Parnell: Military Bearing

Military bearing

18 Bradford Street, Parnell.

A home originally built for British army officers has a long and colourful history.

There always seems to be a story attached to these old places tucked away in pockets of Auckland, and number 18 Bradford Street in Parnell has its own tale to tell.

According to owners Rosie and Craig Ashby, it is one of two identical houses built next door to each other to house British army officers fighting in the land wars in the late 1800s.

"We've been told that the houses were built sometime in the late 1870s/early 1880s, when a lot of the soldiers were already being sent back to England," says Rosie.

Walking down to what is now a four-car garage - one of Rosie and Craig's additions - we arrive at a low-level double door that leads to a large storage space under the house.

"We think this is where horses were kept, with the rest of this area being a stable," she says.

Later on in the property's life, there were rumours of it being a house of ill-repute.

"Well, Parnell was pretty seedy in the early days, so who knows?" smiles Rosie.

The couple bought the property from Craig's sister 10 years ago. Rosie's books on Auckland architecture describe the style of the dwelling as typical of a Wellington-style house, or an up-and-down house.

As well as adding the garage, which the couple also use as an office-cum-den-cum-gym, Rosie and Craig have built another living area, which sits on top of the new garage.

This gives the home two smart, cosy living rooms, with gas fireplaces, which are within easy reach of the kitchen. These spaces open to the outdoors and have superb views across Parnell's rooftops to the harbour.

Rosie and Craig's other improvements include revamping and tiling the outdoor area, repainting inside and out and ripping up the old carpets and polishing the splendid kauri floors - the house is a sea of kauri.

They have also added new window shutters and put a window in the hallway upstairs to bring in the light and allow views of Rangitoto in one direction and the top of the Sky Tower in the other. The master bedroom was remodelled, with bifold shutters installed that open to a balcony and more of that great view. All the improvements are sympathetic to the house's era.

The property also includes a garden flat.

Times with the family spent in this house are the memories that stick in Craig's mind.

"It's the barbecues, the family dinners and the parties," he says.

Rosie also remembers the swimming that she and Craig have enjoyed at Judges Bay.

"When the tide's up, the swimming is fabulous down there," she says. "We also love the Parnell Rose Gardens - we were married there - and all the walks, the cafes and restaurants, but we've done all that now."

With their children grown up, it's time for a change, she says. The couple have bought a 20ha block in Ramarama, where they plan to build a home and keep horses, which has been a dream of theirs for years.

"It's time to turn the talking into walking and get on with it, before we get any older," says Rosie.

Vital Statistics

BEDROOMS: 4

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGE: 4

SIZE: Land 263sq m, house 231sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Offers expected in the region of $1.5 million.

Auction March 19.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun/Weds 11.30am-12.15pm.

CONTACT: Russell Birkinshaw, Harcourts, ph 0274 969 211.

FEATURES: Smart kauri Wellington-style house with garden flat below, a new four-car garage, an extended living area and great city views.