THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY
Page 13
Old meets new in this stylish two-storey conversion in Selkirk
If walls could talk this red sandstone villa would have some fascinating tales to tell. Designed in 1879 by the Edinburgh-based architectural practice Wardrop & Reid, The Priory was built as the family home of Thomas Waddel, a local woollen manufacturer and partner in Waddel & Turnbull’s Dunsdale Mill. Later, the villa underwent a change of use as a children’s home and records show that during the 1940s, over 20 Jewish ‘Kindertransport’ children from Germany and Austria were cared for at The Priory. More recently, the property was run as a Hotel and then converted several years ago to form four separate properties. Entered from the side, Number 3, The Priory is a two-storey, three bedroomed home that merges old and new in the best combination, retaining all the character of a period home – including high ceilings, large windows and generous room proportions - but with a modern and easily maintained interior. The ground floor layout includes an attractive hallway, cloakroom, large living room, breakfasting kitchen, and a sitting/dining room.
Upstairs, which is larger than the floor below given the quirks of conversion, are three bedrooms and two full bathrooms, one en suite to the main bedroom. Beautifully presented and in move-in condition throughout, the house has some lovely features, such as the built-in window seat in the living room, and short staircase down into the main bedroom. The kitchen is a major attraction, fitted with a range of minimalist white floor and wall units (incorporating glass display cabinets and open shelving), beech worktops, and integrated appliances – dishwasher, fridge and freezer, electric stainless steel double oven, gas hob and overhead extractor hood. Large windows give the three reception rooms a particularly light and airy feel – the second sitting room or dining room (the room is ideally suited to either use) has three windows, which add appreciably to the overall ambience of the room. The main bedroom upstairs has two large windows with working shutters – unusually, this room also has a full-size en suite bathroom with shower screen and shower attachment. The nearby family bathroom also has a fitted screen and showering facility. The attic space is partially floored and currently used for storage.
Outside, the tarred communal driveway has two parking spaces allocated to this property, which also has two outhouses and a private, easily managed garden considerably enhanced by the current owner who has erected new retaining walls and landscaped the area. Located near the western edge of Selkirk on elevated ground that provides great views over the town to the distant hills, The Priory is only a short five-minute walk from Selkirk town centre. Selkirk offers a wide range of amenities, including small independent shops, supermarkets, primary and secondary schools, and excellent sports and leisure facilities. The town’s location on the A7 makes it a comfortable commute north to Galashiels and Edinburgh and south to Hawick and northwest England. The Priory offers an excellent opportunity to live in grand style – but not on a grand scale!
3 The Priory Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk Guide Price £200,000 Details on page 32