Quaint home has rich heritage

38 Church St, Devonport, belonging to James Lindsay. Photo / Michelle Hyslop

38 CHURCH ST, DEVONPORT

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SIZE: Land 447sq m, house 100sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Mid-$1 millions.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 11-11.45am or by appointment.

ON THE WEB: bayleys.co.nz/1470127

SCHOOL ZONES: Devonport Primary, Belmont Intermediate, Takapuna Grammar.

CONTACT: Lynda Betts 021 278 3024, or Victoria Bidwell, 021 947 080, Bayleys.

AUCTION: June 2 (unless sold prior).

AUCTION: *Single carport.

James Lindsay reckons his 1800s renovated cottage is in one of the best streets in Devonport.

"This is a beautiful wee street with a cafe just down the road and, you know, a walk to the ferry, and the beaches are all close.

"That to me was the big thing. It's got a really nice vibe, this street, some quaint old places and not much traffic."

A walkway to Mt Victoria is over the road and not far away are North Head and Cambria Park.

You can swim at Torpedo Bay down the road or at nearby Cheltenham Beach, and the charms of Devonport village are on your doorstep.

James has owned this house since 2004 and he did the renovations, not that he was looking for a project.

But he has loved finding out about the history of one of the early homes in Devonport and had many exciting moments during the renovations.

"It was in what I'd classify as 'original' condition. When I took up the carpet I found a newspaper from 1963 so that was the last time something had been done on the place."

Underneath the carpet were the fabulous kauri floors, which have been polished to a natural light look.

Four rooms needed to be gutted -- but the bones of the house were in phenomenal condition, James says.

"We decided to redo the interior walls. Everything is re-gibbed and re-lined."

The original walls were batten and board and covered in scrim, and dated back to the 1800s, he says.

Image 1 of 6: Close to beaches and the village, this cottage is a Kiwi classic. Photos / Michelle Hyslop

One room had about five different wallpapers over the top, which also dated way back, and unpeeling those layers was like revealing history.

"The old part of the house was built we think around 1870. I've got a photograph of the site in 1869 and it doesn't look like it's been built on yet."

The lounge used to be the kitchen and where the kitchen is now used to be a porch.

"It was an old workman's cottage and Devonport wasn't the most luxurious of neighbourhoods way back then."

Times have changed and the whole area is now a heritage area, which means all the homes are loved, he says.

"All of these places down here have been nicely renovated."

Under the house you can find some still solid original puriri posts. James had planned to renovate the space and transform it into another living area.

He works in the city in investment and says the daily commute on the ferry is a pleasure and while his family has moved, they love the area so much they haven't gone far, having bought near the waterfront.