One of the oldest houses in Chelsea has just come up for sale — not that you'd guess its age from the interior...

Old Church Street dates back to 1566 and is the oldest recorded street in Chelsea and No.18 provides a fine opportunity — albeit an expensive one — to own a slice of London's fascinating history without compromising on style or comfort.

The house is currently on the market via Russell Simpson for £6.59 million, and behind an ordinary exterior there lurks a four-bedroom home that is something rather special. Giles Cook from Russell Simpson calls No.18 a house that offers a 'perfect balance of modern luxury living coupled with traditional period charm steeped in rich history.'

That history only came to light relatively recently. Excavation works that took place when renovation began on number 18 Old Church Street led to workers discovering a huge array of antique pieces of porcelain and pottery lying beneath the surface.

The explanation is that the house is located directly behind where the famous Chelsea Porcelain Works once stood, and it’s thought that this was the ‘most significant established factory in England’ following the discovery of soft-paste porcelain in Europe.

From 1745-1769, the factory produced bespoke works for notable wealthy clients. Significant collections include the 'Mecklenburg Service' commissioned by King George III and an extensive range of botanical tableware that was acquired by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The exciting antiques discovery were sent to the British Museum for analysis, and the pieces were sourced back to the Chelsea Porcelain Works.

With the antiques safely removed from the site, in their place is a spacious extension which leads down into the basement and provides comfortable guest or staff accommodation with a bedroom, private study, shower and utility room.

Upon entering the property at ground floor level, the space immediately opens up to a long hallway, from which a drawing room and reception room are accessed.

Bi-fold doors peel back and open up to an inner garden, across from which is a new two-storey office room and downstairs media/ gym room. The fantastically versatile new extension provides plenty of flexible accommodation depending upon requirements.

There are five floors of luxurious, modern living space in total, with the kitchen, dining room and sitting room located on the lower ground floor. The vast principal suite assumes the entire first floor with two further bedrooms and bathroom located on the second floor.

18 Old Church Street is currently on the market via Russell Simpson for £6.95 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Chelsea: What you need to know

Location: Near to the Chelsea Embankment. Sloane Square underground station is the closest tube station with Circle and District lines. South Kensington offers District, Piccadilly and Circle and Knightsbridge underground offers Piccadilly lines. Imperial Wharf offers overground services, just less than a mile away.

Atmosphere: Old Church Street is the oldest recorded street in Chelsea, with many high-profile former residents. The King's Road is within striking distance and known as one of the most famous roads in London for high end and designer shopping. It is home to an eclectic mix of residents and is popular with visitors for shopping and soaking up the Chelsea atmosphere.

Things to do: Cross the Thames and walk through Battersea Park or explore the Saatchi gallery in Sloane Square. The area is home to more shops than you could imagine. There are also a number of pubs, fantastic restaurants, bars and smaller parks in the area.

Schools: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and Saint Thomas Moore Language College are both rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Malborough Primary School is also located within the area and received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted.

See more property for sale in the area.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

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