3 bed detached house for sale

The Avenue, Brentwood CM13

A magnificent Grade II listed former gate lodge, believed to date from around 1764, occupying approximately 0.28 acres (stls) of exceptionally secluded gardens on the edge of Thorndon Country Park. Combining Georgian character with beautifully considered contemporary additions, this distinctive three/four-bedroom home has the appeal of an extraordinary woodland setting within easy reach of Brentwood and its Elizabeth station. Offered to the market with no onward chain, well reputed schools such as Warley Primary, Brentwood County High and St. Martin's are within very easy reach.

The Property

Few homes combine such a remarkable setting, architectural character and accessibility as Lion Lodge North. Positioned beside the historic entrance to Thorndon Country Park and surrounded by mature woodland, the property has an almost hidden-away quality, yet Brentwood's shops, schools and railway connections remain conveniently accessible.

Believed to have been constructed during the mid-18th century as a former gate lodge to Thorndon Hall, the house is Grade II listed and retains the pleasing proportions and distinctive character associated with its Georgian origins. The impressive Lion Gates, with their substantial stone piers and reclining lion sculptures, provide an appropriately memorable introduction to this historically significant setting.

The accommodation has evolved considerably for modern living. A thoughtfully designed single-storey extension, completed in recent years, has created an impressive kitchen and dining space overlooking the gardens, while the original house provides characterful reception rooms and flexible bedroom accommodation. The result is a home that feels individual and historic without sacrificing the practicalities expected of contemporary family life.

The floor plan extends to approximately 120.5 sq m (1,296 sq ft) in total, arranged across two floors.

Ground Floor

Living Room

The principal living room is a particularly generous and characterful reception space, combining impressive proportions with a number of attractive period features. Its scale allows for several distinct seating areas without the room feeling crowded, making it equally well suited to relaxed family use and more formal entertaining.

Large multi-paned sash-style windows to two elevations overlook mature greenery and bring excellent natural light into the room. Full-length curtains frame the windows, while the predominantly white décor helps emphasise the room's sense of space and brightness. Traditional timber floorboards run throughout and introduce considerable warmth and character.

At the heart of the room is a substantial fireplace with a broad stone surround and hearth, housing a cast-iron wood-burning stove. This provides a particularly appealing focal point and gives the room a warm, inviting atmosphere during the colder months. The chimney breast has been finished in a contrasting grey tone and is surmounted by a large decorative mirror, drawing attention to the fireplace and adding further depth to the room.

Attractive architectural detailing, include simple cornicing and a decorative ceiling rose, from which hangs an ornate chandelier-style light fitting. The combination of these traditional details, the exposed timber flooring and the substantial window gives the room a pleasing sense of period character.

Of particular interest is the staircase rising directly to the first floor level, discreetly positioned alongside the fireplace. Its curved lower steps and partially enclosed arrangement add an unusual architectural feature while maintaining an open connection between the ground and upper floors.

The dimensions of the room are demonstrated by the ease with which it accommodates substantial sofas and occasional furniture together with larger freestanding pieces. There is ample wall space for artwork, cabinets and bookcases, while the present arrangement shows how comfortably both contemporary and antique furnishings can sit within the room.

Sitting Room / Ground-Floor Bedroom

The second reception room provides valuable flexibility, presently arranged as an intimate sitting room but equally capable of serving as an additional ground-floor bedroom, guest room, study or snug, depending upon the requirements of the occupier.

More intimate in scale than the principal living room, it nevertheless possesses considerable character. Traditional timber effect flooring continues through the room, while white walls and a high ceiling maintain a light and uncluttered feel. A decorative chandelier-style ceiling light complements the period character.

One of the room's most distinctive features is its decorative stained-glass window, incorporating softly coloured geometric panes and a central floral motif. This creates an attractive period focal point and filters coloured light into the room while providing a greater degree of privacy than conventional glazing. A further window at the opposite end looks towards mature garden planting, meaning the room benefits from natural light from more than one direction.

A broad recessed fireplace opening provides another attractive focal point. Currently arranged with a traditional fire basket and logs, it is flanked by useful built-in shelving/storage and surmounted by a large decorative mirror. Together with the wood effect flooring, this gives the room a comfortable, traditional drawing-room character.

The room is sufficiently proportioned to accommodate a full-size sofa, substantial armchairs and a central coffee table, demonstrating the usable floor area available. Equally, the relatively regular proportions would lend themselves readily to bedroom furniture should an additional sleeping room be required.

Kitchen/Dining Room

Forming the centrepiece of the more recent extension, the kitchen/dining room is an exceptionally bright and welcoming space, thoughtfully conceived to bring together cooking, dining and entertaining while maintaining a strong visual connection with the magnificent gardens.

