An historic property with original features and contemporary fittings is on offer in the heart of Hexham’s town centre.

The two-storey maisonette is in Hallgate, literally a stone’s throw from the Old Gaol, Old Grammar School and Moot Hall.

Iconic Hexham Abbey, one of a collection of medieval buildings which dominate the skyline when viewed from below, can be reached in just a few minutes’ walk, likewise the delightful park.

Nigel Scorer bought his home 15 years ago, although it was rented out for a while while he worked in London.

Now that he is back in Hexham, where his family lives, he has taken up residence in Hallgate and runs his own commercial interior design practice.

He shares his home with partner Sharon, a business development manager, and their two-year-old son Ed – an explorer, says Nigel.

He adds: “Hexham is a great place to live and as my family live in the town and the surrounding area, I was already a fan of what it has to offer.”

His maisonette is on the first and second floor of a stone-built building dating from the mid-1750s.

It has spacious accommodation, with a first-floor breakfasting kitchen and living room separated by a central hall which leads off the stairs from the front door. On the floor above there are two bedrooms and a bathroom.

“I love the unique character of my home,” says Nigel. “That’s what first attracted me to it. It benefits from original features, such as thick stone walls, timber beams and slate roofs. It has a relaxed feel to it and instantly felt like home.

“It was built in about 1757, four years before the Hexham Riots! It’s also next door to the oldest purpose-built jail in England, which is now the Border History Museum.”

Since moving into the property he has carried out a range of improvements, including reinstating the original timber floor, now stripped and polished, in the spacious lounge where there is also an exposed beamed ceiling.

A new bathroom was installed in 2015 and the final two timber-framed windows exchanged for double-glazed PVC replacements, which has improved energy efficiency.

The roof was repaired in 2016 which involved repointing the stonework and putting in new slates and lead flashing.

Views from the property are varied. “Facing north-east, we have views of the old Elizabethan grammar school and its gardens,” says Nigel. “Facing south-west, we overlook Beales department store, which is great if you like to sit with a cuppa, people-watching!”

He thinks the character of the building is one of its main attractions, along with the location in the centre of town: “It’s so close to everything, but at the same time, a quiet and relaxing place to live.

“We’ll miss the convenience – it’s so easy to nip out to shops, markets, restaurants, pubs, trains or buses. The train and bus stations are both within five minutes’ walk and provide links to Newcastle and Carlisle.

“The property would be ideal for first-time buyers, young singles or professional couples. It would also be a good holiday let.

Hexham is a vibrant market town with great attractions and surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside on earth.

“There’s a great blend of shops, galleries, restaurants, gyms, pubs and schools along with a hospital, cinema, theatre, swimming pool and bowling alley. This has been an amazing place to live, but we are now a family and we need a family house for Ed to grow up in.”

Hallgate, Hexham

Spacious maisonette £148,000

Grey Estates, (01434) 700077