As an award-winning mock Georgian townhouse in the heart of Durham goes on the market, Ruth Addicott takes a look at what it has to offer.

THE chance to own a beautiful mock Georgian townhouse doesn’t come around often, which is why High Gate in Durham city centre is so unique.

The stunning three-storey townhouse which boasts views over both the cathedral and castle, is part of the award-winning development by Bryant Homes and is currently on the market for £359,000.

The property was built in 2002 and is currently owned by Marie Nigrelli and her husband Antonio, who have lived there for the past nine years. Being among the first few residents to move in, they saw the development grow from scratch.

“I think the first thing that appealed to us was the location and how beautiful the city centre is,” says Marie. “The house is just a minute from the train station and a minute from a tranquil walk by the river or woods. The other thing we liked about it was the mock Georgian style and the quality of the build.”

Although the property was brand new when they bought it, Marie and her husband have made various improvements, from changing the kitchen and repainting the rooms from top to bottom, to changing the handrails on the staircase from white to dark wood.

They decided to fit a new kitchen two years after moving in to give it a more traditional feel and blend in with other period features, such as the sash-style windows.

“I love the kitchen because it looks stunning, but is also very practical with quality finishes,”

says Marie. “It’s bespoke with beautiful slate flooring and marble bench tops. We spent a small fortune on it, but it’s definitely been worth it.”

The kitchen features a range of cream storage units, granite work surfaces and inset farmhouse porcelain Villeroy and Boch sink unit. Facilities also include an integrated fridge freezer, dishwasher and free-standing stainless steel double oven.

The breakfast room (which was originally built as a utility room) offers further space for dining and storage with a range of built-in cupboards.

One of the best features inside the property is the hallway which has mosaic-tiled flooring.

“We’ve put a lot of TLC into the house,” says Marie. “It’s been well-maintained and we’ve put quality wooden flooring down. The tiles on the hall floor are very much in keeping with the style of the rest of the house, it’s traditional but not too stuffy – they definitely give it that wow factor when you walk in.”

The ground floor also includes a cloakroom and formal dining room, which could be turned into a family room or fourth bedroom as an alternative.

Upstairs, the first floor lounge which boasts views over Durham Castle and Cathedral, has a mahogany wood floor, period fireplace and bespoke shutters on both windows. The second floor has the main bedroom and an en suite shower room, as well as a double bedroom to the front, and the option of a further bedroom to the rear (currently being used as a study).

There is also a separate bathroom with an overhead rain shower.

Another selling point is the advantage of offstreet parking. The house has a private gated entrance with a paved drive and garage. There is also a courtyard garden with space to relax, along with a patio area, ideal for barbecues and entertaining.

“We lifted some of the paving and put in the planted borders to introduce some extra colour,” says Marie. “The garden flourishes in summer and the borders have made the area more private. It’s a real sun trap and gets the sun all afternoon in summer.”

􀁧 High Gate is on the market at £359,000 with Fine and Country, Durham (0191-384-2277)