2 bed Flat For Sale £1,495,000
St. Thomas Street, London SE1

This spectacular two-bedroom apartment is configured across five storeys, in the tower of St Thomas’s Church, in London Bridge. Originally built in 1703 by Thomas Cartwright, an architect and master mason of Christopher Wren, the church was used as a chapter house for Southwark Cathedral and in part, as an operating theatre for St Thomas’s Hospital. The apartment has just had a roof terrace added to the top floor, creating astonishing views of the city skyline.

In recent years, the bell-tower has been converted into a truly unique apartment, capitalising on its height and position, in the very heart of London Bridge, to create breath-taking views of Renzo Piano’s Shard, hms Belfast and the river Thames. The conversion brings a truly modern approach to the ecclesiastical grandeur of Cartwright’s crowning solo achievement.

The street-facing facade of the tower has elegant Georgian brickwork, with white stucco adornments and an ornamental moulding over the front door. A private entry lobby is positioned to one side of the main entrance to the tower and is shared with the adjoining church and the Old Operating Theatre museum. The private lobby has secure storage space, as well as the apartment’s private lift, which runs to the fourth floor. Alternatively, the fourth floor can be accessed on foot, via an original oak spiral staircase.

The private lift opens directly into the apartment’s kitchen and dining room, which occupies the whole of the fourth floor. A contemporary kitchen with dark wood units has been configured along one wall and three windows, draw light into these spaces while offering excellent views of London Bridge. There are floorboards underfoot and sections of exposed brickwork throughout.

A living room occupies the whole of the fifth floor. There are large arched windows, drawing in light from four different aspect, framing wonderful views of London’s skyline with exposed internal brickwork. The sixth floor comprises a flexible living space, used by the current owner as a library and study, while the seventh floor is occupied by a master bedroom. A staircase up to the seventh floor bathroom is positioned in the middle of the sixth story, cleverly creating a built-in headboard with integrated bedside lighting. The bathroom is positioned in the very top floor of the tower and has elegant curved walls of exposed brick. There are dark boards underfoot, exposed dark wood joists overhead, a large shower with skylight above and integrated mirrored units along one wall.

St Thomas’s Church is Thomas Cartwright’s most famous individual architectural achievement. His reputation has been earned as the master mason of Christopher Wren the famed architect St Paul’s Cathedral, Kensington Palace, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich and hundreds more. Cartwright worked under Wren for the majority of his career. Wren is said to have had more influence on London’s skyline than any other architect in history.

St Thomas’s Church is positioned on St Thomas Street, less than a minute’s walk from Borough Market, London Bridge Station, King’s College and Guy’s Hospital, in the borough of Southwark. The road links Bermondsey Street at one end, with Borough High Street at the other and is home to the Shard, as well as numerous restaurants, shops and bars.

Many of London’s must illustrious cultural institutions including Tate Modern, the National Theatre, the Southbank Centre and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre are a short walk from the apartment.

Borough Market is approximately two minutes on foot and houses some of London’s finest traders of fruit, vegetables and fresh produce; Monmouth Coffee, the Ginger Pig butchers and Brindisa are stalwarts, while Flor, James Lowe’s newest wine bar, bakery and restaurant, has recently opened in the market.

Bermondsey Street is similarly nearby and is home to the White Cube Gallery, Comptoir Gourmand, The Watch House cafe, José and Pizzaro, as well as numerous other cafes, bars and restaurants. Maltby Street market is home to an excellent food market as well as the natural wine importer Gergovie Wines.

London Bridge station is a minute’s walk for Northern and Jubilee underground lines and National Rail services nationwide. The city is a fifteen-minute walk across London Bridge.