Sitting on the edge of Clapham Common, a Blue Plaque property has now gone on sale, appealing to writers and readers.

Steeped in history, the London mansion was once owned by John Walter, the founder of The Times newspaper.

The apartment is a spacious 967 sq.ft in size and is priced at £800,000

Wandsworth Times:

Roomy interiors of the famous property

Built in the 1760s, the Georgian townhouse has a brown brick façade, sash windows and mansard roof.

The front of the property features two busts of famous writers, Shakespeare and Milton.

In the 1970s it became apartments, with Princess Margaret unveiling the Blue Plaque to commemorate John Walter.

Wandsworth Times:

Blue Plaque unveiled in 1977

Clapham Common has historically been popular with writers and journalists.

Writer Samuel Pepys lived on Cedars Road, and the area was visited by novelist William Thackery, who wrote in The Newcomers:

“Of all the pretty suburbs that adorn our metropolis there are few that exceed in charm Clapham Common.”

Graham Greene and Ian McEwan also mentioned the Common in ‘The End of the Affair’ and ‘Atonement’.

Wandsworth Times:

Illustration of Gilmore House on Clapham Common

Ian Barrett, Director of DEXTERS (Battersea) says:

“For lovers of writing, reading, books and the media the apartment will be inspiring as it is located in Gilmore House which has multiple links to writing and publishing, first as the home of John Walter, the first editor of The Times, and his son, the second editor, and later when it served as a diaconate centre and was used for publishing pamphlets and distributing books.”