Lots to attract buyers

There’s plenty on offer at this beautiful home near Marykirk, writes Donna Ross

Published:

HOUSE-HUNTERS should give themselves plenty of time to view Mill of Balmaleedie, just south of the village of Marykirk.

Not only is there a beautiful C-listed farmhouse to look at, there’s also a country cottage, farm steadings and a B-listed mill, along with acres of land to get round – offering an extremely interesting package full of charm and promise.

The complex of farm buildings lie just to the south of the village of Marykirk, above the north bank of the River Esk, opposite Craigo.

It is handy for Montrose and has good access to the A90 north to Stonehaven and Aberdeen. The farmhouse and cottage face south over the river, with the steading to the north, behind the houses, while the former mill and the paddock lie across the burn, between the house and the river.

The property’s core component is the beautifully modernised and extended early-19th-century farmhouse. It has three reception rooms and four bedrooms and is in walk-in condition. The farmhouse’s most striking feature is a recently added family room or garden room with a cathedral-style ceiling, wood-burning stove and french doors to the garden.

Also fully renovated is the two-bedroom Spearmill Cottage, which lies apart from the farmhouse. The mill is believed to date back to 1738, and it is thought that the property derives its name from the discovery of a spear found in the field, believed to have been discarded after the Battle of the Spears, and this spear still rests on the top of the mill.

The cottage has been successfully used for holiday lets in the past and could provide significant income from this or from longer-term lets.

The steading is currently used for garaging and storage but is believed to have potential for conversion to form three-residential units (one with two bedrooms, one with three bedrooms and one with four bedrooms) and a business unit.

The mill, which is B-listed, is known as Spearmill and carries a date stone of 1738, although there are records of its existence dating back to 1608. It is also used for storage at present, but could be made into an attractive small home, subject to planning permission. Between the burn and the river is a paddock of 4.35 acres.

This attractive property is being offered for sale in three lots, giving the purchaser of Lot 1 – the farmhouse, steading, mill and about 1.21 acres – flexibility to decide how to proceed, whether to take on the development of the steading and mill or to sell them on, whether to buy the cottage as well and continue to let it, or vice-versa – there is a whole raft of possibilities.

The guide prices for the property is offers over £695,000 as a whole, or:

Lot 1: Mill of Balmaleedie, steading, mill and 1.21 acres – offers over £475,000.

Lot 2: Spearmill Cottage – offers over £190,000.

Lot 3: Paddock of about 4.35 acres – offers over £30,000.