Featured in De Kat, Garden & Home, Be My Guest, Pretoria News, and even on South African television, this is not just another listing. This is a statement piece, a collector’s item in the world of real estate.
Indeed, not all properties speak. This one sings!
A historic masterpiece, Ellensgate is the grande dame of Pretoria’s Upper Arcadia—where time stands still, elegance reigns, and opportunity waits to be seized. Built in 1915 by Pretoria’s city engineer, this iconic Edwardian villa is now on the market for the first time in nearly half a century. Once documented by the University of Pretoria, this bespoke homestead, constructed in blue slate and complemented by blue slate pathways that follow the curves of its unique design, serves as a proud example of South African architecture for future generations and historians to study. The only example that exists!
Set on a prestigious corner stand just a stone’s throw from the U.S. Embassy, Eastwood Village, and Bryntirion Estate, the official residence of South Africa’s president, Ellensgate enjoys high visibility, yet double-glazed windows preserve the tranquillity within. Top-tier security, dual entrances, and a superb location mean this address is as safe and strategic as it is stylish.
Step inside and you’re immediately embraced by a museum-like ambience. Gleaming Oregon pine floors, a Herbert Baker fireplace built with Kirkness bricks, and stained-glass windows whisper of stories past. Yet this home is no dusty relic; it oozes pizazz, energy, and presence.
The layout is as practical as it is poetic. One en-suite bedroom is downstairs, ideal for guests or executive use, while four spacious en-suite bedrooms upstairs, with private boudoirs, offer privacy and flow, accessed either via the sweeping wooden interior staircase or the twin external steel staircases flanking the garden in perfect symmetry. Every room is fitted with four double electrical plugs, TV points, air conditioners, heaters, and generous lighting. Original bay windows frame leafy views and fill the space with light and grace. There is ample room for further expansion should your vision demand it.
The heart of the home is a gourmet farmhouse-style kitchen, featuring a hob, two ovens, a scullery, pantry, and doors opening to a lush, landscaped garden. The formal lounge adorns the lavish main entrance, and a large dining room offers grand-scale living for entertaining or client hosting. Step outside to discover a covered entertainment pavilion with a full kitchen, perfect for functions, retreats, or fine private events.
The grounds boast a sparkling pool, stone-paved patios, and safe, under-roof parking for five vehicles, while up to 10 vehicles can easily fit inside the spacious yard.
What is this property destined to be?
What was once only a dream for hoteliers and heritage investors alike is now a tangible, ready-to-own reality.
Whatever your dream, Ellensgate has the bones, the beauty, and the boldness to become it.
This heritage villa deserves to remain the statement piece it is, and YOU could be its next curator to preserve it for the next generation.
Just as the Jamesons, Holloway, Brents, Derniers, and Van Vollenhovens before you, are you ready to become its next custodian?
Homes like this are often whispered about in coffee shops, admired in magazines, and featured on national TV. But now, Ellensgate stands ready to be lived in, loved, and brought back to life by someone with vision.
Don’t let it pass you by. Grande dames like this don’t whisper, they do not ask —they demand attention and ACTION! Acquire her now.
Call Alta today to schedule your private viewing.
Come experience the charm. Then make her yours.
