House For Sale £900,000
Occupying a superlative, elevated position on the edge of the River Severn, this striking four-bedroom mid-century house of over 2,050 sqft was designed and extended by the architecture practice C&O Architects. The energy efficiency of the house was upgraded to exceptional standards and the interior has been newly laid out so as to prioritise the beautiful views of the river, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls optimising the symbiotic relationship with the surrounding landscape. There is direct access to the river from the expansive private rear gardens, with fishing also permitted. Shrewsbury’s historic town centre and train station are a short walk away, with direct rail connections to London in just over two hours.
The Tour
Riverside House sits in a low and quiet position from street level, behind a discreet gated entrance. A private driveway and integral garage provide off-street parking for several vehicles. The entrance hall is light and open, with full-height bespoke cabinetry providing storage for coats and shoes. An original open-tread staircase of Sapele redwood seamlessly stitches together the old and new elements of the house, and leads to the exquisite open-plan living room on the first floor. Glass doors open this entire space out onto the deep wraparound balcony, creating a dialogue with the surrounding riverscape and framing impeccable views onto the gardens and across to the Flaxmill.
The living space is open and sociable, with a flexible layout that lends itself well to both entertaining and the rhythm of everyday life. A wood-burning stove sits centrally, while a dining area illuminated by a deep skylight is positioned opposite. A ribbon of glazing runs the length of the kitchen, where appliances have been neatly built into bright bespoke cabinetry that brings a dash of colour into the room. On the opposite wing of the first floor, there is a guest bedroom or home office accessed via a playful folding steel staircase from the split-level landing.
The main bedroom suite occupies one side of the lower floor; a thoughtfully designed space revolving around views of the river. A sound system has been built into the bespoke bed panelling and cork tiles run underfoot. The en suite bathroom has a bath, shower room and walk-in wardrobe. An additional bedroom, currently used as a home workspace, occupies the lower level, with glass bi-fold doors opening onto the upper terraces. The large garage offers additional storage space and space to park a car.
The house is highly energy efficient and has been fitted with 4kW of Panasonic high-efficiency hybrid solar panels, resulting in very little off the grid energy use throughout the day, and additional feed-in tariff payments. The heating (underfloor and individually controlled cast-iron radiators) and hot water is provided via a thermal store, heated by a high-efficiency boiler supplemented by 3kW of high-efficiency solar thermal panels. Outside of winter months, the solar panels provide the majority of the heating. There is also a mechnical ventilation and heat recovery unit, maintaining constant temperatures and distributing heat.
The house has a fully integrated and sophisticated hi-fi, security and it technology system which runs on a Control 4 smart home infrastructure controlled by either a Nemo Smart Remote, the two wall mounted touchscreens or smart phone apps, which can be operated from any location. Further details are available on request.
Outside Space
The gardens are extensive, with several tiers, terraces and seating areas from which to enjoy the abundance of nature and local wildlife. Beds of hydrangeas and herbaceous borders surround an expanse of lawn on the lower level, with a weeping willow tree at the water’s edge providing shade in the summer months. There is direct access to the river from the foot of the garden with a lovely view of the weir; the perfect position to spot the resident otter and watch the annual migration of leaping salmon. River fishing is also permitted from the garden.
The Area
Underdale Road is a short walk from Shrewsbury train station and the historic market town centre, renowned for its broad selection of independent shops, restaurants and cafes. Local favourites include csons, House of the Rising Sun, The Walrus, Dough and Oil, Okra, Lion and Pheasant, Tanners wine merchant and Ginger. There is also an arthouse cinema, the Old Market Hall, and Theatre Severn. The Quarry is a popular alfresco spot for picnics, the parkrun, bandstand and festivals, including the annual flower show. The pretty neighbouring villages and local farms provide an abundance of organic produce, while the town of Ludlow and its restaurants and annual food festival is less than an hours’ drive away.
For outdoor pursuits, The National Trust’s Attingham Park is within easy reach and has excellent winter walking routes. For more extensive hiking and mountain biking, The Shropshire Hills and Stiperstones Nature Reserve are also nearby. Further afield, Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd is around 30 minutes by car and Snowdonia is approximately 90 minutes by car.
