two special birthdays so appointed a party organising company which helped create a super memorable night. The scale of the house and the gardens means if you want a big gathering it will accommodate it easily.”

The gardens are mostly laid to lawn with established trees and borders and the family has created two sitting areas to accommodate 20 to 30 people. There is also a range of refurbished outbuildings offering a multitude of options, currently being used as a garage, a gym and a workshop.

“We deliberately designed the gardens to be very maintainable. We have numerous chill out areas scattered around and as we’re also a very active family, playing games and sport in the garden works really well due to the size.”

The driveway has also been restyled with a new surface and heritage edging and there is plenty of parking space which the vendor says is “used by friends and family as and when they pop into the Bailgate, which we encourage”.

“It’s a really friendly area, and as we enjoy walking around we see lots of people from all different backgrounds, or those like us who pop out for a walk but end up having a few sociable drinks in the many local bars and restaurants in the Bailgate!”

Having been lovingly refurbished, Atherstone House is perfect for families looking to move into a stylish, ready-made home.

“Subject to people liking our taste, it’s 100 per cent ready to move into,” says the vendor. “My background is in large scale interiors, so we have not cut any corners in doing what we have done to renovate the house.

“Although the property is large, it feels very much like a family home. The location and the garden provide you with the best of both worlds for convenience, but also a great place to entertain family and friends.

“We feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to live in this house and will be sad to leave, but we are now looking to develop another property locally.

“Our future plans may also mean that we will only be in the UK for about three or four months a year, so although it’s a hard decision to leave, we think the house would be better served with someone who can enjoy it all year around.

“I believe it is the absolute best house in Lincoln, although of course I may be biased!”

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