Measuring approximately 6.79m x 3.21m (22'3" x 10'7"), the room has a particularly attractive open-plan arrangement. One of its most impressive features is the abundance of natural light. Two substantial lantern-style roof lights are positioned overhead, complemented by several traditionally styled multi-paned windows and a broad set of glazed bi-folding doors. Together, these introduce light from several directions and give the room an airy, garden-room quality. Recessed ceiling lighting provides additional illumination after dark.

The kitchen itself is finished in a crisp contemporary style, with an extensive range of handle-less white gloss cabinetry arranged to maximise both storage and preparation space. The clean lines of the cabinetry are warmed by contrasting wood-effect work surfaces and flooring, resulting in a restrained, timeless finish that sits particularly comfortably alongside the period character of the original house.

A substantial peninsula/breakfast bar projects into the room and creates a natural division between the working kitchen and dining areas without interrupting their open-plan relationship. In addition to providing further preparation space, it incorporates the inset sink and offers informal seating for two, making it equally suited to breakfast, coffee or conversation while meals are being prepared.

The kitchen is comprehensively equipped with integrated appliances, including an electric hob with extractor, double oven and grill, fridge, freezer and dishwasher, while the sink is complemented by a Brita filtered-water mixer tap. Generous work surfaces extend around the kitchen, with additional open display shelving providing an attractive counterpoint to the streamlined cabinetry.

Beyond the principal kitchen area is a particularly appealing dedicated dining space, arranged around bespoke L-shaped, buttoned banquette seating. The fitted seating wraps around two sides of the dining area and incorporates useful concealed storage beneath, providing a sociable setting capable of accommodating family meals as comfortably as larger gatherings. There remains generous space for a substantial freestanding dining table and additional chairs.

The outlook is a significant part of the room's appeal. Windows frame close-up views of the mature planting, while the wide glazed doors look directly towards the terrace, lawn and surrounding greenery. When opened, the doors provide a wonderfully fluid transition between inside and outside, allowing the kitchen and dining area to effectively extend onto the adjoining paved entertaining terrace. During the warmer months this creates an excellent arrangement for barbecues, garden parties and relaxed al fresco dining.

The garden immediately beyond provides a particularly attractive backdrop of established shrubs, flowering plants and mature evergreens, reinforcing the unusual sense of privacy that characterises the entire property. Even with the doors closed, the extent of glazing means the gardens remain an important visual element of the room.

Practical considerations have been incorporated equally well. Underfloor heating extends beneath the wood-effect flooring, helping maintain the uncluttered appearance of the room.

What makes this room particularly successful is the way the contemporary extension has been designed around the lifestyle offered by the property. Rather than simply providing a larger kitchen, it has created a genuine indoor-outdoor living space, flooded with daylight from above and surrounded by views of the gardens. The combination of the breakfast bar, generous dining area, bespoke banquette seating and direct terrace access makes this a natural gathering point within the house and an especially impressive setting for entertaining.

Utility & Cloakroom

The ground-floor ancillary accommodation is especially practical, comprising a cloakroom/WC leading directly through to a separate utility area.
The cloakroom is simply and neutrally presented, with a WC and compact wash hand basin set into its own vanity cupboard. An obscured-glass window provides natural light while retaining privacy, and the arrangement makes this a useful facility for both everyday family use and visitors.

Beyond, the dedicated utility room provides valuable separation of laundry and household storage from the principal living accommodation. It is currently fitted with a washing machine and tumble dryer arranged beneath and above a practical work surface, leaving additional countertop space for laundry and storage.

Open shelving provides useful space for towels, linens and other household items, while further freestanding storage and shoe racks demonstrate the room's capacity for everyday coats, footwear and general household equipment. Recessed ceiling lighting and wood-effect flooring create a practical, easily maintained finish.

Bathroom

The bathroom is generously proportioned and finished in a clean, contemporary style, with pale tiling to the walls and floor creating a bright and restful feel. Recessed ceiling spotlights provide effective illumination, complemented by natural light from high-level obscured-glass windows that maintain privacy.

A particularly attractive feature is the freestanding roll-top bath, with traditional claw feet and period-style chrome taps with hand held shower attachment, introducing a classic element to the otherwise modern scheme. Beyond the bath is a separate walk-in shower area, enclosed by a frameless glass screen and fitted with a large overhead rainfall-style shower together with additional controls.

