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WHEN YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING PROPERT Y . . . IT HAS TO B BSPC
Beech House, Swinton
A former Berwickshire police station makes a unique and visually arresting family home Beech House is an attractive C-listed detached sandstone villa quietly
The ground floor layout caters equally well for both formal and informal living,
positioned at the end of the main street in Swinton, a pretty conservation village
with a front-facing drawing room and sitting room on either side of the
five miles from Duns and just three miles from the English border. Located next
entrance hall. The latter, formerly the police office, has an adjoining police
to the Leet Water, the village dates back to the 11th century and the original
cell complete with heavy studded door, brass spy hole, ‘porridge’ flap and
parish church still stands today, as does Swinton House and its 18th century
original lock and key – a safe storage space if ever there was one.
dovecot, both now A-listed buildings. Beyond these reception rooms is a large bathroom (what was the second Sited on the edge of woodland, the property was built in 1890 to accommodate
police cell) and undoubtedly the key feature, an open-plan dining kitchen and
the village police station and police house. Now one spacious family home, the
sunroom. The kitchen is fitted with a range of bespoke units created from a
station’s two cells have been incorporated into the main house where one is
felled tree from the adjoining wood and the spalted beech panelled doors
now a bathroom.
have solid ash frames, burr elm detailing and polished pewter handles.
The present owner bought Beech House ten years ago, having been won over
Other standout kitchen features include a range cooker set against an
by its “happy ambiance” and open-plan dining kitchen/sun room opening onto
exposed stone wall, integrated appliances, colour-coordinated tiled
the garden at the rear. Since then, improvements have included the addition of
splashacks and ceramic tiled flooring throughout, while wrap-round windows
a downstairs cloakroom, second bathroom and shower room. The gardens have
in the sunroom and dining area overlook the garden and woodland beyond,
also been professionally landscaped. The result is a unique, spacious and very
making this superb open-plan space the absolute hub of the home.
comfortable character home.