A coveted Huguenot house is for sale in London's Spitalfields

Nestled within the vibrant tapestry of East London, this expansive Huguenot townhouse sits at the intersection of 18th and 21st-century living, offering a glimpse of life in another era.

Princelet Street is a rare Georgian gem – a narrow terrace of period houses that has miraculously avoided modernisation and the tourist effect of nearby Brick Lane. For over 100 years, Spitalfields was the seat of the Huguenots (French Protestants who fled religious persecution by the Catholic regime at home) and their silk-weaving enterprises, carried out in the upper levels of Spitalfields’ terraces – live/work before it was a buzzword.

According to the listing, this Huguenot townhouse has been extensively refurbished in keeping with its heritage. The layout ‘hasn’t changed a great deal’, meaning you step off the street and into a reception of original wood panelling and timber floorboards. Interconnected rooms on the ground floor have sash windows, panelled walls and two fireplaces.

The four-bedroom period London home is listed for £4m with the Unique Property Company and is expansive, with living spaces staggered across five levels. Up the stairs is the second of four reception rooms, complete with an open fireplace for winter and the primary bedroom.

Colour has been used carefully throughout the home, drawn from heritage shades unearthed during the house’s restoration. They feel surprisingly modern and add authenticity and a sense of calmness to the London property.

Two more bedrooms are on the second floor, while a weaver’s loft is at the very top of the townhouse, juxtaposing period interiors with modern views of skyscrapers and concrete from beyond its windows. This attic space contains a bedroom and small living room, with an office nook, bathroom and small balcony – basically a self-contained guest suite.