Hidden Thames-side secret

One of Oxford’s best kept property secrets is on the market, providing a rare opportunity to combine the best the city can offer with a superb Thames-side location.

Number 14 Shirelake Close is one of only eight homes facing south or south-west with the river just a few feet away. Arguably in the best position of them all, it has been upgraded to make a luxury lock-up-and-leave property or a stay-at-home retreat.

The current owner, Mervyn Curran, says:

“Where else in Oxford can you while away a couple of hours in the garden, watching the wildlife on the Thames just below, before taking a five-minute stroll to a riverside restaurant or to listen to a world-famous cathedral choir? Very few people know these houses even exist.

“Several of the properties in the Close have been upgraded but none – to the best of our knowledge – to the standard of Number 14, where we have paid the sort of attention to detail you might expect only in much grander homes. All the houses are ideal to lock up and leave but we believe this one has been turned into the most manageable and comfortable retreat.”

Shirelake Close is a stone’s throw from Folly Bridge and Christ Church Meadow, Oxford’s ‘countryside in the city’. All the houses here are quiet but 13 and 14 are in the prime position, being furthest from the road. Number 14 is opposite a small beach, where waterfowl gather and where a kingfisher is sometimes seen, and has views in both directions thanks to being on a bend in the river.

The property is on three floors: on the ground floor is an open plan dining room/kitchen, fitted with Corian work surfaces, Atag hob, Miele steam oven and Siemens pyrolitic combination oven. French doors lead into the patio garden and another door leads to the single garage. A cloakroom and utility/boiler room complete the ground floor.

The first floor has a delightful south-west facing sitting room, with a balcony overlooking the river, and the master bedroom with dressing room and en-suite shower room. On the second floor are two further bedrooms, one with views over the river and the other with glimpses of Tom Tower, and a family bathroom.

Throughout the house, the Currans have installed ‘green’ lighting from Marlin.

Outside, the property has a small garden to the front with well manicured shrubs and a rare trained oak, along with access to the single garage via an electric up-and-over door.

The small, sheltered patio garden to the rear faces south-west over the river and enjoys a micro-climate which means pleasant evenings and enhances cooler days. Attractive shrubs adorn the walls and a gate leads to the riverside walk. Not just one but three outdoor taps make garden maintenance easy.

Savills has the house on the market at a guide price of £695,000. Agency director Giles Lawton says: “Only a handful of properties in Oxford offer this combination of a high standard of accommodation in such close proximity to the river, and 14 Shirelake Close is probably the pick of them all.”

For further information, visit Savills.com.