11 Margaret Street, Sandy Bay, Tas 7005

For Sale by Expressions of Interest closing 7/11/2024 at 5:00 pm

Famously described in the early days of the colony as 'one of the most beautiful spots on the island' - to wander through the iron gates of 'Ashfield' is to understand why. Be transported to a bygone age where elegant living and a sense of tranquillity and seclusion reign supreme. The timelessness of this significant historic homestead, which is set on the stage of an expansive, secret garden, sits in the beating heart of modern Sandy Bay.

With a colonial pedigree, 'Ashfield' was originally constructed as a 3 room farmhouse in 1834 for the architect who designed the Richmond Bridge. Over the last 190 years, 'Ashfield' has grown into the impressive home that it is today, seeing architectural interventions in 1911, with the addition of the Arts and Crafts billiard room and more recently, with the modern extension of the kitchen and family living room by the celebrated architect Bevan Rees. Each addition over time has contributed idiosyncratic design characteristics – which coherently meld to make the home imminently liveable for comfortable family life. The flexibility of the 527 square metre floorplan offers myriad possibilities for configuration. With multiple bedroom choices, 3 bathrooms and a separate powder room and numerous living and dining options, there's an opportunity to put your stamp on 'Ashfield' moving into the future.

Period details remain in evidence throughout the house - the proportions of the original cottage, statement fireplaces, decorative Georgian ceiling roses, warm timber floors and multi paned windows have been sympathetically juxtaposed with more recent elements - the stainless steel and Huon Pine of the kitchen, crisply tiled bathrooms and expanses of glass which keep everything bathed in natural light and invite the outside in. The house, with its verandas and courtyard is well situated to maximise the glorious gardens and outdoor space.

It's not a stretch to imagine the farm and market garden that 'Ashfield' once was, as part of its nostalgic charm lies is its spectacular, 1+ acre of garden and established fruit trees which create a bucolic setting. Some of the oldest pear trees in the country continue to grow here, putting on a breath taking display of white blossom every spring for almost two centuries. While the age and beauty of the house is unique and remarkable, it's through the house's symbiotic connection with the expansive and private garden that the magic happens. It's a treasure trove and it's obvious that it has been much loved over a long period of time by a gardener with a rare passion for gardening. 

In this magical outdoor setting, you can almost hear the games of cricket and the giggles from the children's cubbies of days gone by. Plantings are lush - roses, peonies, hellebores, hedges and whimsical topiary. Raised beds grow vegetables and herbs. The garden introduced by its uniquely undulating front hedge and iron gates, creates a sense of privacy and mystery from the street. It sets the scene for what is beyond. Following what would have once been a carriage sweep through to the Georgian façade of the original house, the perspective opens up revealing the garden and extending into the distance, through the masts at the yacht club and over the river beyond in one direction and to Battery Point, the iconic spire of St George's and Mount Wellington in the other. 

'Ashfield' is a heritage home on a significant landholding – two elements which are unusual to find together in this day and age. Having been continually occupied by the same family for over 60 years, this is a once in a generation opportunity for a new family to enjoy the rare and refined lifestyle that 'Ashfield' offers.