Netflix’s critically-acclaimed spy thriller, Black Doves, has had many of us glued to our screens. Starring Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw, and Sarah Lancashire, the series reached Netflix’s top 10 in 89 countries last December.
But riveting plot and gripping performances aside — Knightley received a Golden Globe nomination for her role — there was another star that grabbed many viewers’ attention: the Victorian villa that Knightley’s character called ‘home’.
You could now follow in Knightley’s footsteps: the five-bedroom, four-bathroom house in the heart of Crystal Palace, south east London, has come onto the market, with offers in excess of £5m via Hamptons.
The Victorian villa features heavily in the Netflix series as the family home of Knightley’s character, Helen Webb, a double agent, and her politician husband, Wallace Webb.
It’s believed to have taken 10 days to transform the house for the production, with every room used for filming repainted. Today, the mansion is ‘steeped in both architectural charm and cinematic prestige’, says Hamptons.
With its grand proportions, impressive 5,900 sq ft of floor space, and stylish interiors, it’s quite a catch.
On the ground floor, the bespoke deVOL kitchen is one of the star attractions. It features a Silestone worktop, Fisher & Paykel French door fridge, dishwasher drawers, and wine fridge, plus a 120cm Smeg range cooker. No excuse for shabby culinary skills here.
The double reception room on the other side of the hall is equally eye-catching, with two original marble fireplaces and folding doors that divide the sitting room and the dining room.
But this house doesn’t just look good. It’s also a family home that is set up for entertainment and functionality.
On the ground floor, there’s not one but two studies, and a utility room. And on the lower level, there’s a cinema room with a MASS surround sound system, a games and family room with a full-size snooker table, studio, and a laundry and boot room.
On the first floor, the principal bedroom can be accessed via the original ‘back stairs’ as well as the main staircase (ideal for a double agent, wouldn’t you say?). It boasts an en-suite bathroom with marble mosaic floor tiles and a dressing room. There’s a further four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
While the house may be in London, the top floor bedrooms have views that extend right out to the Kent countryside.
And let’s not forget the south-facing garden with a raised terrace and a sunken fire pit seating area. After all, there is where, in Black Doves, Webb shoots an assassin dead in the garden shed (which is still in-situ).
Keira Knightley plays double agent, or 'Black Dove', Helen Webb
Mark Breffit, Senior Advisor in Hamptons Private Office, says the villa ‘truly stands out as a one-of-a-kind property’ in the neighbourhood.
‘With its gated entrance, off-street parking, and an expansive south-facing garden, this property offers a rare combination of privacy and space in the city. And for those who appreciate a touch of glamour, the house's starring role in a popular Netflix show adds an intriguing element to its already impressive pedigree,’ he explains.
‘Located in South London’s answer to Notting Hill — Crystal Palace offers a more relaxed vibe — and moments from Crystal Palace triangle, which is populated by independent cafes, restaurants, vintage shops, and antique stores a plenty. Its proximity to Dulwich and its renowned schools adds significant appeal for families.’
-
The elegant country home of a motor racing daredevil who drove round the world in a 1936 Bentley and crashed a Range Rover into his own front porchPeasemore House, with its collection of barns, workshops, stables and more, is an ideal home from which to plan an adventure — something that was a passion of its present owners. Penny Churchill explains more.
-
‘In my twenties I was asked by a newspaper to test out an orgasm machine. I said, "Absolutely"’: Elizabeth Day on her early career in journalism and consuming passionsThe author and journalist chats to Lotte Brundle.
-
The elegant country home of a motor racing daredevil who drove round the world in a 1936 Bentley and crashed a Range Rover into his own front porch
Peasemore House, with its collection of barns, workshops, stables and more, is an ideal home from which to plan an adventure — something that was a passion of its present owners. Penny Churchill explains more.
-
The wisteria clad cottage where Noël Coward and Ivor Novello held court at the height of their fameThe 17th-century Follejon Cottage just outside Windsor was a perfect escape from the city for Noël Coward and his circle of friends. As it goes on the market, Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A Cotswolds property that's the strangest mix of old and new we've ever seen... and yet somehow, it all worksThe Gasworks is a house quite unlike anything you've seen before — or at least anything you've seen all in one place. Toby Keel takes a closer look.
-
A country house near Windsor that could be straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper novelPenny Churchill looks at the beautiful polo-lover's sanctuary that is Barkham Square Park.
-
The factory that once fuelled the Victorians' insatiable appetite for pianos has become a set of gorgeous, characterful apartmentsChappell & Co were a huge name in 19th century music, even working with Beethoven. Today, one of their old factories in Camden has become a series of beautiful apartments.
-
What £1 million buys you across Britain, from a Cornish cottage to a miniature castle in the HighlandsSprawling country houses, a mini-estate in Scotland and homes where the sea almost laps up at your feet are among the property options open to those with a seven-figure budget. Here's our pick of the best £1 million houses for sale across the land.
-
The Hampshire home of a Victoria Cross-winning British WWI ace fighter pilot is for sale, with lake, chapel and some of the best fishing rights in EnglandPenny Churchill looks at Longparish House, a north Hampshire haven on the River Test.
-
Five superb country homes, from under £1 million to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeOur look at some the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life in the past week includes a Wiltshire dream home and a vast Kent mansion that's an easy commute to the City.
