Vauxhall is one of those places that you always seem to be passing through, but never really bother to stop in. The first time I spent time in Vauxhall, as a 20-year-old, I remember being completely overwhelmed by the hidden Latin community that existed there, and I (just about) remember having a really good time.
One of the issues with Vauxhall and next-door Nine Elms is the seemingly endless row upon row of new build apartment blocks that have been erected in every square inch of the borough. From the outside, it doesn’t feel like anything other than glass towers and MI6. It is, however, an extremely vibrant area, that is very well connected — you just need to know where to look.
Luckily, I know where to look. I would start with this four-bedroom penthouse apartment for sale with Knight Frank for £2.5 million. Titled the Vat House, the property is on the market for the first time since it was converted 40 years ago. This means two things: whoever lived there liked living there very much and that it probably needs a bit of polishing up.
The penthouse occupies the top floor of the former Beaufoy Vinegar Factory, which began life in 1812. In 1941, the factory was partially destroyed by a bomb, and eventually closed its doors for good in 1970, after producing millions of gallons of vinegar each year and employing some 300 people. The factory was converted into flats in 1985, when the Vat House was purchased by the current vendor.
Set over two floors, the property retains a wealth of industrial-age period features throughout, no more apparent in the open-plan reception/kitchen/dining room on the top floor. Original ironwork is still on display throughout, lending the place bags of character that you don’t often find in flats in the area (see previous paragraph complaining about glass boxes).
Four good-size bedrooms occupy the lower/entrance floor, and the split level nature of the property means that a substantial roof terrace of about 500sq ft provides more than enough space for enjoying the London skyline and entertaining your friends. As part of the development, purchasers will also have access to a concierge service, parking, pool and gym.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Country Life's Top 100: The magic of timelessness
Giles Kime's executive editor and interiors guru — and the man in charge of putting together our annual Country Life Top
Credit: Strutt and Parker
One of Suffolk's great country house estates — 12 bedrooms, 1,763 acres and 36,000sq ft — comes up for sale at £19 million
Glemham Hall comes to the market for the first time in 101 years, and the scale of it is quite
Credit: Strutt and Parker
A Scottish country home near St Andrews that once bred championship winning sheep
Inner Gellie House has a lively history behind its elegant façades, and is looking for a new owner to take
-
What the hedge can tell us about the countryside, with Richard NegusThe hedge is much more than just a barrier between one field and the next. Richard Negus joins the Country Life Podcast to discuss his work, his latest book and how he's being tapped up to switch cricket clubs.
-
Country Life August 20 2025Country Life August 20 2025 is the Scottish Issue, featuring glorious Glamis Castle, 47 pages of the best Scottish property for sale, John Buchan, and the Glasgow Boys
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
-
19 outstanding country homes, from £450,000 to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeA spectacular country house in Yorkshire and an enormously impressive Channel Islands retreat are among the stand-out homes on the market this week.
-
Three homes down by the Thames, perfect for those who love messing about on boatsThis summer’s scorching temperatures will no doubt have endorsed the perennial appeal of Thames-side houses with frontage and private access to the river. Penny Churchill and Toby Keel pick out some prime examples.
-
A pavilion, pool and pleasure gardens at this Devon country house 'with not another building in sight'Ebberly House is a majestic country house in Devon built by one of John Soane's pupils — and as it comes to the market, it's a place Penny Churchill knows well.
-
Take over the world or throw a great big party on this private fort for sale in PembrokeThorne Island, dubbed the British Alcatraz, has been a £2 million labour of love. Now it could be yours.
-
The perfect summer house? A country home, beach house and rural escape rolled into one in a prime spot in SussexIf there's a finer house than Grangewood House in which to enjoy the summer, we'd love to see it. Penny Churchill takes a look.
