Church Road, Northop, CH7

“Within a heritage-rich village, beneath a landmark of generations, lies a home defined by character, distinction and timeless living.”

Welcome to Lislea House

Built in 1826, Lislea House celebrates its 200th year, marking the next chapter in a truly remarkable history. An iconic former vicarage set in the heart of the sought after village of Northop, this Grade II listed Georgian villa exudes space, character and a genuine sense of grandeur.

This magnificent home beautifully combines period elegance with timeless architectural features, including exquisite original coving, large sash windows and impressive ceiling heights, all contributing to an abundance of natural light and a feeling of space rarely found in modern homes.

The ground floor accommodation is both generous and versatile. A dual aspect living room enjoys a beautiful frontal outlook, centred around a striking marble open fireplace, while the grand drawing room, with its elegant canted bay window, provides the perfect setting for entertaining. The spacious kitchen is complemented by a highly practical pantry and larder, and an additional reception room, currently arranged as a home office, offers flexibility for a variety of uses, whether as a snug, study or playroom. A separate utility room caters to everyday practicalities.

Ascending the staircase, a wonderful view of the historic St Eurgain and St Peter’s Church unfolds, adding to the home’s sense of heritage and setting. The first floor offers four bedrooms in total, alongside a recently upgraded family bathroom fitted with high quality Burlington fixtures. The centrally positioned principal bedroom benefits from a cleverly designed en suite, while two further double bedrooms provide ample space, with a fourth bedroom or study completing the accommodation.

Externally, the property sits within grounds of just under 1.5 acres. Approached via gated access and a gravelled driveway, the walled garden to the left creates a natural division between two distinct outdoor spaces. Surrounding the house are formal lawned gardens, interspersed with mature trees and complemented by a traditional ha ha, a subtle reminder of the home’s historic origins. Beyond the arched entrance of the walled garden lies a more private and productive space, ideal for embracing a countryside lifestyle, with orchards, a vegetable garden, seating areas and open lawn for family enjoyment.

Lislea House is perfectly positioned within the centre of the village, offering convenient walking distance access to local amenities including a village shop, the Red Lion pub and Northop Country Park Golf Club across the road, allowing residents to fully immerse themselves in this vibrant and welcoming community.

Inside The Home

Entering through the elegant arched doorway, crowned with a fanlight window, natural light is drawn into the home while setting a refined Georgian tone from the outset. Stepping inside, you are welcomed into a beautifully proportioned entrance hall where soft tones and impressive ceiling heights immediately create a sense of light and space. The classic black and white tiled floor provides a timeless first impression, perfectly reflecting the home’s period character.

From here, you are drawn forward into the central hallway, where original timber flooring brings warmth and continuity underfoot. The staircase rises gracefully to the first floor, forming a subtle architectural focal point while maintaining the home’s understated elegance. Positioned conveniently between the principal rooms is a ground floor shower room, complete with WC and basin.

Proceeding through, the living room forms the heart of the home. Morning sunlight pours in across the front lawn, while triple aspect sash windows flood the space with natural light and offer ever changing views throughout the seasons, from springtime scenes to rich autumn colour. High Georgian ceilings enhance the sense of volume, while a marble fireplace with open fire provides a striking focal point. There is also ample space for a dining table, creating a relaxed and sociable setting for everyday living.

For more formal occasions, the drawing room offers a wonderful sense of grandeur, with intricate coving and impressive ceiling heights. The central canted bay window is a standout feature, complemented by a beautifully detailed and listed foliate frieze. This elegant room lends itself perfectly to entertaining or as a formal dining space. At Christmas, the large bay window becomes a focal point for an impressive tree, visible from the road and forming a much loved local festive feature.

The kitchen provides a practical and well appointed space for family life, complete with a Range cooker and a walk in pantry for additional storage. From here, access leads to a covered rear area and onward to the utility space, which offers further room for appliances and day to day functionality, particularly suited to family life or returning from countryside walks. The property also benefits from existing planning permission to extend the kitchen, offering an exciting opportunity for future owners to create a truly exceptional kitchen dining space.

Completing the ground floor, and located just off the main entrance hall, is a third reception room. Currently used as a spacious home office, it offers excellent flexibility and could easily serve as a snug, library or playroom depending on individual needs.

First Floor

Ascending the staircase, a beautiful framed view of St Eurgain and St Peter’s Church emerges, reinforcing the home’s rich sense of history and setting. The landing provides access to four bedrooms and a recently appointed family bathroom.

The principal bedroom is centrally positioned and enjoys an elevated outlook over the front lawns and open fields beyond. Morning light fills the room, creating a bright and uplifting space, while period features add to its charm. A thoughtfully designed en suite provides a private shower, basin and WC.

Two further double bedrooms also enjoy front facing views, along with high ceilings and character features consistent with the rest of the home. The fourth bedroom offers flexibility as either a single bedroom or an ideal home office, perfectly suited to modern living.

Completing the first floor, the family bathroom has been beautifully renovated with high quality fittings that remain in keeping with the home’s character. A freestanding bath positioned by the window offers a peaceful place to unwind at the end of the day, while a spacious walk in shower adds a sense of everyday comfort and practicality.

Gardens & Grounds

Set within approximately 1.38 acres, Lislea House reveals gardens that are as private as they are beautiful.

To the front, a more formal approach presents manicured lawns that flow seamlessly into open farmland beyond. The outlook changes beautifully with the seasons spring brings a bank of daffodils, summer sees the borders come to life, autumn delivers rich hues across the trees, and winter offers a crisp, peaceful landscape.

To the side, a more secluded walled garden provides a private and tranquil setting to relax and unwind. Formerly an orchard, it is now home to several mature trees and offers a safe, enclosed space to relax, play and unwind.

