THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY
Page 15
Space, inside and out, defines an extended bungalow near Bonchester Bridge
Silver Birches has been an outstanding family home for Shirley and Richard Swailes for the last 14 years – and with five of their six children still living at home, Shirley is quick to stress that if they could take the house with them they would! Built in the 1970s, their bungalow has what many people would describe as an idyllic setting, rural but close to Bonchester Bridge village and only seven miles from Hawick. The house itself is very spacious and has a sizable garden – one of the initial attractions when the Swailes first viewed the property in 2000 – along with lovely views of the surrounding hills and countryside. Being well screened by trees and hedging, the garden now also has a hot tub installed in a secluded corner, a relaxing way to end the day. The property has been extended in recent years, creating a spacious new master bedroom wing out of the original garage, which is now linked to the main house by a hall with a cloakroom off, back door, and a second front door. The garage could be reinstated if required.
The main entrance opens into a vestibule and sizable hall, off which is a 20ft living room with french doors to the patio and a sandstone fireplace and open fire, three further bedrooms, utility/laundry, main bathroom and large dining kitchen, off which is a formal dining room/ fifth bedroom. All on one level, it’s a comfortable and clearly much-loved family home with some notable features, including sandstone external finishes, good storage space, and a nicely fitted kitchen with space for dining furniture and attractive wood-effect wall and base units, contrasting worktops and low maintenance laminate flooring. Bedrooms two, three and four all have built-in wardrobe storage, while the spacious principal bedroom, in its own little wing, is a delightful room with plenty of space for freestanding furniture. Garden surrounds the house and offers immense potential to a hobby gardener for growing fruit – there is already one plum tree – and vegetables, amongst other things.
At present it comprises mainly lawn interspersed by paved paths and a driveway with space for parking at the front. “The local village has a popular pub /restaurant (The Horse and Hound Country Inn), Hobkirk primary school and village hall – and there is always plenty going on in the area,” says Shirley. Silver Birches is an ideal property for anyone looking primarily for a tranquil setting and village community - with easy access to retail therapy and other amenities when the need arises. It’s a home where it doesn’t take much to see the living is easy.
Silver Birches, Blacklee Brae, Bonchester Bridge, TD9 9TD
The village is also interesting. Bonchester Brig (old Scots for Binster Brig) rises to a height of just over 1,000 ft and is topped by an ancient hill fort. Formed in 2010, the village also has its own brass band, Bonchester Brass, which plays at local events in the area. Nearby Hawick is a historic town situated at the confluence of the Slitrig Water with the River Teviot. Famed for its knitwear industry, rugby team and annual Common Riding, the town also has distinctive architecture with many sandstone buildings and historic attractions, including the Scots baronial style town hall, dating from 1886, and Drumlanrig’s Tower, now a museum, which dates largely from the mid-16th century.
Fixed Price £249,000 Details on page 26