For sale: Unique town centre house with an unusual former use

Hay-on-Wye's one-bed Ice House is described as a unique residential period property by agents Sunderlands on Zoopla.

Located in Brook Street in the centre of Hay-on-Wye, close to the shops and amenities and a two minute walk from the river and Offa's Dyke path, the house provides interesting features including an original ice chamber and vaulted ceiling to the living space, the listing says.

"The Ice House forms an important historical part of Hay-on-Wye's town heritage," it adds.

The ice chamber in the basement of the house in Brook Street. Picture: Zoopla

"It is reputed that the Ice Chamber was used to store ice during the winter months and then distributed to the important houses of the town for the cooling of milk and butter in the summer months.

"In the 1950s the property was owned by a fishmonger who used the chamber to salt and smoke the fish prior to sale, but in more recent years the building has been associated with the sale of books having the benefit of living space on the upper floors.

"The lovely external architecture is complimented by several internal features which include a heavily timbered vaulted ceiling to the living space, exposed beams throughout and the exposed brick ice chamber found below road level.

"Modern comforts include a modern fitted kitchen and bathroom and a gas fired central heating system."

The first floor living space. Picture: Zoopla

The house is made up of a reception room on the ground floor, a bathroom and sitting and kitchen area on the first floor and a mezzanine bedroom on the second floor.

The second-floor bedroom at the Ice House. Picture: Zoopla

In the basement is a cellar and the round ice chamber.