A detached garage provides additional practicality and storage.

The substantial cellar, measuring over 100 square feet, offers exciting potential for conversion into multiple uses, such as a gym, leisure suite, bar area, or wine cellar, or simply as additional storage space.

An Insight to life at Lislea House

We first discovered Lislea House in late 2016, after searching across North Wales and the border regions for a home that offered that perfect blend of countryside living and village charm, while still being within easy reach of major towns and cities. The moment we saw it, it was truly love at first sight. Its striking front elevation immediately stood out, but it was only once we stepped inside—taking in the beautifully proportioned rooms, high ceilings, original features, and the walled garden—that we knew this was the one.

Over time, our connection to the house has only deepened. Living here brings a real sense of history, not just through its architecture but through the discoveries we’ve made along the way—old photographs, memorabilia, and even literature explaining how the house came to be. We learned that the vicar at the time funded half of the build to create a larger family home, which gives Lislea House such a unique story. There’s also something incredibly special about the view of the floodlit church spire at Christmas—it adds a magical quality that’s hard to put into words.

Despite its peaceful village setting, we’ve always appreciated how conveniently located it is, with Chester, Liverpool, Llandudno, and the stunning landscapes of North Wales all within easy reach. Returning home after a busy day brings an overwhelming sense of calm—stepping back into a quiet countryside environment, surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, it’s the perfect place to unwind.

This year, the house celebrates its 200th anniversary, having originally been built as the vicarage for the nearby St Eurgain and St Peter Church, which itself dates back to the 13th century. There are so many features we’ve come to love, but the full-length front window is particularly special, as is the exquisite listed cornice in the same room. The ha-ha wall is another standout feature, creating that elevated feeling of looking out across open countryside while still being nestled within a charming village setting.

Day-to-day life here feels incredibly special. We’re naturally drawn to the triple-aspect living room, which overlooks the gardens to the front and side of the house. Every room enjoys views of the surrounding greenery, with the tree-lined setting alongside Northop Country Golf Club adding to that sense of tranquillity. Watching the sunrise through the front living room window is a daily highlight, and no matter how many times we see it, it never loses its impact.

Each season brings its own charm—spring with its banks of daffodils, summer when the gardens are in full bloom, and autumn with its rich colours. But Christmas is when the house truly comes into its own. Each year, we place an 11-foot Christmas tree in the large front window, visible from the main road, which has become something of a local festive landmark.

For families, it’s an exceptional place to live. The balance between countryside and accessibility, combined with excellent local schools and activities, makes it ideal for raising children. The village of Northop itself has a strong sense of community, with regular events and a welcoming atmosphere. There are two local pubs, a village shop with a post office, and nearby you’ll find the Celtic Arms restaurant within Northop Country Park, along with the golf club. For those who enjoy the outdoors, there are countless walks to explore right on the doorstep.

Some of our most cherished memories have been the unexpected ones. One of the most special moments was the first time the local silver band walked up the driveway to play Christmas carols—a long-standing tradition we hadn’t known about, and one we now look forward to every year. During Covid, we were also able to offer our garden for a neighbour’s wedding reception, hosting it in a grand marquee—an unforgettable day that brought everyone together during a difficult time.

Looking ahead, we believe the next owners will fall in love with the same things we did—the peace and quiet, the beautiful gardens, and the rich sense of history. It’s a home that would perfectly suit a family, or even an extended family, particularly those who value space and may wish to further develop the property, taking advantage of the existing planning permission.

As we prepare to move on, it’s not just the house we’ll miss, but the life that comes with it. The memories we’ve made over nearly a decade, the wonderful neighbours who have become lifelong friends, and the village and surrounding areas that have brought us so much joy. Lislea House has been more than just a home—it’s been a truly special chapter in our lives.

Northop and Beyond

Lislea House sits proudly as an iconic home in the heart of the sought-after village of Northop, set beneath the breathtaking St Eurgain and St Peter's Church, whose striking tower rises some 98 feet above the village skyline. It offers a rare blend of countryside charm and everyday convenience, an ideal setting for family living, with a strong sense of community and even a reputation for attracting notable residents.

The village itself provides an enviable lifestyle, with welcoming social hubs right on your doorstep. The Red Lion is a warm and inviting gastropub, perfect for relaxed dining or evening drinks, while The Boot Inn offers a traditional village pub atmosphere full of character.

Directly opposite, Northop Golf Club presents a beautifully maintained parkland course, originally designed by former John Jacobs, creating an exceptional setting for both keen golfers and those who simply enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Adding to the vibrant village feel, the church remains at the centre of the community, and just beyond it lies the ever-active Northop Cricket Club—a focal point for local sport and social events throughout the summer months.

Situated in the desirable village of Northop, this location offers excellent connectivity while enjoying a peaceful North Wales setting. The historic city of Chester is approximately 20 minutes away, providing a wide range of shopping, dining and leisure amenities, along with direct rail services to major UK destinations.

Key regional centres are all within convenient reach, with Liverpool accessible in around 35–45 minutes and Manchester in approximately one hour, making commuting or business travel straightforward. London can be reached in roughly 2 hours via direct train services from Chester.

For international travel, Liverpool John Lennon Airport is around 40 minutes away, while Manchester Airport can be reached in approximately an hour, both offering extensive domestic and international connections.

Northop is also ideally positioned for leisure, with the beautiful North Wales Coast reachable in around 20–30 minutes, and the breathtaking landscapes of Snowdonia National Park within approximately one hour minutes, offering outstanding opportunities for walking, cycling and outdoor pursuits.

Overall, Northop combines tranquil village living with superb accessibility to major cities, transport links and some of the UK’s most spectacular countryside.

EPC Rating: E

Parking - Driveway