Riverside Apartment is a mesmerizing property that offers not only access to the heart of London, and the river from which it sprung, but also the opportunity to experience living within a European capital in a unique fashion.

The home is accessed via its own private bridge, and whether mimicking the walkway over the moat that surrounds the nearby Tower of London, or inviting the visitor into the modern wonder that lies within, there can be no more of a statement entrance to an apartment.

This is a spectacular home, which combines a sophisticated and luxurious interior, that perfectly complements the character of this historic building, collectively offering an incredible opportunity to purchase one of the finest riverside apartments in London.

Occupying a prime position on the banks of the Thames, this home enjoys breathtaking views of the river and Tower Bridge. The apartment has been extensively refurbished and exhibits the highest quality bespoke finishes throughout.

Beyond the entrance sits a vast, open-plan reception room. This is the ultimate entertaining space, complete with a magnificent lit onyx bar area, a contemporary ribbon fireplace, and picturesque arched doorways that open out onto the two waterfront balconies.

A sensational, circular platform hosts the feature dining area. This is a sophisticated space where one simply cannot avoid dining in style. The curves of this room, reminiscent of the meandering River Thames, are mirrored by beautiful stained-glass windows, custom made by Chiswick Stain Glass (the creators of the iconic windows at The Ivy). For a dining room that feels as though it could have its own Michelin star, there is an equally impressive kitchen, fully-fitted with state of the art Gaggenau appliances and an abundance of exquisite, built-in cabinetry.

The apartment’s wine cellar is a spectacle in its own right. London has been a hub for the wine trade since Roman times, and this glass-fronted, temperature-controlled, remotely locking cellar, provides the ideal vault for storing and displaying an oenophile’s dream collection.

The upper-level houses a luxurious principal suite, off which double doors lead to a beautifully appointed en-suite bathroom, complete with dual vanity and separate bath with TV and shower. A fully-fitted, walk-in dressing room, and bedroom windows with transparency that is switchable on and off at the touch of a button, preserve the privacy of and complete this ultimate of living quarters.

Two further, beautifully appointed en-suite bedrooms can be found on the home’s main level, with each offering the opportunity to live and breathe London in all its glory, by way of a private lit terrace.

For quiet evenings when the endless attractions of London’s nightlife can be put on hold, or for the nights when hosting friends for a viewing of the latest blockbuster out of Pinewood or Hollywood, the home boasts a sumptuous and awe-inspiring high-tech 10-seater movie theatre. A fully-fitted bathroom adjoins this cinema, which is easily transformable into a fourth guest suite, for those occasions when visitors are so enamored by the hospitality on offer that an overnight stay and awaking by the Thames proves too tempting.

Riverside Apartment might be found within one of London’s most historic neighborhoods, but the home is as modern as any, and accordingly is fitted with an electronic Rako system throughout, allowing for mood settings that include lighting and curtains. Naturally, all residents of Anchor Brewhouse benefit from the finest of 24-hour security and concierge services, as well as secure underground parking. Riverside apartment benefits from two such underground spaces. When it comes to domestic matters, these can all be handled out of sight, for there is a separate utility room conveniently adjoining the kitchen.

HISTORY

The Anchor Brewhouse was originally a small brewery by Shad Thames, in Horsleydown, London. The site was bought in December 1787 by the Scottish shipping agent of Huguenot descent, John Courage. Little more than a year later, the first entry in the brewing book records showed that John Courage had brewed 51 barrels of beer at the Anchor Brewhouse. There was one other Courage brewery in south-east London during the eighteenth century, namely the Barclay Perkins Brewery (known as the Anchor Brewery), where Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre stands today.

The original part of the building dates from 1871 and was largely rebuilt between 1894 and 1895. The brewery developed into a huge estate, covering four acres, including the riverside on Shad Thames and the current Courage Yard development. Part of the original Courage Anchor Brewery site was subsequently knocked down to make way for Tower Bridge, which lands right where Courage started. This accounts for the property’s unbeatable location, right next to one of England’s premier landmarks.

The brewery was famous for its capacity and its strong beer known as a porter, having at one stage been the largest brewery in the world. The site was originally structured to house three separate elements: the Boilerhouse (a gabled Boilerhouse on the eastern end, complete with steam boilers), the Brewhouse, and a Malt Mill (the middle section, which as the malt store initially had no windows). The building is an expression of historical continuity, with each section pointing to the different functions in the process of beer making, for brewing on the river has always been an important feature of London’s Thames-side, with brewing in Southwark mentioned by Chaucer, and in Horselydown by Shakespeare.

At the western end of Anchor Brewhouse sits ‘Horselydown Old Stairs’. Shad Thames originally had three sets of river stairs used by Thames watermen transporting passengers in their skiffs. Of the original three (Horselydown Old Stairs, George Stairs, and Horselydown New Stairs), only the Brewhouse’s Horselydown Old Stairs remain. Appearing in John Rocque’s 1746 map of London, the stairs are now Grade II listed and add just that extra bit of charm and history to this impressive property.


In its heyday, the Port of London wharf warehouse was a common structure, however, from the 1960s the port lost its competitiveness due to containerization. By 1972 the wharf complexes in the area had closed. Some buildings were let for storage and light industrial use, and a community of artists moved in on short-term leases. By the late 1970s leading architect, designer, and entrepreneur Sir Terence Conran became involved in regenerating the area.

Operations continued at the brewery until 1981 when all production ceased and moved to Reading. In the same year, the London Docklands Development Corporation began work, and Conran and Partners acted as master planners of the large Butler’s Wharf estate. The Anchor Brewhouse was restored and reconstructed between 1985 and 1989 and was converted into luxury residential flats. It is now a Grade II listed building situated in the Tower Bridge Conservation Area in Butler’s Wharf. The Anchor Tap pub, that was the brewery tap, is still open nearby.

Shad Thames is now a highly-desirable residential area with popular riverside restaurants and a section of the Thames Path running through it. There has been a resurgence of the local brewing tradition, with several microbreweries based in the railway arches nearby, in and around Druid Street.

As for the name ‘Shad Thames’: there is no definitive explanation, however, one idea is that it is a corruption of St John at the Thames, referring back to the medieval ownership of the land. Perhaps a more convincing explanation is that the name refers to shad fish, which have long existed in the Thames. Much of the Shad Thames area once formed part of Horselydown, also known in the 12th century as ‘Horseidune’, which was a large open space at the eastern end of the ancient town of Southwark. Historians generally agree that the name means ‘hill by the horse marsh’. One further (and less likely) explanation, is that Horselydown derives from ‘horse lie down’, referring to working horses resting here in the 16th century.

Whatever the history, the origins, and the evolution of the Anchor Brewhouse, this represents a unique opportunity to acquire a phenomenal home, adjacent to one of Britain’s most celebrated landmarks.

LOCATION

Anchor Brewhouse is an iconic warehouse building located on the south side of Tower Bridge in Shad Thames. Ideally positioned for access to the City and Canary Wharf, it also enjoys an abundance of excellent cafes, bars, a theatre, and riverside restaurants including The Ivy on its doorstep. Tower Hill (District and Circle lines, DLR, and Riverbus services) and London Bridge (Overground services, Jubilee and Northern lines) are both approximately 0.6 miles away.