The sanitary fittings include a contemporary rectangular basin with chrome mixer tap, set alongside a useful run of sleek fitted vanity/storage units and countertop space. Above is an illuminated mirrored cabinet, providing both practical storage and additional lighting. A tall chrome heated towel rail completes the room.

Bedroom

This bright and well-proportioned bedroom has a pleasant, understated feel, with crisp white décor complemented by warm wood-effect flooring. A traditional-style window provides plenty of natural light and enjoys an attractive leafy outlook, while recessed ceiling spotlights provide additional illumination.

The room comfortably accommodates a bed alongside bedside furniture and benefits from space for a substantial freestanding timber wardrobe. A radiator offers practical heating, while the combination of natural wood tones and neutral finishes gives the room a warm, restful character.

First Flooor

The first floor provides two well-presented double bedrooms, both benefiting from a light, neutral decorative scheme, recessed ceiling lighting and attractive windows that bring in good natural light.

The principal bedroom is a particularly comfortable dual aspect double room, overlooking the surrounding greenery and gardens. An exposed timber flooring adds to the character and windows to more than one aspect giving it a bright and airy character. There is ample space for freestanding wardrobes and bedside furniture, while a recessed feature alcove adds a touch of character. The bedroom also benefits from its own en-suite shower room, discreetly accessed via a sliding door.

The en-suite is finished in neutral tiling and fitted with a glazed shower enclosure, WC and contemporary wall-mounted wash basin with vanity storage, together with a mirrored cabinet and chrome heated towel rail. Its clean, modern finish complements the understated styling of the bedroom.

The second first floor bedroom is another comfortable double room, arranged with a window overlooking the surrounding greenery. Finished with white walls and pale floorboards, it has a calm and airy feel, with space for bedside furniture and additional storage. Recessed ceiling lighting and a radiator complete the room.

The first floor is approached via a characterful curved staircase, with a small landing area adding to the property's individual cottage feel.

The Gardens & Grounds

The grounds are arguably as memorable as the house itself and are fundamental to the character of Lion Lodge North. Extending to approximately 0.28 acres (stls), they feel considerably more expansive than their measured acreage suggests, largely because of the extraordinary density and maturity of the vegetation surrounding the property and the immediate backdrop of Thorndon Country Park.

Rather than presenting as a conventional suburban garden, the grounds unfold as a succession of distinct outdoor spaces. Lawns, terraces, courtyards, mature specimen trees, clipped hedging, informal woodland planting and water features combine to create a garden with considerable depth, privacy and year-round visual interest.

The overall impression is of a secluded garden sanctuary almost completely enveloped by greenery.

Main Lawn

Immediately behind the house is a beautifully maintained expanse of immaculately tended lawn, forming the largest and most open section of the garden. Broad, level and wonderfully private, it creates a striking contrast with the dense mature planting around its perimeter.

The lawn is framed by an exceptional collection of established trees and shrubs. Towering evergreens provide dramatic vertical structure, while mature deciduous trees create a high leafy canopy and changing seasonal colour. Dense perimeter planting substantially screens neighbouring surroundings, producing the rare sensation that the house sits within its own small country estate.

The scale of the lawn provides considerable room for children's play, garden games and outdoor entertaining without compromising the more ornamental areas elsewhere in the grounds. Dappled shade from the mature tree canopy moves across the grass during the day, while more open areas enjoy direct sunshine.

Dining Terrace

Adjoining the house is a generous paved terrace positioned to make the most of the relationship between the kitchen/dining room and garden.

Bi-folding doors allow the kitchen to open directly towards this area, making it particularly well suited to summer entertaining. There is ample space for a substantial outdoor dining table and chairs beneath a large parasol, with the terrace enjoying an attractive outlook across the lawn and mature planting.

Established climbing plants soften the white rendered elevations of the house, while potted trees and ornamental planting help blend the terrace naturally into the wider garden. It is easy to envisage the kitchen, terrace and lawn operating as one continuous entertaining space during warmer months.

Pond Garden & Courtyard

Moving deeper into the grounds, the character becomes more intimate and ornamental.

A landscaped pond forms a particularly attractive focal point, surrounded by luxuriant marginal planting and established foliage. Aquatic and waterside plants soften the pond edges, while the surrounding mature vegetation gives this part of the garden an almost secret-garden atmosphere.

A brick-paved courtyard curves around the pond, its mellow colouring sitting comfortably alongside the historic character of the house. Several seating positions have been created around this area, allowing different perspectives across the water and surrounding planting.

The combination of water, mature foliage and sheltered seating creates an especially peaceful corner of the grounds, distinct in character from the more formal lawn closer to the house.

