The Old Vicarage is situated in the most extraordinarily central position, right in the heart of the historic core of Cambridge, adjacent to St Clement's Church and facing towards St John's College on Bridge Street. All of the city's cultural, recreational, shopping and educational facilities are close at hand. There is schooling at nearby Park Street primary school together with renowned independent schools in the west and south of the city. There is access to the M11, west of the city (Junctions 13 (south) and to the A14 to the north west. Mainline rail services are available from Cambridge station serving London's Liverpool Street and Kings Cross stations.
Description
The Old Vicarage is a substantial property which dates for the most part from around 1620. The property is mainly of rendered timber frame construction with a brick lower ground floor under a plain tiled roof. The house has characterful and spacious accommodation extending to some 2,678 sq ft arranged over 4 floors. Improvements were carried out some 30 years ago and in more recent times an extension constructed to the east but the house would now benefit from a degree of updating.
The house occupies a superb sheltered position in part of the church yard to St Clement's Church and indeed enjoys an area of garden which is rented from the church for a nominal sum on license. At ground floor level there is a large sitting room/library which leads into a garden room with a partially vaulted ceiling and outlooks through a picture window to the south into the gardens.
At basement level there is a kitchen/dining room with renewed appliances, a small utility and a pantry and at first floor level a master bedroom with en suite bathroom and French doors leading onto a shallow iron balcony. The majority of the accommodation is south facing. It is most unusual to find a detached house of historic interest in such a central position in Cambridge which is still in private hands.
Historial Note The Old Vicarage stands within the churchyard of St Clement's church a medieval building, still in use today which dates back to the 12th Century. There are records of a - Chantry House - on the same site which date to the early part of the 15th Century and whilst this building is long gone the current structure may have been built on the same site or on the original medieval foundations of the earlier building. The current house is thought to date from the 1620's and reference to it is found in a Lease granted in 1627 within the St John's College archives where it is described as - newly builded - . The building appears to have been designed to be occupied as two dwellings and has passed through many private as well as institutional hands over the centuries including at one stage being used as a school for the poor children of the parish. More recent history includes occupation by Francis Crick one of the Cambridge scientists who discovered the - double helix - shape of DNA who lived on the top floor in the 1950's. The current owners have been at the house since 1961.
Garden Area The property has for many decades enjoyed a pleasant and secluded garden surrounded by mature trees partially enclosed by willow fencing which includes a small shed and bike store. The garden is held on license from the freeholders St Clement's Parochial Church Council for a nominal payment of ?5 per annum. This agreement will run until March 2009 when it will be reviewed. Further details are available from the vendors sole agents.
Parking There are two fenced parking spaces for small to medium sized vehicles immediately to the rear of the house which are held on license from the adjacent synagogue. Further details are available from the vendors sole agents.
Property agent
Cambridge sales and Lettings Unex House, Cambridge, CB2 2PA
