This two-bedroom Grade II listed cottage in Monken Hadley, Barnet, is one of Britain’s narrowest homes and is on sale for £500,000 – but it’s not for the faint-hearted
A property listed at £500,000 isn’t particularly uncommon across the UK, especially in certain London boroughs. Yet, depending on location, that sum could secure either substantial space or something rather modest.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal preferences and what you’re seeking in a home.
One of Britain’s most slender properties, a two-bedroom Grade II listed cottage situated in the Monkey Hadley Conservation Area in Barnet, north London, has been put on the market at that figure, with the listing seeking offers exceeding that amount. The property boasts a rear garden, timber-framed construction and various period features.
Nevertheless, one notable aspect is the compact nature of several rooms, with the dwelling measuring merely 16ft in width, an 11ft by 10ft reception area, and a 9ft by 7ft dining space that looks out onto a rear garden.
Meanwhile, the principal bedroom measures just nine feet by eight feet. For comparison, this is equivalent to the dimensions of a London Tube carriage.
For reference, the London Underground 2009 stock, amongst the most recent carriages introduced, measure 8ft 10inches in width. However, the now decommissioned London Underground D78 Stock measured just 9ft 4inches across.
The bedroom includes fitted wardrobes and a period fireplace.
The dwelling, being marketed by estate agents Bennett and Hall, also features a bathroom equipped with an overhead shower and bath, alongside a vanity unit. The kitchen is well appointed with granite worktops and its own dishwasher.
In a statement regarding the property, the estate agents characterised it as: “Charming, well-presented and sensitively restored, TWO BEDROOM grade II listed cottage.
“Monken Hadley is a highly sought-after conservation area close to Hadley Green, within comfortable walking distance to High Barnet underground station and High Street, with its many shops, cafés and restaurants.”
Within the broader London property landscape, the property sits beneath the capital’s average according to figures from Rightmove.
Rightmove stated: ” House prices in London have an overall average of £666,657 over the last year.”
The property also falls short of the typical house price for Barnet, with Rightmove noting: “House prices in Barnet have an overall average of £718,839 over the last year.
“The majority of properties sold in Barnet during the last year were flats, selling for an average price of £422,721. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £912,964, with terraced properties fetching £673,263.”
This marks not the first occasion a house narrower than a tube carriage has appeared on the market in London, with a one bedroom property, constructed on the site of a former garage in Putney, south London, measuring a mere 10ft 8inches wide.
The three-storey home has drawn comparisons to Doctor Who’s TARDIS, owing to how surprisingly spacious it feels inside despite its modest exterior appearance.
Russell White, from Winkworth’s Putney office, who is handling the sale, commented: “It is a really cool house and is totally self-contained, which is hard to find at that price level in Putney.
“It is a perfect for a first time buyer, a downsizer or someone looking for a base if they are working in London but living elsewhere.”
