Villa Magdala
Built in 1868, this handsome Victorian townhouse was named after the Battle of Maqdala, fought in Abyssinia in the same year. Field Marshall Lord Robert Napier, who commanded the campaign, lived nearby in Henrietta Street as a boy. The house was named in his honour.
Originally constructed as an adjoining pair of gracious family homes, Magdala and Avondale later became a single dwelling and then a luxury boutique B&B.
The spacious rooms and wide sash windows are indicative of the grandeur of the Victorian period. The fine cast iron balustrade to the main staircase and the elegant hallway tell of the style and splendour of the families who lived and entertained here. In fact, the curved balustrade was a feature intended to accommodate the impressive dresses of the 19th century.