A strange, solitary house in Rotherhithe that has captured local imaginations has sold to a local buyer at auction today.
Known as “The Leaning Tower of Rotherhithe”, 1 Fulford Street was listed in December last year and sold at auction for its guide price of £1.5 million today.
A guide price is set within 10 per cent of the reserve price – the minimum price at which the property can be sold.
“As befitting a much-loved local landmark, this property attracted widespread interest ahead of the sale and we saw bidder registrations from as far afield as America,” says Lot Negotiator Steven Morish at Savills.
“There was much excitement in the auction today and the one-of-a-kind riverside property sold for its guide price to a local buyer who is absolutely delighted”.
Teetering over the Thames, the four-storey house was auctioned rather than put up for private sale to allow buyers to determine its price.
“Auction works really well for quirky lots like this,” explains Morish. “The value in this is an art rather than a science. The buyers will set the value.”
The house, whose neighbouring buildings were destroyed in the Blitz or sold to London County Council for demolition, has been in the hands of its current owners for the past 28 years. Initially, they used the whole building as their home, but more recently rented out the top two floors and used the bottom as a live/work space.
Now, however, they no longer require a London bolthole and have been looking for the right person to take on their unusual property.
“It’s so unique. It’s not going to suit everyone. But for the right person, it’s an amazing little project,” says Morish. “It needs a very imaginative buyer — someone who is going to absolutely love the uninterrupted views. It’s a one-of-a-kind property.”
He adds: “It’s with great sadness that they are selling – the sellers absolutely love the place, but they now need to move on and leave it for someone else to love.”
Because of the way it has been used, the 2,131sq ft house has two kitchens, two open plan living areas, three reception rooms, two bathrooms, a bedroom and a spare room, with the capacity for buyers to adapt the layout.
Thanks to its lone position and height, 1 Fulford Street boasts 180-degree views over the river, including Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf.
The top floor has been used as a living room, with raised sofas to capitalise on the outlook. “It’s absolutely incredible,” says Morish. “It’s like nothing I’ve seen before.”
Originally known as 41 Rotherhithe Street, the house was formerly the office of a Victorian barge company, Braithwaite & Dean, and reportedly home to Jessica Mitford between 1937 and 1939.
Its many reincarnations have been the subject of blogs, social media posts and local intrigue – and now, with its new owners, the building’s next chapter begins.
