Fabulous Georgian home by the sea

Wesley House, Scarborough Price: £575,000 Contact: www.croftresidential.co.uk

Leaving their Grade II listed manor house near Knaresborough was a wrench for Jon and Moira Cooper. They adore period properties and hoped they could find something equally special when they relocated to Scarborough.

Luck was certainly on their side when they spotted the “For Sale” sign on Wesley House, one of Scarborough’s finest historic homes.

They snapped the property up without hesitation 14 years ago, knowing that if they didn’t someone else would beat them to it.

The five-bedroom house is large, handsome and is in a prime spot beneath the castle and close to the seafront and local shops.

“It had been carefully restored with the help of an English Heritage grant and one of the big attractions was the original pitch pine panelling on the ground floor.

“The beauty and convenience of the location was also a huge draw. We can walk everywhere and rarely use the car. In two minutes we can be in the market hall buying fresh vegetables and meat. We are two minutes from the harbour and five minutes from the castle,” says Jon, 82, a writer, whose working life was spent in journalism and running a top PR company.

The house was built in 1757 and is thought to have been named after John Wesley, the “father of Methodism”. Its sturdiness is undisputed. Its solid, 2ft thick walls saw it survive repeated Second World War bombing that demolished its flimsier neighbours.

Since buying the property, the Coopers have spent £50,000 on the roof, a new heating system and on the garage and outbuilding, among other things.

They are now selling to downsize but intend to stay in Scarborough.

“It’s a superb place to live, especially for a writer, as there is a big creative community here,” says Jon.

Wesley House has a kitchen and dining area, utility room, a sitting room and a second reception room. On the first floor, there is a dining room, two bedrooms and a house bathroom. On the second floor, there are sea views, three bedrooms and a shower room.

Outside, the property has a converted barn, which comprises of a working space, WC and a workshop/storage space. There is also off-street parking and a double garage plus a private terrace.

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