Lord it up in the city
It may be small – but it has Downton Abbey style, writes Paul Drury
IT’S a little bit of Downton Abbey – in a city centre tenement. For this traditional block of flats has a spacious reception hallway that would clearly not look out of place in the hit television drama.
Kingsborough Gardens, dating from Victorian times, has been one of the most coveted addresses in Glasgow’s West End for more than 100 years.
This quiet horseshoe crescent sits close to the vibrant hubs of Byres Road and Hyndland Road, yet overlooks what was once called ‘Pleasure Gardens’, to which residents have access for a small annual fee.
A century ago, the professional classes dominated the flats and townhouses in much the same way as they do today.
The valuation roll for Kingsborough Gardens for 1920 shows the homes were occupied by physicians, merchants and accountants, as you might expect.
But it also lists a range of occupations that may have sailed with the tide, such as ship owners, pawnbrokers and sail makers.
Shipping line P&O is revealed as a major owner of properties, demonstrating Glasgow’s shipbuilding history.
Flat 8 at 30 Kingsborough Gardens shares an entrance with other properties in the building, but this grand space is anything but a ‘common close’.
The chequerboard tiled floor is accompanied by a large fireplace which, when lit, must have provided an impressive welcome.
The ceiling is ornate and a black, imposing staircase winds its way to the top-floor apartment, while your progress is illuminated by means of a glazed cupola.
This compact one- bedroom apartment has a skylight in the entrance hallway providing natural light. The living area has a window to the back, stripped wooden floors and a decorative fireplace.
The area is open-plan to the fitted kitchen, with appliances, breakfast bar and oak worktops.
Again, there’s plenty of natural l i ght i n the double bedroom, thanks to the large window to the garden at the rear. There’s an en suite shower room, with doublesized shower, WC and wash basin.
The property would probably suit a single person or young couple, drawn to the area for its proximity to Glasgow University or the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, a short drive away through the Clyde Tunnel.
The West End is full of cafes, bars and eclectic restaurants, which will open again once coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
Ownership here also provides access to two central gardens, maintained by the Kingsborough Gardens Proprietors Association.
They offer a great way to get to know the neighbours as the gardens are used throughout the year to stage family fun days and Bonfire Night. And if you think the hall’s posh, consider that the gardens have hosted formal balls. So very Downton… Fixed price of £175,000 to Angela Douglas of Aberdein Considine on 0141 342 5571.