A Graceful Victorian Residence with Annexe in a Secluded Riverside Setting Adjacent to the Hereford City Cathedral School. Entrance Porch - Hallway - Breakfast Kitchen - Dining Room - Drawing Room - Utility Room - Shower Room - Cellar - Study - Master Bedroom with En-Suite - 3 Further Bedrooms - Family Bathroom - Grade II Listed Annexe on 2 Floors Each Accessed From the Main House - Mature Gardens - River Access - Sought-After Location - Close to Hereford Cathedral - Near to Motorway Network.

Vaga House is in essence a fine country home in a totally unique city setting. This lovely property sits on the banks of the River Wye. On the riverbank opposite lies Bishops Meadow - a large park with tree-lined footpaths close to the river. The sublime riverside location gives this home an air of peace and tranquillity, and yet this property is in the heart of Hereford. Adjoining the walled gardens are grounds belonging to Hereford Cathedral itself. However, the many varied shops, cafes and restaurants of the city centre are within easy walking distance. Historic Hereford - home to the world-famous Mappa Mundi - offers everything you would expect from a county capital - excellent shops, hotels, schools, colleges, football team, leisure facilities, and a Cider Museum, reflecting the area's long history of apple-growing and cider-making. There is easy access from Hereford into Wales, and a direct rail link from Hereford to London Paddington (change at Worcester for Birmingham and the North). Note: Vaga was the Roman name for the River Wye.

Vaga House was built in 1855 and it displays all the grace and grandeur of the Victorian age. The arched entrance porch has a glorious original mosaic tiled floor. The wide front door, with heavy brass door furniture, opens onto the elegant high-ceilinged hallway. A doorway to the right leads into the spacious breakfast kitchen/day room. Cherry red units with polished nickel knobs sit under a granite-effect worktop with inset stainless steel sink and Victorian-style mixer taps. The high tiled splash back is also in cherry red. The breakfast kitchen features an integrated dishwasher, a Bosch built-in double electric oven and a set-in gas hob with stainless steel extractor hood. Candle-shaped feature lights hang from the high ceiling, the floor is the original polished pine, and a wide sash windows overlooks the lawn. On the opposite side of the hallway is the elegant dining room. This room features a wide sash bay overlooking the gravelled drive and lawn edged with wonderful mature trees, and a second window, to the riverside, with its original internal wooden shutters still in place. The floor is the original polished elm. The open fireplace is in pink marble and mahogany with a high mantel and pink marble hearth. Further down the hallway behind the dining room is the restful drawing room. This room features a lovely bay window to the riverside with West African mahogany double-glazed sash windows with a spring action. The room is high-ceilinged with a deep cornice and picture rail. The floor is original polished oak, the original internal wooden shutters grace the windows, and the fireplace is in carved wood with a Victorian floral pattern. At the far end of the hallway a door opens onto the cellar steps which lead down to a huge complex of 4 full-height rooms running under the house. Opposite the cellar doorway steps lead down into the utility room with adjoining shower room. This part of the property links the main house to the annexe, and also has an external door onto a flag-stoned terrace next to the driveway. There is plumbing here for a washing machine and tumble drier. The room also has a quarry-tiled floor, hatch to breakfast kitchen/day room, double width coat cupboard. The adjoining shower room has a very contemporary style with pearl-white tiles to full height on two walls, a stainless steel towel rail/radiator, and a curved glass shower cubicle with Triton electric shower. Climbing the graceful staircase light streams down from a panelled window in the stairwell, and an attractive glazed door on the half-landing leads into the attic-style study. In this room there is plenty of storage space under an exposed purlin, and a door leads into the first floor of the annexe. From the half-landing a second set of stairs leads to the galleried landing with varnished pine boards. On the right is the light, airy, and high-ceilinged master bedroom overlooking the garden, the river and the park on the opposite bank from the wide bay window. The en-suite bath/shower room is striking and modern in style, with black mosaic tiles around the bath, Mira electric shower over the bath, and a contemporary square hand basin with vintage 1950's black glass splash back panel. Bedroom 2 is restful and gracious, with a sash window to the gravelled drive and riverside garden, a deep fitted dressing table surface/shelf, and a Victorian-style washbasin with blue and white tiled border around its mirror. Bedroom 3 has a wide sash window to the front drive, shaded by the branches of a mature silver birch tree, and a Victorian-style basin with white tiled splash back. Bedroom 4 has a window to the drive and lawn and full ceiling-height fitted cupboards. The first floor family bath/shower room is a lovely spacious room with wisteria at the window in picture-perfect Victorian style. The room features navy blue and white tiling to dado height, fitted cast-iron bath with Mira electric shower over, and an attractive etched glass shower screen. Double doors open onto the airing cupboard with deep slatted shelves.

The Annexe: A 17th Century Grade II listed cottage of red brick and timber framing, the annexe adjoins Vaga House. At present there is no staircase in the annexe. The ground floor is accessed via a front door on the flag-stoned terrace near the driveway, a half-glazed back door onto the red brick terrace in the riverside garden, and a door through into the Vaga House utility room. The ground floor consists of a wide flag-stoned hallway, a butler's pantry with shallow butler's sink still in place, a larder/pantry room with open shelving, and a spacious quarry-tiled buttery kitchen with wide sash window to the driveway. The first floor is accessed from the study on the half-landing of Vaga House. The first floor consists of a spacious landing with sash window, a large bathroom with skylight, 2 further rooms with sash windows, a storage room, and a small room with WC plumbing in place. The wonderful timbers of the building's roof can be seen in the loft space, and any conversion could easily be designed to expose them. The annexe would make ideal relative/guest accommodation and greatly increases the versatility of this property. The garden: the gated and gravelled driveway hugs a red-brick wall before sweeping around to the front of this lovely house. A wonderful mixture of mature trees, including a lofty Wellingtonia, border the well-maintained lawn. Many of the trees are evergreen so ensuring greenery and privacy all year round. A wisteria next to the front door climbs dramatically to the roof of the house. The riverside bed is well-planted with a variety of mature trees and shrubs, including rosemary and lilac - and a wrought iron gate in the wall leads to a flight of stone steps that touch the water's edge. A crazy paving terrace set with table and chairs offers a bird's eye view of the river, and a beautiful magnolia tree hangs over the red brick garden terrace. There is always something special about being close to a great river such as the Wye, and at Vaga House there is the chance to enjoy that privilege every day.

Council Tax Band: G Herefordshire Council
Mains water - metered.
Mains gas.
Mains drainage.
Broadband connection.
Gas central heating.
Partial double glazing.
Security lights at annexe back door and on the facade of the main house.
The annexe: water feed has been fitted, a separate electric feed has been established, mains drainage is available, and a mains gas supply is available

From the offices of Hayes, proceed to the Top Cross in the town centre, turn left on to the High Street and proceed through Ledbury, following signs for Hereford on the A438. Continue to Hereford, following signs for the city centre on the Ledbury Road, travelling under the railway bridge, and following the road around the corner to approach a set of traffic lights. Turn left here (signposted Castle Green) into Mill Street, then right into Cantilupe Street. Take the first left into St. Ethelbert Street which then becomes Castle Street. Turn left into Quay Street and carry on until you see the gated driveway to Vaga House ahead of you. Viewing
Please contact our office on 01531 630030 if you wish to arrange a viewing appointment for this property or require further information.

Disclaimer
Hayes Sales and Lettings endeavour to maintain accurate depictions of properties in floor plans and descriptions, however, these are intended only as a guide and purchasers must satisfy themselves by personal inspection.