Description
An exceptionally well-presented country residence offering highly flexible accommodation with circa 4 acres of ground, set on the fringe of a conservation village and surrounded by beautiful countryside scenery.
The Manse is a wonderful C listed family home having enjoyed a painstaking restoration by the current owners who viewing themselves as custodians of the property are certainly passing to the new buyers in a truly exacting condition sure to delight all who view.
The property, which was built in 1822 enjoys an enviable position, lying adjacent to the church, ensuring most attractive open outlooks over the River Stinchar, CraigNeil Castle and beyond and wonderous privacy. The house was extended in 1908-10 to accommodate Reverend McFadden and his ten children.
In addition to the grounds which extend to the middle of the river and half of the Minister Pool, The Manse also benefits from a selection of outbuildings which could offer further potential to develop subject to any required planning regulations.
The accommodation is formed over four levels and offers both great flexibility and self-contained accommodation with the recently completed lower-floor flat.
The accommodation comprises as follows:
Ground Floor
Vestibule, reception hall, sitting room with bay window, formal dining room, store, inner hall, cloakroom/WC and fabulous open plan dining kitchen with centre island and Rayburn cast-iron range cooker.
Lower Ground Floor
Self-contained accommodation in the form of one bedroom apartment offering hall with under-stair cupboard providing access to the garden, utility room, wine store, bedroom, shower room, sitting room and additional dining kitchen.
First Floor
Landing with fitted storage, four spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms and a further shower room.
Second Floor
Final two bedrooms and store.
The Manse has been sympathetically restored by the current owners with numerous period features blending successfully with a high-specification finish to ensure lower running costs. These include new plumbing and heating systems with hybrid Worcester Bosch oil-fired boiler and air source heat pump, new radiators in most rooms, replacement kitchens, bathroom, shower room and wet room, new wood burners (2 with back boilers feeding into the heating system) whilst exquisite decoration and quality floor coverings throughout complete this fine country home. There has also been extensive damp course and woodworm treatments with full details available on request. Just some of the many notable features are the new ceiling in the sitting room retaining the listed Greek Key pattern and the listed cornice and ceiling rose in the hallway.
The garden grounds extend to circa 4 acres accessed from a sweeping driveway which leads to the turning circle at the front of The Manse and the outbuildings lying to the rear. Ample off-street parking is located to both the front and rear of the property. The gardens are mainly in the form of a grass paddock and include a greenhouse and renewed summerhouse in the front garden. The grounds continue half-way over the river and half of the Minister Pool offering residents the right to fish for trout and join the local fishing club allowing fishing for salmon for a nominal fee circa £50 annually. The outbuildings include a cart lodge, carriage shed used as a garage, stables, laundry room used as a tool shed and house cow which could be used as a kennel. An additional log store lies at the rear of The Manse and as with the other outbuildings is presented in good order for sale.
Colmonell has excellent local amenities including a highly regarded primary school and Hotel. In the town of Girvan, you will find further major amenities including supermarkets, hospital, leisure facilities and primary, secondary schooling and railway station. The world-famous Turnberry golf course is only a short distance away and South Ayrshire has long been recognised as a golfing mecca. For the commuter, the M77 provides excellent access to Glasgow, the Central Belt and Prestwick International Airport which has regular flights to London, Dublin and Europe.
Given our clients great reluctance to leave the property that they have so evidently cherished since 2009, this short editorial piece perfectly captures their journey with The Manse.
The Manse, Colmonell.
The Manse was built in 1822 and had been the home of the minister since that date. Following the merging of Colmonell and Ballantrae kirks the Manse came up for sale in 2009.
For us it was love at first sight. We saw through the shabby decor and the fact that the top floor and the basement were virtually derelict and could see the gem of a house which lay beneath.
The view from all windows was stunning. From those at the front (which is almost directly South facing) over the large lawn and down to the River Stinchar in the valley below and up onto the fields and moorland with CraigNeil Castle a centrepiece immediately opposite. To the left of the Manse the Church, with its spectacular stained-glass windows and to the right views over Knockdolean, an extinct volcanic plug. Behind, the hills rose steeply, and sheep grazed peacefully. We had found a little piece of Heaven.
Work commenced straight away to bring the house back to life. Joiners worked tirelessly to renovate 26 sash windows, we took all the plaster off the basement walls for damp proofing and over 60 hours was spent removing 200 years of paint from the ceiling rose in the entrance hall and listed Greek key pattern cornice in the sitting room. It took approximately 4 years and a lot of love to restore the house and no expense has been spared. We have been privileged to be the custodians of such a wonderful home, but the time has come for someone new to take it on and hopefully love it as much as we have.
In conclusion. If you wish to live in an exclusive and versatile period property with unique views, on the edge of a Conservation village on Scotlands west coast where deer play on your lawn, herons and buzzards fly overhead and woodpeckers and nuthatches visit your bird table. Where you can drive to wonderful sandy beaches within 10 minutes, watch seals play and gannets dive whilst looking at the outline of the Irish coast, the Mull of Kintyre, the Isle of Arran and the iconic Ailsa Craig all at the same time. As well as being able to drive to the county town of Ayr in 45 minutes and be in Glasgow in approximately an hour and a half and with Edinburgh two and a half hours away both with good rail links we would love to meet you.
EPC E
Council tax G
Freehold
