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WHEN YOU’RE BUYING OR SELLING PROPERT Y . . . IT HAS TO B BSPC
The Whinney, Cessford, Morebattle
A unique country cottage near Morebattle which keeps the surprises coming . . . Dating from circa 1880, The Whinney is a property that keeps on giving, a sizeable stone-built detached cottage (originally two adjoining cottages) in a glorious setting a mile or so from the villages of Cessford and Morebattle with beautiful views to the Cheviots - plus around half and acre of garden ground, separate partially converted barn with planning permission and architect’s plans for a two bedroomed property; and a quaint stone outbuilding at the bottom of the garden that could be a ‘man cave’, garden room or playhouse. The main cottage interior is imbued with character, intrigue and history to a degree rarely seen nowadays, but first and foremost it’s a comfortable and practical family home that has been painstakingly rescued and restored to remain true to its roots by present owners David and Fadette Cripps, who bought the property 18 years ago, at which point it looked far from appealing. “When we stumbled upon the cottage it was only one step away from a ruin,” says David. “However, what struck us was the beautiful and completely unspoiled setting – remote and with very little traffic, yet only six miles from Kelso and just a mile or so to the local shops in Morebattle.” The cottage had been converted into one residence in the 1940s but from then on had remained in a time warp, which meant David and Fadette inherited an original cast iron kitchen range and cast iron fireplaces in most of the rooms, including the bathroom.
Some of the exposed ceiling timbers required strengthening, which in the case of the kitchen ceiling was undertaken by adding a vertical beam that came from the old Kelso rugby club. A wall in the sitting room was also removed to extend the space and incorporate the secondary staircase into the room. “We rewired, replumbed, replastered, installed new windows, new heating system, fixtures and fittings – including a new kitchen – but painted all the walls and ceilings white and where possible retained original features, such as the kitchen larder,” adds David, who also cleaned and black -leaded the kitchen range (which still works fine), laid rustic looking Spanish porcelain floor tiles throughout the ground floor, and stripped back all the simple plank-style doors and woodwork to reveal the original wood – all in an effort to maintain the essence of the original cottages. The result is a visually striking and surprisingly spacious home that includes an entrance porch, farmhouse-style kitchen with cream Shakerstyle units, Belfast sink, display shelving, modern appliances – including a cooker, albeit the old black range remains the star attraction – and plenty of space for dining furniture; the sitting room setting has a sandstone fireplace (open fire) and broad patio doors onto a paved area and garden beyond, while the slightly smaller snug/library is another charming space with an original cast iron fireplace and open fire.