A part of Coventry’s rich history dating back more
than 120 years to a time when the city was the centre of Britain’s watchmaking
industry, has gone up for sale.
The workshop of prominent watch case maker William
Henry Christie will go under the hammer this month, offering one lucky bidder a
rare investment opportunity in the heart of the city.
Christie was a well-known figure in Coventry after
arriving at his workshop in Spon End in 1896 – where he remained in business
for the next 13 years.
His profession as a respected watch and movement
cap maker earned him a mention in Coventry Watchmakers’ Heritage Trail – a book
dedicated to the city’s watchmaking industry, which was published by the
Coventry Watch Museum.
And now his home and workshop will be feature at
Loveitts next auction on May 23rd, alongside a wealth of properties
and land across Coventry and Warwickshire.
Sally Smith, Director and Auctioneer at Loveitts,
said the auction presented a unique opportunity for someone to own a small
piece of Coventry’s impressive history.
“This is an incredible lot and we are very excited
to see who will own this little piece of history in the heart of Coventry,”
added Sally. “This iconic building sits in the city’s ancient suburb of Spon
End – where the watchmaking industry thrived for many years.
“The property has so much character and even
features a plaque to commemorate Christie’s contribution to the city. We are
confident this building will hold great appeal to historians and investors in
Coventry.”
The locally listed building comprises of three
individual flats – all of which require some improvements – and comes with a
guide price of between £170,000 - £200,000.
The property, which is approximately a mile from
the city centre, features a studio flat on the ground floor which comes with a
kitchen, shower room and a bedroom/lounge.
Also on the ground floor is a one-bedroom flat at
the rear of the building, which includes a kitchen, bathroom and lounge. The
building also features a four-bedroom flat on the first floor, along with a
lounge, kitchen and bathroom.
The freehold building also includes a store room
and garden at the back of the property and comes with vacant possession.
Sally added: “This property is a fantastic
investment opportunity for the right buyer. I am confident that we will get
some good bids for this as it combines so many appealing characteristics.”
The auction is being held at Canley’s Village Urban
Resort Hotel in Dolomite Avenue – starting at 6.30pm.