This $22.5 London Townhouse Was One of the First in the World to Have a Private Elevator
Famous names like Freddie Mercury and David and Victoria Beckham have long been associated with Kensington, one of London's most affluent areas. Known for its grand Victorian mansions and elegant townhouses, the neighborhood recently saw one such property sell for $32 million . Now, another residence—this one with even greater historical significance—has come not too far from the gates to Kensington Palace.
The stately townhouse on Kensington Court was built between 1883 and 1886 by architect J.J. Stevenson. Notably, it was among the first homes in the world to be fitted with a hydraulic-powered elevator—a luxury technology then found only in high-end hotels. The Queen Anne–style residence was one of 23 houses on the street equipped with such lifts, which were powered by a specially built nearby station from the London Hydraulic Power Company.
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An exterior view of the residence (center right).
The elevators not only eliminated the need for staff-accessed back staircases, freeing up space to create larger rooms, and aided greatly in the effortless day-to-day movement of luggage, food, coal, laundry, and people. Electrical pioneer Colonel R.E.B. Crompton, who lived at No. 48 Kensington Court, also ensured the abode was one of the first in Britain to have a permanent, private domestic electricity supply by 1886. The original lift has been replaced with a more efficient modern version that services four of the nearly 6,200-square-foot home's six floors.
A photo taken in 1939 of the home's original lift.
"Still state-of-the-art, the townhouse today provides beautifully restored living spaces, six en suite bedrooms, a gym, air conditioning—and, of course, a sleek modern lift connecting the principal floor," shares Jeremy Gee, managing director of Beauchamp Estates, in a statement. Those features slowly come into focus beyond its towering red brick facade that is punctuated by Dutch gabling, an ornamental frieze, and eye-catching ironwork.
The ground-floor reception room sports an 11.15-foot-high ceiling, in addition to a large bay window overlooking the tree-lined street, while a massive drawing/dining room with original wall paneling, a marble Baroque-style fireplace, and balcony access is located one floor up, along with one of the home's most unique spaces, a study crowned by masterful plasterwork.
Captivating plasterwork highlights the first floor study/sitting room.
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"We were told that it was originally made by the first house owners as a reference to Mughal architecture style as they previously worked in India (end of 19th century)," Vlad Viaryshka, senior sales negotiator of Beauchamp Estates, tells Robb Report .
Other highlights include a contemporary kitchen with a central island and a full-floor primary suite with two fitted dressing rooms and an attached bath. Four additional bedrooms on the uppermost two floors each have a private bath. The lower ground floor, meanwhile, contains an en suite bedroom for guests or staff, as well as a gym, which opens to a small terrace, and a huge, custom-outfitted dressing room with tons of wardrobe storage and its own bath.
The freehold property, a stone's throw away from Kensington High Street, is now available for 16,750,000 pounds, or $22.51 million, through Beauchamp Estates .
Click here for more photos of the London home.
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