BSPC Featured Property For Sale

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The Auld Hoose in Newstead is a home full of intrigue and surprise Many houses have interesting features and/or a unique selling point, however one that really stands out above the rest is The Auld Hoose, which has enough unique selling points to fill a book - as does its setting within the picturesque village of Newstead on the southern bank of the River Tweed a mile or so downstream from Melrose.

Blink at the wrong time and you could easily miss Newstead, yet dating back to Roman times it is believed to be the oldest continually inhabited village in Scotland. Newstead was also the site of the first Masonic Lodge in Scotland owing to its links with stonemasons who lodged in the village while employed in the re-building of Melrose Abbey following its destruction in 1322. The Lodge moved its premises into Melrose in 1742 but a marker and plaque remain.

The stonemasons made their mark on the village with sundials – one of which is embedded in an external wall of the Auld Hoose, although you have to look closely to see the faint vestiges of the few remaining numerals. The house also has an aged gargoyle from Melrose Abbey on a gable wall – and an old stone trough set into a wall in the garden, added around 1845 by a previous owner to showcase a curious find known as the Newstead Meteorite. Originally displayed in an Edinburgh museum, its fame reached as far as America until it was discovered to be a case of mistaken identity – but the big black stone nonetheless remains a focal point in the back garden.

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Auld Hoose, Newstead, Melrose

The Auld Hoose can be traced back to the early 18th Century when it was originally two houses with an external rear staircase, later combined and developed as an extension.

Current owners Ross and Christine Angus bought the property in 1990 when it required extensive upgrading. “We were looking for a family house that required renovation and this one fitted the bill and more. It was damp and needed a lot of work, so much so we couldn’t live in it for the first six months,” says Christine. During the renovation the couple discovered the original kitchen range in a space in a wall in the kitchen that now houses a contemporary range cooker.

Featured Property Auld Hoose, Newstead, Melrose, TD6 9DX

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Old roof timbers were exposed, walls were re-plastered and the whole house was refurbished in a labour of love to retain original features and create a character three-storey home with bespoke fixtures and fittings and a classic interior style that caters effortlessly for modern family lifestyles.

Ross and Christine have also made their mark in unique ways. A former principal teacher of Craft, Design and Technology, Ross has made window shutters and doors in solid oak and made new oak skirting in addition to larger items handmade from beautiful hardwoods, including pelmets and an oak fire surround – eyecatching features that are as original as the house.

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“This is a wonderful, comfortably quirky house to live in and it will be a wrench to leave, as will the village, which although less than a mile from Melrose and only a short drive There are two rooms off the entrance hall, a spacious living/dining room with bay window overlooking the garden, wood flooring, and a traditional-style timber fireplace with inset Living Flame fire; and a similarly spacious dining-size fitted kitchen where notable features include exposed original ceiling beams and a re-discovered inglenook fireplace now topped by an oak mantel. There are exposed stone walls, a twin Belfast sink with handcrafted oak worktops – and a bespoke integrated plate rack and display unit, both made by Ross from solid oak.

Upstairs, the first floor landing has a feature oriel window looking beyond the garden to the distinctive triple peaks of the Eildon Hills.

On this level is a second bay-windowed sitting room that displays beautiful handcrafted cherry wood features, including a fireplace and over-mantel mirror and skirting boards and facings. The master bedroom is also on the first floor, a lovely room where highlights include twin windows with garden views, and a gable-end feature window with a built -in window seat and handcrafted wooden window shutters. Adjoining the bedroom is a bathroom with slate-tiled floor, partially tiled walls and a corner bath with shower over.

from the railway station at Tweedbank, has the feeling of living in the country”.

The staircase continues up to the second floor landing, which benefits from a Velux window with bespoke cherry wood wardrobes on either side. Off the landing are two double bedrooms with dormer windows to the front – one also has a curious deep-set small window believed to have been an entrance for barn owls.

Outside, the enclosed gardens are a delight, with old stone walls and a small burn at the foot (fenced on the garden side). Other features include a pebbled patio next to the house with a sheltered gazebo and seating area and colourful flower borders. The lower garden area is mainly lawn – there is also a summerhouse with decked barbecue area, plus a timber shed and garden store.

“This is a wonderful, comfortably quirky house to live in and it will be a wrench to leave,” says Christine, “as will the village, which although less than a mile from Melrose and only a short drive from the railway station at Tweedbank, has the feeling of living in the country.”

This property offers the opportunity to acquire a home of immense character and history without compromising comfort or modern amenities – a real Borders gem.