Barmagachan House

SITUATION
Barmagachan House sits in a very pretty rural location with views towards the coast, just outside the village of Borgue. Borgue has a primary school, a parish church, village hall, and a traditional village hotel. Carrick Bay, around a 1 mile walk from the property has a sandy beach with safe swimming and is suitable for sailing, windsurfing and canoeing. Gatehouse of Fleet is a popular small town and has a good range of local facilities including hotels, bank, chemist, doctor’s surgery, coffee shops, postal service and two small supermarkets. A wider range of shops and services can be found in the towns of Kirkcudbright and Castle Douglas. Kirkcudbright is known as The Artists’ Town, having attracted a number of 19th Century artists including E A Hornel, whose home Broughton House is now in the care of The National Trust. Castle Douglas is designated Dumfries & Galloway’s Food Town, and is home to a high number of independent shops and businesses, as well as a thriving livestock market.

DESCRIPTION
Barmagachan House is a B Listed former Laird’s house dating from the 1720’s, which has been enlarged over time and most recently extended by the current owner to provide a further sitting room and utility room. The property is arranged around a central courtyard and sits in around 6 acres of garden, paddock and woodland. The accommodation has a flexible layout and works beautifully as a large family home, suitable for multi-generational living, or the 3 bedroom wing can be annexed off for holiday letting, having its own spacious kitchen and living area plus separate entrance. Oil fired central heating and double glazing keep this historic property cosy. Wood burning stoves provide extra heat in the main living areas of both halves, with logs available in abundance from the extensive wood. The sitting room opens out onto a stunning terrace with glass balustrading which gives uninterrupted views over the garden, paddock and beyond. The thick walls and deep sills reflect the history of the property, with the original section still having the narrow windows of the day. However, this is a light and airy home, with a modern feel which embraces the best of both worlds.

Outside wonderful grounds surround the house. A carefully curated garden is home to a wide variety of plants and shrubs, many with Australian and Chinese origins, reflecting the travels of the current family. The garden has featured in Scotland’s Garden Scheme in the past. In addition to the true ‘plantsman’s garden’ there is a productive vegetable garden in a sheltered spot, a fruit cage, asparagus bed, and an orchard which features apple, pear, plum, damson, and quince. In spring the woods have a stunning carpet of bluebells, and the paddock could easily support a pony, donkeys, or a small number of other hobby livestock.

ACCOMMODATION

Ground Floor: Main Kitchen with dining and living areas. Utility Room. Sitting Room with patio doors to terrace. Formal Dining Room. Hallway. Cloakroom. Study with connecting door. Hallway. Entrance Porch. Open plan Kitchen/Dining Area/ Living Area with glazed garden nook.

First Floor: Landing. Bedroom 1. Main Bathroom. WC. Bedroom 2 with connecting door. Landing. Hallway. Bedroom 3. Bathroom. Bedroom 4. Bedroom 5 with en suite Shower Room.

GARDEN AND GROUNDS
From the public road a driveway sweeps up to a gravel parking area suitable for multiple vehicles. A small wildflower meadow containing orchids and snakes head fritillary sits between the main drive and the secondary entrance, to the right. The historic courtyard has been laid to box edged parterre with gravel and stone surround. To the side of the property is a useful paddock, which also contains a motte which is designated an Ancient Monument, but would also inspire endless imaginative games for children. A fruit cage housing blackcurrants, gooseberry and redcurrants, and an asparagus bed sit alongside a small drying green. This part of the garden is ideally placed for the ‘Rhino’ greenhouse and garden store, which is incorporated under the terrace. Steps lead up to the chic flagged terrace complete with glass balustrading, and from there the rest of the formal garden is accessed. The garden benefits from the mild climate and neutral soil and has a wide variety of trees and shrubs including Chilean Lantern Bush, leatherwoods, teatrees, Grevillea, Daphne and rhododendrons. There are also rockeries, and herbaceous borders containing oriental and blue poppies. Beyond the hedge is a well-stocked orchard of apple, plum, pear, damson, and quince. To the side is a beautifully laid out vegetable garden which occupies a sheltered spot. A wooden bridge crosses the small burn and leads into the woodland where meandering paths lead past the mature mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, among which various nesting boxes are placed. The current owner has added hazel, oak, alder, wild cherry, rowan and willow, and the wood is a haven for wildlife. A side garden with lawn sits adjacent to the glazed garden nook of the open plan living area on the ground floor.


EPC Rating = D



Marketed by: Galbraith, Castle Douglas