THE BSPC PROPERTY GUIDE / FEATURE PROPERTY Page 13

1 Mount ViewTown Yetholm, Kelso

Guide Price £197,000Details on page 33

A detached house in the picturesque village of Town Yetholm that will have special appeal to walkers

Situated approximately seven miles east ofKelso, in the foothills of the Cheviots, Yetholmis unusual in that it comprises two verypicturesque villages, Town Yetholm and KirkYetholm, which lie close together but oneither side of the River Bowmont. ‘Yetholm’means ‘Gate Town’, which is apt given that it is only a mile or so from theScotland/England border.

Nowadays it is arguably better known for itshistoric connection to the Yetholm Gypsies,and as a place frequented by walkers eitherstarting or finishing the 268-mile PennineWay. Yetholm is also on the less arduous 62-mile St Cuthbert’s Way, extending fromMelrose to Lindisfarne – and it will shortly be the start of the new 373-mile ScottishNational Trail, which officially opens later this year.

Yetholm is an active community with goodlocal facilities, including a primary school andshops. It is also a very attractive place to live,with an unusually high number of thatchedproperties.

Patrick and Jenny Angel moved into theirdetached C-listed house in Town Yetholm 12years ago, having spotted it as they drovethrough the village on their way to viewanother house – which never took place.

Planning permission has been granted toerect a conservatory on this site, using theexisting French doors for internal access.The family/dining room is another sizablepublic room with more than enough spaceto combine both uses. It leads into amodern kitchen and adjoining utility room.A carpeted staircase leads up to twounexpectedly large double bedrooms, oneof which has a pedestal washbasin andbuilt-in storage/wardrobes, making it anattractive guest room. Also on the first floor,the bathroom has a traditional white suiteand cast-iron bath with mixer shower over.There is also a surprising extra. A pull-downladder off the landing gives access to apartly floored attic space, which in turnleads down into a ‘secret’ room with afeature window, an ideal space for use as a study, guest use or play area.

This lovely home has many notable features.The focal point in the living room is a castiron multi-fuel stove with a stone hearth andblack slate mantel; the dining/family roomalso has a multi-fuel stove, this one housedin a wooden surround.

They both knew immediately this spaciousproperty was an ideal home for them andfor visiting family and friends, while thelocation was also perfect for their outdoorinterests. The house occupies a fairlycentral position in the village but enjoys agreat deal of privacy being set well backfrom the main street behind beech hedgesthat enclose the front garden, which is part paved for additional parking and alsohouses a detached garage with cupboards,shelving and work benches.

Thought to have been built around 200years ago, sympathetic upgrading hasensured the survival of many original periodfeatures – in fact, the Home Report surveylists all criteria for the house as Category 1,(ie no attention needed), which for a houseof this age is quite remarkable.

The accommodation comprises a large and welcoming hallway with carefullyrestored original woodwork. Off the hall(which includes a cloakroom facility), theliving room extends the full width from frontto back and has French doors opening onto a rear patio and garden beyond.

The kitchen, refurbished in 2007, hasShaker-style, light oak units and Corianwork-surfaces - a green, oil fired Stanleyrange cooker with a double oven and castiron hobs also provides programmablecentral heating and hot water. This isbacked up by an electric stainless steelfan oven, ceramic hob and extractor fan.The kitchen and utility both have blackstone-effect tiled floors, stainless steelsink units, and plumbing and powerpoints for a variety of appliances.

The attractive rear garden, which looks tothe Cheviot foothills and can be accessedfrom both the utility and living room, hasseveral paved areas positioned to catchthe sun at different times of the day. Thegarden also has a small pond, a levellawn, and well-stocked borders. There isalso a summerhouse, greenhouse andintegrated shed, ideal for gardenequipment.

Patrick and Jenny are now relocating tobe closer to family, and as they are notpurchasing another property immediately,there is no onward chain - which makesthis an ideal opportunity for someone else to enjoy all that the house andsurrounding countryside has to offer.