Victorian mansion in central London sells for £40 million

South Kensington property has eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, four reception rooms and a 100 foot long garden and represents biggest property deal in capital for a year

Adrian Hearn
Thursday 18 January 2018 15:14 GMT
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The grand Victorian property is around ten times the size of the average home
The grand Victorian property is around ten times the size of the average home (Aylesford International/SWNS)

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A stunning mansion on one of Britain's most desirable streets has been sold for a whopping £40 million in one of the biggest deals of the past 12 months.

The grand Victorian property, which is around ten times the size of the average home, has eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, four reception rooms and a 100 foot long garden.

It is located on west side of The Boltons, a street in South Kensington, which is split into two crescents with a communal garden in the middle.

Estate agency Aylesford International has confirmed a £40 million deal has been agreed on the home.

Land Registry figures suggest this is the most expensive house sold in England in 2017, with only a Knightsbridge penthouse apartment selling for more.

It was sold by an American family, who are moving back to the States, to an unnamed UK family who will be making it their main residence.

At £4,000 per square foot, the house has sold for around double the price paid in 2007.

And on top of the £40 million outlay, the new owners will also have to pay a further £4.7 million in stamp duty.

Brendan Roberts, a director at Aylesford International, described it “a significant sale of an iconic house on the West crescent of The Boltons”.


The mansion is situated on one of Britain's most desirable streets 

 The mansion is situated on one of Britain's most desirable streets 
 (Aylesford International/SWNS)

He said: “Number 22 is a well-loved family house, beautifully presented and very comfortable but sympathetic to the period style of the house.

“It retains the original flow of ground floor reception rooms leading out on to the fabulous south west facing garden.

“The master bedroom occupies the entire first floor and there are five further bedroom suites above.

“The generous staff accommodation to the house provides everything for modern family life with the feel of a country house in central London.

“There are only 13 houses on the west side and this is one of ten houses with the really good gardens of almost 100 feet long and 36 feet wide.

“Positioned centrally in the crescent, this house attracted significant interest and sold in December, achieving a figure of £40 million.”

The two crescents which make up The Boltons were originally laid out in 1849 by the architect George Godwin with St Mary's Church the first building erected.

It was followed by the 15 houses which make up the east crescent.

St Mary's was consecrated in 1850 and then the 13 houses which make up the west crescent were built between 1857 and 1860.

Mr Roberts added: “The Boltons has remained as large Victorian villas ever since with only 28 houses, which rarely come up for sale.

“The 13 houses on the west side are preferred for their superior aspect, with gardens approaching 100 foot, open to afternoon and evening sun and with the gardens of The Little Boltons beyond giving them a wonderfully green outlook with privacy.

“We are not aware of any significant sales in the Prime Central London market of over £30 million since May 2017, so the sale of 22 The Boltons is a notable one.

“There has been an undoubted correction in market values and a significant reduction in activity following the increases to stamp duty in December 2014, subsequently compounded by the Brexit vote in June 2016 and the resulting uncertainty.

“The last sale of a house on the West side of The Boltons was number 20, also sold by Aylesford for £55 million in 2012.”

Previous residents on The Boltons have included US actor Douglas Fairbanks Jnr, Madonna, Jeffrey Archer, politicians, financiers and a mixture of English families, some from Europe, the US and the Middle East.

SWNS

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