1800s landmark Christchurch house looking for new owners

Back in 2016, the current owner of this three-storey Georgian-style house in sought-after Cranmer Square, Christchurch didn’t have much time to make up her mind about buying - it was being sold “as is, where is” with a two-week deadline sale.

That’s all in the past, however, as the house has since had a supreme makeover that has seen it restored to all its original splendour after it swayed and slumped in the 2011 earthquake.

Speaking in NZ House & Garden in 2018, Sharon Prentice said she had always been drawn to the house in the leafy suburb. When she saw it listed, she “rushed in like a bull at a gate, then had to turn round and sell my house right before Christmas”.

She said it took nine months to restore the house, retaining its traditional character: “This house will never fall down,” she said. “It’s got pins through it and the walls have all been strengthened.”

Today, the 290m² house is everything you would expect from a landmark Christchurch residence that dates back to the 1880s. And there’s an opportunity for another family to call it home as the owner is selling to downsize.

Listing agent Jilby Thomas of Ray White Metro describes it as “an exceptional city residence” - one that combines Parisian elegance with contemporary refinement.

The square-front villa boasts five bedrooms, two living rooms, one study, and two bathrooms (three toilets), with high ceilings in all the main rooms. The mid-level master suite is reminiscent of a boutique hotel, with a walk-through wardrobe and tiled ensuite with freestanding bath.

A sunroom with window seats maximises the sunny location directly opposite Cranmer Square park.

Prentice credited daughter Poppy with the decision to choose solar-powered white blinds rather than curtains: “The house has beautiful bones. It didn’t need curtains or wallpaper.”

Walls throughout the house are painted matt white, with matching gloss trim, which enhances the elegant Georgian architecture.

Much of the entertaining here takes place outdoors, however, in the terraced courtyard at the rear, which is perfect for alfresco dining. There’s a heated in-ground pool, spa pool and landscaped gardens.

Other features include off-street parking for two vehicles behind an electronic gate.

Thomas won’t be drawn on what he believes the property is worth, as that’s dependent on what its value to a buyer, but he does say it’s “cheaper than Remuera”, and will sell to “someone with taste and style”. “This is a landmark house, and something of a status symbol here in Christchurch.”

The property, at 26 Cranmer Square, Christchurch, will be auctioned on December 16, 2025. The 2022 RV is $2.88 million.