BSPC Featured Property

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An exemplary listed Victorian villa in Duns with some surprising original features

As logic tends to defer to gut instinct when it comes to buying a house, there is seldom any way of knowing what the catalyst will be that suddenly determines this is the one.

With regards to Hillside, an impressive B-listed detached late 19th century villa in Duns, there are countless possibilities, ranging from a desirable location with south-facing views over the town to the Cheviot Hills, to capacious accommodation spread over three floors; wonderful garden grounds with garaging, stabling and workshop (a three-acre paddock could be available by separate negotiation) and an interior, which although requiring some cosmetic upgrading, displays magnificent original period features – including an elegant Victorian conservatory housing a well-established vine and peach tree.

Hillside has been in the present owner’s family for the last 57 years, during which it has been a much-loved and carefully maintained family home very much as it was built in the Victorian era – in fact, when it was purchased, the house still had the servants’ bells and gas light fittings that preceded electricity.

Hillside, Teindhillgreen, Duns

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Hillside, Teindhillgreen, Duns

Although there have been no structural alternations to the property in the intervening years, the services have been improved and in the last five years a new central heating system (boiler and radiators) has been installed.

Exhibiting all the architectural features you would expect in a property of this calibre and period, such as overhanging eaves, moulded bargeboards, and gabled dormerheads topped by finials, internally it displays a similarly eclectic mix of original features, including Victorian geometric-style tiled floors in the reception hall and conservatory, the latter also endowed with stained glass panels and ogee -roofed cupola.

Featured Property Hillside, 15 Teindhillgreen, Duns, TD11 3DX

Guide Price £425,000 • Details on: Page 9

The five first floor bedrooms all have original fireplaces, while the dining room boasts a much grander black marble fireplace; other notable original features include ornate plasterwork, Tudor -style arched doorway, dado rails, and an attic floor with three further rooms – formerly maids’ accommodation – that could be adapted as additional bedrooms, play areas, office space or simply storage.

The main ground floor accommodation is accessed from the reception hall, where key attractions are the richly patterned Victorian tiled floor, cream-painted dado panelling, and period staircase with ornate wrought iron balusters. Off the hall is a bay-windowed drawing room with an access door into the adjoining conservatory – which in turn opens to the garden and to two, adjoining sheds.

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“Hillside has been in the present owner’s family for the last 57 years, during which it has been a much -loved and carefully Opposite the drawing room is a formal front-facing dining room, and at the rear, a dining-sized kitchen with laundry and store off, plus a butler’s pantry, sitting/family room and cloakroom.

Upstairs, the first floor landing offers a superb view towards Duns Law, as do at least two of the five spacious bedrooms (one with built-in wardrobes).

maintained family home very much as it was built in the Victorian era”.

Completing this floor is a family bathroom, complete with the original claw-footed bath with plunger-style plug. The staircase continues up to the three rooms on the attic floor, two of which have traditional dormer windows.

Hillside’s other major selling point is its garden grounds, which extend to almost a third of an acre to the front and rear – the former south-facing (accessed via a Tudor-arched doorway from the street) and incorporating mainly lawn with flower and shrub borders interspersed by specimen trees and far-reaching views over the town to the hills beyond. The stone-built boundary wall, gateway and conservatory all have listed status.

Facing north towards Duns Law, the split-level rear garden, which has a number of apple trees, is similarly mainly lawn. Also at the rear, the property has a double garage complete with inspection pit, storage and workshop, plus three timber-built stables in addition to the brick-built stores and greenhouse adjacent to the conservatory – the stores are thought to have originally been boiler houses to heat the conservatory and garage.

Hillside is a substantial property that highlights the quality and craftsmanship of the period – but also provides scope for new owners to upgrade the facilities and make their own mark to take this wonderful family home forward into the 21st century.

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