Northgate Street, Bury St Edmunds

Goldsmiths House is one of those rare town houses whose history remains immediately apparent. Behind its distinctive rendered façade lies a remarkably atmospheric interior, shaped by centuries of alteration and rich in exposed oak framing, broad timbers, old fireplaces and wonderfully individual rooms.
Grade II Listed, the house has evolved over a number of levels and now provides just over 2,000 sq ft of accommodation. There is an appealing informality to the layout: rooms connect naturally with one another, changes in level reveal different parts of the building, and the surviving structure is very much part of the architecture rather than simply decoration.
The principal reception combines sitting and dining areas beneath an impressive framework of exposed timbers, with a broad bay window to the street and a substantial open fireplace with a heavy oak bressummer. It is a wonderfully characterful room, substantial enough for entertaining yet retaining the intimacy associated with a much older house. The historic detailing includes timber panelling and fitted corner cupboards.
Alongside is a reception hall, where further exposed beams and brickwork continue the character of the house and glazed doors open directly onto the garden. The kitchen has been fitted with painted cabinetry, timber work surfaces and a traditional butler sink; its relatively simple treatment feels entirely appropriate to the building. A separate study provides a quieter room at the opposite side of the house, with a period fireplace and an adjoining bathroom, allowing this part of the ground floor considerable flexibility. A staircase also descends to a useful cellar.
The sense of history becomes still more apparent upstairs. The first floor is arranged around a generous landing and provides three bedrooms together with a family bathroom. The principal bedroom is an especially striking room, with a vaulted ceiling and an exceptional display of exposed wall and roof timbers.
A further staircase rises into the upper part of the house, where there is another substantial bedroom, together with a walk-in wardrobe and a useful store. Set partly beneath the roofline, these rooms have a rather different character, with exposed beams and sloping ceilings reinforcing the pleasingly unconventional nature of the building.
Outside
Goldsmiths House has a particularly private and established walled garden. Lying behind the house, it is enclosed by old brick walls and mature planting, with paved and gravelled areas creating several places to sit and eat outside.
The planting has a lush, almost courtyard-like quality, softening the architecture and giving the garden a sense of seclusion despite the remarkably central setting, with mature ferns, climbing plants and more architectural planting surrounding the terraces.
There is also the considerable practical advantage of off-road parking, something of particular value in this part of Bury St Edmunds
Location
Goldsmiths House occupies a particularly convenient position in Northgate Street, within the historic core of Bury St Edmunds. The town is renowned for its medieval street pattern and Georgian architecture, with the Abbey Gardens, Cathedral and town centre all readily accessible on foot.
Bury St Edmunds has an excellent range of independent shops, restaurants, cafés and cultural facilities, alongside the Theatre Royal, The Apex and the twice-weekly market. The railway station is also within easy reach, providing services towards Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich, while the A14 gives convenient road access to Cambridge, the east coast and the wider national road network.
Services
Mains water, drainage and electricity • gas-fired heating • Council Tax Band ‘E’ • Broadband: Ultrafast available •
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING (AML) AND ID CHECKS -Under current legislation, estate agents are required to verify buyers’ identities and establish the source of funding for all transactions. Upon acceptance of your offer and before we instruct solicitors to proceed with your purchase, we will carry out the necessary checks for which you will be charged £30 per person.