Pergola & Ornamental Planting

An established timber pergola is heavily clothed in mature climbing greenery, helping divide the garden naturally into separate areas without creating hard boundaries.

Around it are well-stocked beds containing a mixture of flowering plants, shrubs and architectural foliage. The planting has an established, layered appearance rather than the uniformity of a newly landscaped garden, with varying heights, textures and shades of green creating visual interest throughout.

Brick edging, paved paths and informal planted borders lead naturally from one section to another, encouraging the garden to be explored rather than viewed as a single open space.

Garden Room/Studio

Tucked into a particularly secluded corner is a newly constructed substantial detached timber garden building. Its contemporary horizontal timber cladding, dark-framed glazed doors and windows sit attractively against the wooded backdrop.

Previously utilised as a gymnasium, it provides excellent flexibility and could lend itself to a home gym, studio, hobby room, creative workspace or garden retreat, subject of course to any necessary consents and the purchaser's requirements. This attractive addition to the property has been fully insulated (the walls, floor and ceiling) and fitted with power and heating.

Its position away from the main house is especially appealing for home working or recreational use, providing genuine separation while remaining within the garden.

A further paved and brick terrace immediately outside creates another sheltered seating area, reinforcing the sense that the grounds contain several individual destinations rather than simply one garden.

Woodland Character

Perhaps the defining quality of the grounds is their remarkable wooded setting.

The garden contains and is bordered by an extensive variety of mature trees, including substantial evergreen specimens and large deciduous trees whose canopies rise high above the house. Dense banks of laurel-like evergreen planting, established hedges and mature shrubs provide lower-level screening beneath the tree canopy.

The house and its gardens appear as a private clearing within an extensive canopy, with Thorndon Country Park forming the wider landscape around it. This relationship with the surrounding woodland is one of the property's most unusual attributes and creates a degree of seclusion that is exceptionally difficult to reproduce so close to the Central London commuter town of Brentwood.

Parking & Approach

The approach is another distinctive aspect of the property.

The historic Lion Gates provide an impressive landmark at the entrance to this special enclave, beyond which the property is approached along a private driveway surrounded by established woodland.
Electronically operated wooden gates open into a substantial hard-landscaped parking area beside the house, providing off-road parking for several vehicles. Mature hedging and planting screen the driveway from the principal garden, ensuring that cars do not dominate the outlook from the house.

The combination of secure gated parking, extensive mature landscaping and the wooded approach gives the arrival a sense of privacy and occasion rarely associated with a home so conveniently positioned for the town.

Setting & Location

Lion Lodge North occupies an exceptional position on the periphery of Thorndon Country Park, whose extensive woodland, parkland, meadows and ponds provide a magnificent natural backdrop to everyday life.

For walkers, runners, cyclists, families and dog owners, the ability to step almost immediately into hundreds of acres of countryside is an extraordinary amenity. Thorndon Park Golf Club is also nearby.

Despite the wonderfully rural atmosphere, the property remains extremely convenient for Brentwood. The town provides an excellent selection of independent shops, restaurants, cafés and everyday amenities, together with highly regarded schooling.

Brentwood railway station provides mainline services towards London Liverpool Street and connections via the Elizabeth Line, making the property especially attractive to those wishing to combine access to London with an unusually peaceful home environment.

Road communications are equally convenient, with the A12, A127 and M25 readily accessible.

History

The house is believed to date from around 1764 and formed part of the historic entrance to Thorndon Hall.

The surviving ornamental Lion Gates are themselves Grade II listed and feature imposing masonry piers decorated with carved swags and crowned by reclining stone lions. Historically, the central iron gates are understood to have been removed during the Second World War, when the park was used by the military prior to d-Day, allowing wider vehicles to pass through.

Today, the gates and lodge provide a tangible connection with the history of the Thorndon estate and make the approach to the property immediately recognisable.

Summary

Lion Lodge North is far more than an attractive period property. It is the combination of the Grade II listed architecture, historic setting, thoughtfully extended accommodation and, above all, the extraordinary gardens that distinguish it.

For purchasers seeking character and countryside without surrendering access to Brentwood and London, this is an exceptionally individual home in a genuinely memorable setting.

Offered with no onward chain.

Agent's Notes

The property is Grade II listed. Prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves as to the extent of the listing and any associated requirements affecting alterations.

The property is situated within a conservation area.

Mains water, electricity and gas are understood to be connected, with private drainage.

The gas boiler is understood to have been replaced in 2022.

The driveway to the front of the property is understood to be owned by Brentwood Council and to have been used by the property since 1953, with the current owners maintaining it themselves.

All measurements, acreages and distances are approximate. Stls – Subject to Land Survey.