New River Head, London EC1
Architect: Herbert Austen Hall
Register for similar homesThis awe-inspiring three-bedroom apartment combines the grandeur of a stately home with the quality of space and light of a Clerkenwell loft. The flat’s magnificent reception room is surely one of the finest entertaining spaces in central London.
New River Head was constructed in 1920 to a design by Herbert Austen Hall, as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Water Board. It was listed Grade II by English Heritage in 1950.
This particular apartment was originally for the exclusive use of the Chairman. It occupies a central position on the quiet and bright side of the building, on the first and second floors. All main windows look west / southwest over the communal garden. The apartment has been refurbished by the current owners over a period of 18 months, with great attention to detail. It comes with a secure parking space.
The internal arrangement invites entertaining: the living accommodation is positioned on the building’s piano nobile (first floor). The 35ft reception room has very high celings, enormous windows, wood panelling, parquet flooring and ornate plasterwork depicting water scenes. Photographs cannot do justice to the scale of the room, and the quality of the views over the lawn beyond.
The reception room has direct access to the kitchen, which is made from solid walnut and marble and equipped with Miele appliances. This floor also has a cloakroom and a large coat closet in the entrance hall. The second floor contains three generous double bedrooms, a study / nanny room, a family bathroom and a master ensuite. The flat is dual-aspect and has exceptional levels of natural light.
New River Head is a most impressive building with a gigantic ballroom entrance foyer and very practical amenities. It has a gym, a porter, cellars, a substantial communal garden with BBQ, secure parking, and use of the adjacent Oak Room for formal meetings or entertaining. There are Barclays bicycles on the doorstep.
As well as having access to the cellars within the building, the flat benefits from significant storage within the apartment itself, particularly on the second floor, which has cupboards on the landing and a long entrance corridor that’s ideal for suitcases, golf clubs etc. The master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe, and the other bedrooms have built-in cupboards. The included secure parking space is one of the few corner spaces, allowing storage of bulky sporting equipment beside the car.
New River Head is conveniently located on Rosebery Avenue, close to the many shops and restaurants of Angel / Upper Street and Exmouth Market, as well as Angel Underground station (Northern Line). It allows a 20-minute walk (or eight-minute cycle) to the centre of the City. Canary Wharf is approximately 30 minutes away by Tube. New River Head is also close to Farringdon station, with not only the District and Circle lines, but also direct access to Gatwick and Luton via Thameslink, and to the City and Heathrow via the upcoming Crossrail line. The Eurostar terminal at King’s Cross is also within easy reach.
Tenure: Leasehold
Lease: 999 years from 1996
Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.
History
The New River is a man-made channel that pumped fresh drinking water into central London, and was fed by springs at Amwell, near Ware, in Hertfordshire. It terminated at the reservoir at New River Head, which opened in 1613. Parts of the New River are still in existence, in Canonbury for instance, although they are now ornamental rather than functional.
In 1902, London’s eight water companies merged to form the Metropolitan Water Board, which built its headquarters in 1915-20 on the site of New River Head. The 17th-century water house on the site was demolished, although the Oak Room and some of the other historic fabric was retained.
In 1974 Thames Water took over, and in 1993 New River Head was closed and the headquarters moved to Reading. New River Head was then converted into apartments, uniquely retaining the unusually large surrounding gardens.
New River Head was Grade II-listed by English Heritage in 1950. Built in red brick with a slate roof, the building is a large irregular parallelogram in French classical style.
This particular apartment was created for the Chairman of the Metropolitan Water Board, and was given prime position in the middle of the building with the best views over the lawn. It originally had direct access to the Oak Room, which was formerly the boardroom of the 17th-century water house and is still used today by Thames Water for its board meetings.
