It’s no secret York can be a little chaotic at times. It is a busy city with cyclists whizzing round on bikes, visiting tourists and the brilliant buzz of a place loved by many. But what if you could enjoy the bustle of our historic city and retreat to your own peaceful haven – a place set back from the hustle of city life yet still close to everything?
It's something Neil Cook and Lucy Seddon appreciated the first time they stepped foot inside Railway House, the 19th century mansion house, a couple of years ago.
‘I’d lived in York for 10 years and it is not something I’d noticed before,’ Neil reminisces. ‘As soon as Lucy and I went to view the property we thought “wow, look at this place”. It was amazing – we fell in love with it and knew we had to have it.’
Since then, the couple have poured every penny and hour into the place, to not only bring it back to its former glory, but to create a calming oasis just a stone’s throw from the city centre.
Built in the 1850s and located just over a kilometre away from York Railway Station, the property was home to Henry Tennant who, at the age of 18, joined the staff of the Brandling Junction Railway on Tyneside, remaining within the industry until his retirement from the role of General Manager of NER. It also had a brief spell as a makeshift hospital during the war before becoming offices until Neil and Lucy invested £1 million in a redevelopment project that, impressively, took less than a year to complete.
‘We worked 17 hours a day at least for 11 months,’ explains Neil. ‘We just non-stop thought about how we were going to make it as special as can be.’
In a fitting tribute to its heritage, the couple decided to rename the building the Railway House, with each one of the eight luxury apartments named after a platform. And the sentimental touches don’t stop there, with carefully curated artwork throughout – think a vintage wooden train to collect your keys on arrival and the clever use of metals giving a nod to the building’s transportation roots. It’s fair to say Henry Tennant would be thrilled with the outcome could he see the spectacular transformation.
Lucy, owner of Helston Street Interiors, is the creative brains behind the exquisite York heritage meets French chic interiors. Her vision was to ‘bring elegance and serenity to the entire journey from the minute you come up the driveway, to the minute you settle into your apartment’. A gated sweeping driveway up to your private parking spot (many with e-chargers) gives that air of exclusivity while the vast manicured grounds gave a feeling of seclusion as I sat sipping the prosecco kindly left for me on arrival, knowing I wouldn’t be disturbed by the outside world.
If bright, open spaces, thoughtful touches, and high-end design is your thing, the Railway House is the place for you. Soothing tones synonymous with Little Greene Paint Company and giant flower wreaths adorn the walls with Shaker-style kitchens featuring a boiling water tap, dishwasher, and that all important wine fridge.
The bedrooms provide the perfect slumber spot thanks to their cloud-like beds covered in Soak and Sleep linens. Rainfall showers and deep copper baths are standard here, while sleek gold fittings and designer tiles from Bert & May sit side-by-side with luxury products from Bath House and the fluffiest of towels.
Each apartment, or should we say platform, has its own style and quirky touches with Neil and Lucy’s expert eye creating standout touches. Platform 1 features the original cooking range and a marble bath weighing 750kg – a pursuit that took ten men and a stonemason from the Minster to install it.
Everywhere you look there’s a fusion of old and new, tradition versus innovation. But, at the forefront, is the desire to create somewhere special and seamless for each guest that is fortunate enough to embark on a journey at the Railway House.
Railway House includes two three-bed apartments, three two-bed apartments and three one-bed apartments each with their own living area, diner and kitchen. Prices range from £250 - £1,000 per night. For corporate clients, apartments can be hired for meetings or entertaining.
railwayhouse.co.uk
