One HULL of a home! 60-year-old English barge with four cabins and views of Tower Bridge goes on sale for £875,000
- The 2,000 sq ft four-bed home in Wapping boasts seven bathrooms and a rare surviving Medway Coaster
- Built in 1961 from British steel, the vessel is described as a ‘piece of British maritime history’ by current owner
- Apartments in the area with similar views of Tower Bridge and the same square footage go for £2million
A stunning 60-year-old 2,000 sq ft English barge has gone on sale for £875,000.
The roomy four-bed and seven-bathroom boat is permanently moored in Wapping, East London and has breath-taking views of Tower Bridge.
Named ‘Rock’ and built in 1961 from from the British steel of a former wheat cargo, it is one of the few surviving and fully operational Medway Coasters left in the UK.
With an overall length of 92ft and width of 21ft, the barge is described as a ‘spacious and comfortable home’ in a unique position close to the heart of the City of London.
Rock was built in 1961 and is one of the last surviving and fully operational Medway Coasters
Rock is permanently moored in Wapping, East London and has impressive views of Tower Bridge
A beautiful solid wooden wheelhouse on board ‘Rock’ gives impressive views across East London
The floating home boasts a wheelhouse, an upper studio office with wood burner and a large saloon with open plan galley and dining area for eight.
One of the cabins has an en-suite toilet and washbasin, and all rooms throughout the vessel have standing headroom.
The large flat, open front deck area can accommodate guests for al-fresco dining as they enjoy the impressive views.
Current owner of the barge Anne Lydia Wainwright describes the boat as a ‘piece of British maritime history’.
A study area with an old-style coal heater and circular windows on board the vessel is a maritime history buff’s dream
There is plenty of storage space on board the spacious boat, which was built in 1961
One of the bedrooms on board the barge, which can house up to eight people
She said: ‘When you buy a boat like Rock, you’re taking on a piece of British maritime history, a very different kind of lifestyle and possibly one of the best and most iconic views of London from the River Thames.’
She bought the vessel in 2002 with her late husband Chris Wainwright, with whom she founded Hermitage Moorings – a cooperatively run and managed secure mooring for 19 live aboard vessels, all of them with an historic background.
The aim of Hermitage is to keep traditional river craft such as sailing barges, tugs and motor craft a part of the Wapping river landscape for the future.
In 2003, Rock was taken to marine construction site MSO in Brentford for a full refit, with the bottom of the vessel re-plated.
Nautical window frames can be seen throughout the 2,000 sq ft vessel
There is plenty of entertaining space on board Rock, with an open-plan kitchen and living room area
The kitchen, decorated in an elegant and neutral grey, opens out onto the spacious living room
It also had a one metre steel skirt added above the waterline as well as bilge keels to give the boat greater stability in water.
All portholes and roof-lights were replaced and a new steel roof was put on the lower saloon.
The mooring fee for the boat is £511 a month and it is currently on sale with the Unique Property Company at £875,000.
One of the seven bathrooms on board the four cabin barge has space for bathtub
The spacious dining area has views of the river and can host guests as well as sleep eight people
Another view of the living and dining room area shows the boat has standing headroom throughout
Estate agent Simon Stone, Founder of Unique Property Company said: ‘Rock is up there as one of the most expensive barges for sale but it is worth it.
‘It has a huge historical importance to it. The current owner is an artist and it has a very exclusive mooring.
‘Apartments surrounding the boat with the same square footage would be around £2million, so it is a great buy for someone who wants to live in the area but doesn’t have penthouse money.’
Source: Read Full Article