A three-bedroom cottage has come up for sale in Aldeburgh for the first time in over 70 years.
Nestled behind a row of colourful hollyhocks and a shingle path that leads to the front door, Daphne Cottage is every bit as charming as you’d expect a Victorian home in Aldeburgh to be – and according to its owner, Patrick Denny, it’s also been a happy one.
Patrick is the third generation of the Denny family to own the cottage, which was built in around 1850.
It is a mid-terrace, with a colour-washed façade and a slate roof, and although it sits back from the road, it still occupies a prime position, close to Aldeburgh’s cinema and seafront, and has been a part of the community – and the Denny family – for decades.
“In 1949 my maternal grandmother, Muriel ‘Molly’ Denny, moved with her husband, Major T Hamilton Denny MBE, from Barkwith House in Leiston to Aldeburgh and purchased Daphne Cottage – originally known as Oak House – for the princely sum of £2,400,” explains Patrick.
“After the hard-fought war years, away from home, and the time served with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) as part of the resistance in Suffolk, post-war, Hamilton Denny settled down and became the local area manager for Trust House Forte, which in those days incorporated the Brudenell Hotel, which is on the seafront to the south of the town.”
The couple remained in Aldeburgh, and the cottage passed to Patrick’s mother in 1974, and then to him in 2007. He has now put it on the market for the first time in over 70 years, priced at £735,000.
Inside, the cottage offers up to four bedrooms and is well-arranged, with a spacious hall area on the ground floor and a lovely sitting room, which features a working fireplace and lovely views over the front garden.
The sitting room then leads into the dining room, which has French doors leading out to a terrace at the rear, and the separate galley-style kitchen is well-fitted, with a good range of base and wall units and a breakfast dining area towards the back.
A former shower room has now been converted into a utility space, and there is also a useful cloakroom.
Upstairs there are two double bedrooms, including one with a wash basin, as well as a further single bedroom. All three are served by a spacious bathroom and separate WC.
The bathroom also has the added benefit of a large window which opens on to a flat roof outside and could be converted into a potential terrace.
Daphne Cottage has been a beloved family home to Patrick and his family but could also make an ideal holiday home, as it is in such a sought-after location. “It has always been a really happy home,” says Patrick. “We have seen many a carnival, lantern procession, lifeboat launch and differing retail shops come and go over the years.
“I will certainly miss the house but will cherish the wonderful memories it has provided three generations of my family. Daphne Cottage is now ready for the next chapter in its vibrant life.”
Daphne Cottage, Aldeburgh, is on the market at a guide price of £735,000.
For more information, contact Suffolk Coastal Estate Agents on 01728 677980.
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