5 Towerburn, Denholm (BSPC Property Guide)

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An impressive apartment within a former mansion house in a peaceful, park-like setting near Denholm offers style and space

The Borders is home to a great many landmark buildings and historic mansion houses, many of which – such as Towerburn, near the village of Denholm - have been converted and give ordinary people the opportunity to live in grand style and sylvan surroundings at an affordable price.

Set in eight acres of private garden grounds and accessed by a tree-lined driveway, Towerburn is a substantial sandstone building completed in 1914 for Sir Robert Usher’s sister, Mary and her architect husband Thomas Leadbetter, who designed the mansion house.

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5 Towerburn, Denholm

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5 Towerburn, Denholm After Mary’s death in 1955 the property became a prep school for boys until it was converted into eight apartments during the 1970s, complete with communal tennis court, wine cellar and residents’ parking.

Towerburn’s tranquil and picturesque setting gives a sense of being very far indeed from any madding crowd, yet the property is not in the least remote and is only five minutes drive from the village, 20 minutes by car to Hawick and even less to Jedburgh, while country walks and fishing on the Teviot are virtually on the doorstep.

Featured Property 5 Towerburn, Denholm, TD9 8TB

Guide Price £190,000 • Details on: Page 36

“The setting was what initially drew us to Towerburn, but when we saw the communal entrance and the space offered by apartment number five – compared to the house we had been considering – we were completely won over,” says Alice Hirst, who went on to purchase the apartment in 2009 with her partner, Alan Page.

In the interim the couple have made several improvements – a sliding door between two of the bedrooms has been removed and a permanent wall built; and within the last three years every window has been refurbished and painted, and access to the roof space has been enlarged to facilitate a new, larger capacity hot water boiler.

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“The setting was what initially drew us to Towerburn, but when we saw the communal entrance and the space offered by apartment number five – compared Towerburn’s conversion was sympathetic to the buildings many fine original period features – and this apartment displays ornate plasterwork, wood-panelled window surrounds and working shutters. The apartment offers versatile accommodation on either side of a split-level reception hall over 30ft long.

The lounge is an elegant and beautifully proportioned room with a traditional feature fireplace and woodburning stove, and two large windows overlooking the south-facing garden grounds.

Adjacent to the lounge and almost as spacious, the principal bedroom also has two windows framing the same view and additionally has extensive built-in wardrobe storage.

Two further bedrooms, both with storage cupboards, offer other alternative uses as a formal dining room or study as requirements dictate. The contemporary kitchen is attractively fitted and includes integrated appliances and space for casual dining furniture – and last but not least, the bathroom is larger than average, partially tiled and includes a corner bath with overhead shower and fitted screen.

to the house we had been considering – we were completely won over”.

Decorated throughout in neutral shades, this apartment is ideal either as a permanent residence or as a weekend retreat or holiday home, with easy access to the nearby village of Denholm – which offers good local facilities, including a primary school - while the setting makes it eminently accessible to Edinburgh and Newcastle airports and the new rail station at Tweedbank for the Border Railway service to Edinburgh.

Original Period Features