Property of the week: Celeb-spot in this historic Abbey Road church
If you are looking for a home with an interesting history, you could do a lot worse than this penthouse apartment in St John’’s Wood.
Not only does the flat sit within a converted, grade II-listed baptist church, but it is also located directly across the street from Abbey Road Studios where the Beatles recorded almost all their studio material, and a matter of metres away from the world’s most famous zebra crossing.
The spacious three bedroom, three-bathroom apartment is being sold on a leasehold basis by agents JLL with a guide price of £1.7m.
The apartment spans a total of 1,421sq ft, and the building’s original function means that it has high ceilings, large windows and other interesting architectural features throughout.
It also features a reception room, and a mezzanine divides the kitchen and dining space from the living area. In addition the owner will have access to off-street parking.
The church dates from the 19th century, and was extensively restored and redeveloped between 2005 and 2010.
Although the upper floors were converted into apartments, the ground level of the property is still a functioning place of worship where services are held every week.
The shops and restaurants of St John’s Wood High Street are within a short walk, as are Primrose Hill and Lord’s Cricket Ground.
Jessica Conway, assistant sales manager at JLL Kensington, says: “Set within a stunningly-restored grade II listed church conversion, this unique and modern penthouse has the perfect balance between traditional and contemporary living.
“Located moments from the famous Abbey Road Studios and close to Regent’s Park, this property is perfect for music lovers and families alike.”
Said music lovers might be particularly tempted by the fact that this month marks 50 years since the Fab Four walked across the zebra crossing at Abbey Road, creating the iconic cover art for their eleventh album of the same name, and their last to be recorded.
Although the apartment’s future owner will need to be able to tolerate the thousands of tourists who flock to the site every year to recreate the photo, the opportunity to indulge in a bit of celeb-spotting might help to make up for it.
The studios are still used by a plethora of high-profile artists for recording sessions and small-scale gigs, and in the last few years these have included Oasis, Lady Gaga and Harry Styles.
They will also be a near neighbour of Paul McCartney himself. The former Beatle bought a home on Cavendish Road just around the corner in 1965, and still owns it to this day.