Historic 18th century house on street that 'inspired Harry Potter's Diagon Alley' goes on the market for £1.6million

An historic 18th century house on a street believed to have inspired Harry Potter's Diagon Alley has gone on the market for £1.6million.

The magical property on Goodwin's Court in Covent Garden, London, has a rich history having been built after the Great Fire of London more than three centuries ago.

Tucked away on a cobbled court, the two-bedroom house is rumoured to have been the inspiration behind the wizarding world's famous Diagon Alley.

Sellers, the Unique Property Company, claim the alleyway could have also sparked the idea for Ollivanders wand shop and the more sinister Knockturn Alley. 

Adding to the magical feel of the house is one of London's last gas lamps which sits above the steps leading up to the black front door.

The street is a hotspot for Harry Potter fans, called 'Potterheads', with themed tours passing by every day.

Originally put on the market for £2million the house was taken down and re-listed for £1.595million last month. 

The listing has since received considerable interest from US buyers, according to the firm.

In its listing the estate agents said the property 'is a rare survivor of a building type reflecting the conditions of London’s Georgian working-classes and a living piece of London’s rich history.'

They added that the house acquired new-found fame 'as the inspiration for Ollivanders Wand Shop in the Harry Potter film franchise.'

Originally a haberdashery, four time-worn stone steps sit below the house's front door in a condition unlikely to have been caused by customer footfall.

It is believed that the steps were repurposed from an ancient building demolished around the time of the alleyway's construction, suggesting they could date back to Medieval times.

Managing partner at Unique Property Company, Simon Stone, said: 'Number 1 Goodwin’s Court is such a rare find in London these days.

'It’s a home that’s been conserved rather than have the history erased. It’s so atmospheric. 

'It’s a property that takes you to another time entirely and it’s so quiet, you forget that just five seconds away, you’re in the thick of one of the world's busiest capital cities.'

Inside the property, a kitchen connects to a Georgian-style tiled bathroom where the 'Night Soil Alley' – a place where excrement was transported – would have been.

On the raised ground floor reception room sits an intricate bow window, a surviving relic from the early 18th century.

And in a nod to its former status as a shop floor, two softly worn patches in the floorboards mark the spot where a shopkeeper once stood. 

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