scorecardA 'ferry house' made famous by Charles Dickens was converted into a 4-bedroom home with a private mooring. Now it's on the market for $2.8 million.
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A 'ferry house' made famous by Charles Dickens was converted into a 4-bedroom home with a private mooring. Now it's on the market for $2.8 million.

Mikhaila Friel   

A 'ferry house' made famous by Charles Dickens was converted into a 4-bedroom home with a private mooring. Now it's on the market for $2.8 million.
The exterior of the ferry house on the River Thames.Dexters
  • A former ferry house just outside of London is on the market for $2.8 million.
  • The property was converted into a four-bedroom home with a private mooring.

A former ferry house just outside of London is on the market for £2.25 million, or around $2.8 million.

A former ferry house just outside of London is on the market for £2.25 million, or around $2.8 million.
The ferry house.      Dexters

The former ferry house on the River Thames was converted into a four-bedroom house in 2016 and comes with its own private mooring and a boat house, a spokesperson for real-estate agency Dexters told Insider.

It has an open-plan reception, kitchen, and dining area, and an outdoor patio and terrace with views of the river, according to Dexters' press release.

The property is located in Sunbury village, which is around a 45-minute train journey to central London, the press release states.

The four-bedroom home was made famous by Charles Dickens' classic novel, "Oliver Twist."

The four-bedroom home was made famous by Charles Dickens
Part of the exterior of the ferry house.      Dexters

The house certainly has a fascinating history.

Parts of the original property can be traced back to 1890, however, the building is thought to have been around for longer, a spokesperson for Dexters said.

While the spokesperson said they couldn't "pinpoint the exact date of initial construction," the ferry house would have certainly existed in the 1830s as it was featured in Charles Dickens' classic novel, "Oliver Twist," published in 1938.

"As they passed Sunbury Church, the clock struck seven. There was a light in the ferry-house window opposite: which streamed across the road and threw into more sombre shadow a dark yew-tree with graves beneath it," chapter 21 of the novel reads, according to Dexters' press release.

The ferry house had multiple uses before being converted into a home in 2017.

The ferry house had multiple uses before being converted into a home in 2017.
The house looks on to the River Thames.      Dexters

The property had multiple purposes after it stopped being used as a ferry house in 1907, according to the spokesperson. The property became home to Wilson's Boatyard, a family business that operated a ferry and also hired out boats to the public, they added.

The company also specialized in building boats, including naval lifeboats during World War II, the spokesperson said.

In the 1920s, the building was extended and apartments, offices, and storerooms were added, the spokesperson said. They added that these businesses and apartments were in use until 2015 and were then left derelict until 2017, when the current owners began converting the space into a home.

The work was completed in 2018, they added.

The open-plan living room and dining room were converted from five rooms.

The open-plan living room and dining room were converted from five rooms.
The living area.      Dexters

The open-plan living area, dining area, and kitchen were formed out of five rooms, the spokesperson said. It has large glass doors which lead to an outdoor terrace with panoramic views of the river.

The owners removed the original ceilings to show off the steel beams above.

The owners removed the original ceilings to show off the steel beams above.
The dining area of the ferry house.      Dexters

They also created additional lighting in the room by adding skylights, the spokesperson said.

The house has four bedrooms, two of which are en-suites, according to the press release.

The house has four bedrooms, two of which are en-suites, according to the press release.
One of the bedrooms.      Dexters

The master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe, an en-suite bathroom, and access to a balcony that overlooks the river, the spokesperson said.

The property has a total of four bathrooms.

The property has a total of four bathrooms.
One of the bathrooms.      Dexters

In addition to the rooms pictured, the property also has a study "that could easily serve as a fifth bedroom," according to the press release. There's also a utility room and a garage, the press release adds.

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