Wistaria House, Church Street, London W4 2PD

“Georgian brickwork washed with wisteria, just moments from the Thames”

Built in the early eighteenth century, this magnificent Grade II-listed home sits in an exceptional position on Church Street, within the bucolic setting of Old Chiswick. It spans more than 3,000 sq ft, with five bedrooms, four spectacular reception rooms and a fully self-sufficient lower-ground level, each rich in original detail and finished with a distinctive period palette. A private rear terrace stretches across the width of the house, with each room opening directly onto it; meanwhile, the home is moments from the River Thames and magnificent Chiswick Mall.

Setting the Scene

Officially listed in 1951, Wistaria House sits within the historic Old Chiswick Conservation Area, where a collection of storied, listed houses lends the street a surprisingly villagey atmosphere. Georgian cottages rub shoulders with timber-framed houses, and the medieval church of St Nicholas grounds the street. The neighbourhood is best known for its brewing heritage, still evident today in nearby Fuller’s Griffin Brewery, where the country’s oldest surviving wisteria was planted in 1816 against the Head Brewer's cottage. When in bloom, Wistaria House's 200-year-old wisteria is one of Chiswick's most celebrated botanical landmarks.

The house retains the classical proportions of its Georgian origins, with traditional double-hung sash windows beneath rubbed red-brick flat arches, and an elegant, pedimented entrance that hints at subtle grandeur. In the warmer months, mature wisteria traces the building's ordered composition.

The Grand Tour

The front door opens onto a grand entrance hall, from which three generous single-depth rooms extend to form the main living area, and a painted staircase rises to the bedrooms above. Timeworn original pine floorboards run from here through to the living rooms, while finely carved, painted joinery is unique to this room.

Across the hall, two large reception rooms are decorated with a soft grey-blue, and newer French doors suffuse the space with light. There are several built-in, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, while the other alcove houses an original, working brick fireplace with veined marble surround.

A kitchen extension was sensitively added in the late 20th century to suit the vernacular of the main house. Here, ornate plasterwork is supplanted by full-height bespoke cabinetry in a simple off-white, with a striking midnight-blue AGA and terracotta tiles as counterpoints. A double butler sink is nicely placed beneath a six-over-six sash window, and French doors also open from here onto a private terrace, creating a seamless connection with the outside from the entire rear elevation.

Occupying the floor below is an intimate apartment-style space, with its own kitchen, spacious living room and double bedroom with en suite.

A generous reception room connects the two first-floor bedrooms; the remaining two sit on the floor above. Similar in size, each has a private en suite bathroom and sash windows that capture views of the surrounding area. The larger en suite has a roll-top bathtub and internal shuttering painted the same sage-green as the walls.

The upper floor is characterised by exposed structural oak timbers.

The Great Outdoors

A private terrace extends at the rear, complemented by abundant green spaces nearby, including Chiswick House and Gardens, Ravenscourt Park and the Thames towpath. Beyond the garden lies a former brewery yard, now used for the quiet storage of barrels, a subtle reminder of the area's industrial past.

Out and About

Wistaria House is a short walk from the Thames and within easy reach of some of west London's finest green spaces. The riverside paths at nearby Chiswick Mall are beautiful, offering a glorious riverside walk or cycle route to Hammersmith Bridge and centre, past four special pubs and many blue plaques on handsome 18th-century houses and William Morris' Kelmscott House. In the other direction is a nice riverside stroll to Barnes. A 30-minute walk away is Strand-on-the-Green leading toward Kew; the landscaped grounds of Chiswick House and Gardens and Ravenscourt Park are also both close by, the former just a five-minute walk. Designed by Lord Burlington and William Kent, it is an incredibly beautiful local park on the doorstep with an Inigo Jones gateway. Hogarth's House is also close at hand.

Chiswick High Road is lined with independent cafes and restaurants, and the historic riverside pubs remain local favourites. Hammersmith is also within easy reach, with its theatres, cinemas and a broader selection of amenities.

The area is particularly well served by schools, including Orchard House School, Latymer Upper School and St Paul's School, as well as the well-regarded Belmont Primary School.

For transport, Turnham Green and Stamford Brook stations (District line) are around a 15- to 20-minute walk away, with Ravenscourt Park station also nearby. Chiswick Station is a 20-minute walk, providing a direct link to London Waterloo, while regular buses run along Chiswick High Road; the house is just 5 minutes' walk from the bus route to Richmond and Hammersmith. The current owners cycle everywhere, and note it is particularly lovely along the River Thames. You are also just moments from A4 for swift access to central London and out to the M4 and M3.