Penthouse in legendary recording studio: flat in converted church hall where Madonna, Prince, Bowie and Queen recorded for sale
If these walls had ears, they’d probaby still be ringing —for this loft-style penthouse flat once shook to the sounds of rock’s biggest names.
Now on the market for £850,000, the 1,068sq ft two-bedroom apartment in Highbury comes with polished wood floors, exposed brick walls and a pivotal place in music history.
The unassuming church hall, had been home to the 'Rank Charm School', where future British film stars including Diana Dors and Christopher Lee were tutored in the late Forties.
It was bought by Sir George Martin in 1965. He transformed it into Wessex Sound Studios, installing facilities to rival those he used to record The Beatles at Abbey Road.
For almost four decades, punks and pop stars from the Rolling Stones and David Bowie to Madonna and Prince beat a path to its doors.
It was where the Sex Pistol’s recorded Never Mind The Bollocks in 1977 and the Clash taped seminal album London Calling two years later.
Queen rounded up every member of staff — including Betty the tea lady — to stomp and clap out We Will Rock You’s mighty boom-boom-cha.
Nick Cave, REM, Paul Weller, Robbie Williams, Stevie Wonder, Genesis, The Stone Roses, Bjork, Kylie Minogue and David Bowie were among the rock royalty to work and play there before the building was converted into flats.
Mike Batt even popped in to lay down Remember You’re A Womble.
Now known as The Recording Studio, the gated development of eight flats and a townhouse was named the best new conversion of 2005 at the Evening Standard’s Homes & Property New Homes Awards.
James Davidson of Savills, the agency marketing the property, said: “In Islington the majority of housing stock is Georgian or Victorian townhouses so this development is unique.
"The current owner was looking all over London, she didn’t care about location, she just wanted to find the most unique, character property she could. This is a massive piece of music history.”
While the stars have long departed, residents are now campaigning for the flats to be added to London’s rock’n’roll map and marked with a plaque commemorating its seminal role in the capital’s music history.