Rail connections are good, with regular services from Shrewsbury to London Euston with a journey time of just over two hours. Direct routes run north to Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield in around two hours, with easy connections to Birmingham and Birmingham International airport also.
The Tour
Riverside House sits in a low and quiet position from street level, behind a discreet gated entrance. A private driveway and integral garage provide off-street parking for several vehicles. The entrance hall is light and open, with full-height bespoke cabinetry providing storage for coats and shoes. An original open-tread staircase of Sapele redwood seamlessly stitches together the old and new elements of the house, and leads to the exquisite open-plan living room on the first floor. Glass doors open this entire space out onto the deep wraparound balcony, creating a dialogue with the surrounding riverscape and framing impeccable views onto the gardens and across to the Flaxmill.
The living space is open and sociable, with a flexible layout that lends itself well to both entertaining and the rhythm of everyday life. A wood-burning stove sits centrally, while a dining area illuminated by a deep skylight is positioned opposite. A ribbon of glazing runs the length of the kitchen, where appliances have been neatly built into bright bespoke cabinetry that brings a dash of colour into the room. On the opposite wing of the first floor, there is a guest bedroom or home office accessed via a playful folding steel staircase from the split-level landing.
The main bedroom suite occupies one side of the lower floor; a thoughtfully designed space revolving around views of the river. A sound system has been built into the bespoke bed panelling and cork tiles run underfoot. The en suite bathroom has a bath, shower room and walk-in wardrobe. An additional bedroom, currently used as a home workspace, occupies the lower level, with glass bi-fold doors opening onto the upper terraces. The large garage offers additional storage space and space to park a car.
The house is highly energy efficient and has been fitted with 4kW of Panasonic high-efficiency hybrid solar panels, resulting in very little off the grid energy use throughout the day, and additional feed-in tariff payments. The heating (underfloor and individually controlled cast-iron radiators) and hot water is provided via a thermal store, heated by a high-efficiency boiler supplemented by 3kW of high-efficiency solar thermal panels. Outside of winter months, the solar panels provide the majority of the heating. There is also a mechnical ventilation and heat recovery unit, maintaining constant temperatures and distributing heat.
The house has a fully integrated and sophisticated hi-fi, security and it technology system which runs on a Control 4 smart home infrastructure controlled by either a Nemo Smart Remote, the two wall mounted touchscreens or smart phone apps, which can be operated from any location. Further details are available on request.
Outside Space
The gardens are extensive, with several tiers, terraces and seating areas from which to enjoy the abundance of nature and local wildlife. Beds of hydrangeas and herbaceous borders surround an expanse of lawn on the lower level, with a weeping willow tree at the water’s edge providing shade in the summer months. There is direct access to the river from the foot of the garden with a lovely view of the weir; the perfect position to spot the resident otter and watch the annual migration of leaping salmon. River fishing is also permitted from the garden.
The Area
Underdale Road is a short walk from Shrewsbury train station and the historic market town centre, renowned for its broad selection of independent shops, restaurants and cafes. Local favourites include csons, House of the Rising Sun, The Walrus, Dough and Oil, Okra, Lion and Pheasant, Tanners wine merchant and Ginger. There is also an arthouse cinema, the Old Market Hall, and Theatre Severn. The Quarry is a popular alfresco spot for picnics, the parkrun, bandstand and festivals, including the annual flower show. The pretty neighbouring villages and local farms provide an abundance of organic produce, while the town of Ludlow and its restaurants and annual food festival is less than an hours’ drive away.
For outdoor pursuits, The National Trust’s Attingham Park is within easy reach and has excellent winter walking routes. For more extensive hiking and mountain biking, The Shropshire Hills and Stiperstones Nature Reserve are also nearby. Further afield, Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd is around 30 minutes by car and Snowdonia is approximately 90 minutes by car.
Rail connections are good, with regular services from Shrewsbury to London Euston with a journey time of just over two hours. Direct routes run north to Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield in around two hours, with easy connections to Birmingham and Birmingham International airport also.
