The Crossways, Strensall, York

One of the outstanding twentieth century houses close to York, occupying a substantial and private plot within a woodland setting

The Crossways is a 1920s family house set within extensive landscaped gardens that include a tennis court and surrounding woodland. The scale and privacy of the grounds are notably well suited to the house, which was built as a gentleman’s residence and enjoys a setting and sense of seclusion rarely found so close to York. Yet despite its generous 2.5-acre plot, The Crossways is only some six miles north of York city centre and within a 20-minute drive of the city’s independent schools.

Offered with no onward chain, The Crossways has been in the ownership of just three families since it was built and is coming to the market for the first time in 28 years.

Entrance porch, hall, cloakroom, 4 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, office, ground floor bathroom, basement with wine cellar
Principal bedroom suite with dressing room and bathroom, guest bedroom suite with bathroom, 3 further double bedrooms, 3 further bathrooms, separate wc
Integral garage, workshop, tennis court
Gardens and grounds
In all just under 2.5 acres

Find Out A Little More... - The Crossways is a fine example of a Vernacular Revival house, designed by Walter Brierley, one of York’s most influential architects of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was built for the Johnson family, who were deeply involved in York’s civic and commercial life and among the city’s major employers.

The house sits well within its extensive grounds. Its south elevation is softened by mature wisteria, while the steeply pitched roof, gables, decorative brickwork and original leaded-glass casement windows give the exterior its distinctive character. Inside, original fireplaces, oak floorboards and doors, light fittings and mouldings remain in situ. These original features have been complemented by considered modern improvements, including recently laid carpets and a stylish kitchen/breakfast room, thoughtfully equipped for contemporary family life.

The entrance porch, hallway and landing are positioned on the northern side of the house, allowing the principal living rooms and bedrooms to face south across the formal gardens.

Forming a long vista beneath a lofty ceiling, the hallway draws the eye through a sequence of finely proportioned spaces. Richly crafted in French oak, it features moulded archways and a handsome staircase, with a walk-in cupboard with a safe discreetly positioned at the far end.

The elegant drawing room, the formal dining room with crockery cupboard and the panelled study with fitted oak bookcases are arranged along the south side of the house. Each room has a gas fire set within a traditional Arts & Crafts oak-surround fireplace and original leaded-glass windows with brass furniture frame views across the gardens. Glazed French doors from the long drawing room open directly onto the terrace.

The family/TV room sits alongside the kitchen and is a natural informal area for family use, with a gas fire set within a period fireplace and a window seat overlooking the garden. The double-aspect kitchen/breakfast room with recessed spotlights, includes a breakfast island, granite worktops, integrated Miele appliances and a gas-fired AGA. It is complemented by a large utility room with fitted units, a sink and space for two washing machines and tumble dryer.

A versatile room, formerly an outbuilding and now fully integrated into the house, sits adjacent to a ground floor bathroom. Recently refurbished with new carpeting, this room would serve equally well as a playroom, office or bedroom.

A fitted wine cellar is situated within the basement, which is equipped with power and light and has a window.

The original oak staircase, with its wide, shallow treads, rises to a long galleried landing. Moulded archways echo those of the hall below, while a deep linen cupboard is positioned at the far end.

The principal bedroom suite includes a generous double-aspect room with a sitting area, oak-surround fireplace and fitted with air-conditioning as well as a ceiling fan. It is accompanied by an en suite dressing room overlooking the garden and a large four-piece bathroom filled with natural light.

A guest bedroom suite occupies the north-eastern side of the house. Three further, large, light-filled bedrooms - including one with a walk-in wardrobe – are served by a separate wc and three additional bathrooms, one of which is an en suite to bedroom 2 and fitted with wall-to-wall wardrobes.

A boarded attic with light provides useful additional storage.

Outside - Remote-controlled gates set between tall brick columns open onto a broad, gravelled drive leading to the double integral garage, with electric door, power and light. An EV charger is installed at the eastern end of the house.

Opposite the drive is the tennis court, recently refurbished and equipped with floodlights. It is screened by established hedging and accompanied by a viewing terrace and a brick and pantile outbuilding/workshop with power, water and windows overlooking the court.

The extensive lawns wrap around the house, with clipped yew hedging creating a series of distinct spaces and concealing gardens beyond. Alongside the croquet lawn, a long pergola supported by brick columns and adorned with climbing roses follows a brick-laid path.

Clipped shrubs and ornamental trees are distributed throughout the grounds, with mature rhododendrons bringing colour in springtime. The south-facing gardens, visible from the principal rooms, are formally arranged with structured beds of begonias.

The entire plot extends to 2.476 acres and is enclosed by high timber fencing, largely screened by a band of mixed woodland.

Environs - Strensall ½ mile, York 6 miles, A1(M) 22 miles, Harrogate 25 miles, Leeds 36 miles

The Crossways is one of three detached properties within a discreet woodland hamlet, approached by a private lane from Flaxton Road. The hamlet lies opposite, but is screened from, York Golf Club and is close to Strensall Common, a protected area of lowland heathland.

Strensall has a village centre and, while retaining some of its original character, is effectively a northern suburb of York. It has a range of shops and everyday amenities, including small supermarkets, a post office, pharmacy, butcher and bakery, together with a medical practice, village hall, primary school, sports grounds and two pubs.

York city centre – with its superb independent schools - lies approximately six miles to the south, while the York outer ring road is around four miles away, providing convenient access east and west.

Important Information - Tenure: Freehold
EPC Rating: D
Council Tax Band: H
Services & Systems: All mains services. Gas central heating. Central heating system fitted in 2022 and under warranty. Air-conditioning in the kitchen/breakfast room. Fibre broadband.
Fixtures & Fittings: All items in the written text of these particulars are included in the sale. All others are expressly excluded regardless of inclusion in any photographs. Purchasers must satisfy themselves that any equipment included in the sale of the property is in satisfactory order.
Local Authority: City of York Council
Money Laundering Regulations: Prior to a sale being agreed, prospective purchasers are required to produce identification documents in order to comply with Money Laundering regulations. Your co-operation with this is appreciated and will assist with the smooth progression of the sale.

Directions: Driving from York along the Flaxton Road, immediately before the turning to Lord’s Moor Lane the York Golf Course is an unmarked lane on the left hand side. The Crossways is the first house on the left.
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Viewing: Strictly by appointment

Photographs, images, brochure and property highlights video: October 2026. Some images may have been enhanced using artificial intelligence (AI); any such images will be clearly identified individually. Google map images may neither be current nor a true representation.