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BSPC FEATURE PROPERTY
Tradition at its best – a sandstone villa in Built around 1900, the fact that Ardenleigh has only changed hands four times since speaks volumes about this elegant detached red sandstone villa’s desirability and suitability as a ‘forever’ family home.
The Murrays’ have considerably upgraded the property over the years and the kitchen and bathroom have both been replaced within the last 12 years, while more recently they have installed beautiful solid cherry wood parquet flooring in the hall to echo with the house’s original wood finishes, staircase balustrade and four-panelled doors.
Ardenleigh’s interior highlights some exceptionally fine period features – wide bay windows, picture rails, decorative plasterwork, dado panelling, beautiful stained glass window on the half landing, etched glass entrance doors, deep skirtings, and traditional fireplaces.
Situated on Windyknowe Road in Galashiels where it benefits from beautiful views over the town, Ardenleigh’s size and large garden were the primary catalysts when Bill and Patricia Murray bought the property 30 years ago.
Meanwhile the garden has become a major selling point in its own right, beautifully landscaped and planted back and front, the former incorporating several sections, including a patio, greenhouse and fruit trees and bushes, a large expanse of lawn with a decked patio/dining area leading to a lovely revolving summerhouse, plus two garden sheds and a tandem-style double garage.
The layout includes an impressive vestibule and hallway, off which are three sizeable public rooms. There is a formal dining room, a sitting/TV room and a very elegant lounge with bay window and a feature fireplace with marble inset and hearth and Living Flame gas fire.
“At the time it needed a lot of work but we could see it had immense potential as well as beautiful period features we knew we could bring back to life,” says Patricia. “As we had three sons the garden was another major attraction, as was the accommodation, which included a very spacious fully floored attic room that became a playroom but could have many alternative uses.”
BSPC FEATURE PROPERTY
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Galashiels with a few surprises in store Also on the ground floor are a fitted dining kitchen with integrated dishwasher, fridge freezer, gas hob and electric oven, an adjoining large wood-lined pantry with open shelving and cupboards, utility, and the ground floor’s surprise element, a 13ft-long wood-panelled cloakroom - cloakroom in the traditional sense, with a separate toilet at the far end. Upstairs off a wide landing are three very spacious double bedrooms (principal with a full wall of fitted wardrobes and storage cupboards and a built-in window seat from where to enjoy the views), a front-facing single bedroom – currently a study but could also be a nursery - and large family bathroom with built-in storage and an above-bath power shower.
Ardenleigh, Windyknowe Road, Galashiels, TD1 1RQ Guide Price £340,000 Details on page 13
In most houses that would be all, however Ardenleigh has another surprise – a further staircase on the first floor landing leads up to a magnificent attic room that is suitable for a multitude of uses and provides lovely views over the garden and beyond. Family homes of this size and calibre are rare and Ardenleigh is one of only four properties of similar style on Windyknowe Road. When you add in truly stunning gardens, it’s a property that would be very hard to leave, which is why it has only had four owners in more than a century. Definitely not one to miss.