House for sale in Dunbar, East Lothian

Mileage

Dunbar 6 miles, North Berwick 8 miles, Edinburgh 27 miles

Description

HISTORY

Tyninghame, situated on raised ground to the north of the Scottish River Tyne, is one of the most ancient habitations of Scotland. The Church of St. Baldred – the romantic ruins are in the garden close by the house – was rebuilt in Norman times on the site of a 7th century structure, surrounded by a small village. The old village and church were sacked by Aulaf, the Danish King of Northumbria, in 941. The village was swept away much later and relocated in 1761, although its fortified house of that village remained and forms the nucleus of the present building.

The Tyninghame estate then of around 28,000 acres was acquired in 1628 by Thomas, 1st Earl of Haddington, trusty servant of James VI of Scotland and I of England, and the old house was enlarged by him and subsequent earls. The present building was remodelled in 1829, the last year of the reign of King George IV, by the prolific and distinguished Scottish architect, William Burn (1789-1870). Tyninghame is nowadays celebrated as a key work in the development of the Scottish baronial style.

The house was sold in 1987 to be divided up by Kit Martin, using the Edinburgh architects, Simpson and Brown. The division was scrupulously carried out to create individual dwellings which were divided vertically rather than horizontally to retain as many rooms in their original format as possible. Great attention was given to providing concealed garaging and car parking to the sides so that the fine facades and gardens are entirely uncompromised and the appearance of the mansion is still that of single family ownership.

The substantial four storey West Wing contains the Haddingtons' magnificent drawing room with aspects south and west, looking out over the formal rose gardens below. This room is unique in Scotland retaining its original Cowtan wallpaper of c.1830, the carpet, probably supplied by Whytock's of Edinburgh and a pair of neo-classical marble chimney pieces by the Florentine, Lorenzo Bartolini (1777-1850). Colin McWilliam, in The Buildings of Scotland:Lothian (1987), wrote: "The main rooms, eclectic but perfectly assured, are the most beautiful of their time in Scotland." The drawing room is a magnificent space for formal entertaining, displaying art and also functions as a very comfortable everyday sitting room. This room is complemented by an attractive Dining Room on the ground floor and a second floor Library. There are superb views from the upper floors, particularly from the master bedroom and the bedrooms above.

One of the hidden advantages of this house is its high level of security, afforded by shared occupancy. There is stereo wiring to the dining room, kitchen and drawing room.

Accommodation

Ground Floor

Doorway below turret, with studded front door to:

Vaulted Entrance Hall Flagstone floor. Fitted coat hooks. Cupboard with fuse boards. Half glazed inner door to:

Dining Room Plain cornice. Flagstone floor. Fireplace with wooden mantel.

Inner Hall Bay window with fitted desk, looking into courtyard.

Sitting Room /
Strong room Steel door. Steel shutters. Fitted shelves. Stone vault.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room
(Former wine cellars) Vaulted ceiling with white painted brick. Central arch with pillar. Wooden fitted floor cupboards with shelves above. Gas hob. Creda electric oven. Electric two oven Aga. Double sink unit. Plumbed for washing machine. Breakfast area with French doors to paved terrace outside. Shelved larder.

Laundry Sink. Plumbed for washing machine and dryer.

Boiler Room Trianco central heating boiler. Hot water cylinder.

First Floor

From hall spiral staircase up to first floor landing.

Turret WC High ceiling. WC. Wash basin.

Corridor with built in display cupboard linking to glazed door to external stairway.

Drawing Room Magnificent long room. Bay windows to south and west. Elaborate ceiling cornice. Picture rail. Pair of open fireplaces with carved marble chimney pieces with looking glasses (available to purchase) and a pair of chandeliers (available to purchase) above.

Second Floor

The spiral stairs continue up to the second floor. Door off to corridor overlooking inner courtyard.

Library Formerly two bedrooms. Open pair of fireplaces with white marble mantels. Handsome fitted bookshelves in the manner of Burn. Built in shelved linen cupboard with electric immersion heater. Could be reinstated as two bedrooms with minimum effort.

Turret Bathroom Bath. WC. Wash basin.


Master Bedroom Bay window to south. Open fireplace with late 18th century white marble mantel carved with wreath of flowers. Full wall fitted wardrobes with cupboards above.

Bathroom Bath. Wash basin. WC. Heated towel rail. Electric wall heater.

Third Floor

Bedroom 2 Cast iron fireplace with tiled inset and late 18th century marble mantel. Splendid views over gardens.

Turret Bathroom Bath. WC. Wash basin. Heated towel rail.

Bathroom Bath. Wash basin. WC. Heated towel rail.

Bedroom 3 Cast iron fireplace with marble mantel. Fitted cupboards. Extending loft ladder to large attic for storage.

Bedroom 4 Bay window to south with magnificent views over surrounding countryside to the River Estuary and the Lammermuirs. Cast iron fireplace with tiled inset and marble mantel. Fitted cupboards.

GARDENS AND GROUNDS

The West Wing has exclusive ownership of over half of the formal rose garden at its front door. This includes a magnificent carved stone obelisk at its centre and two urns. A sheltered paved sitting area overlooks the gardens. The house also owns the gravel terrace along the front which is bordered by flower beds. There is a paved dining area immediately outside the kitchen.

The proprietors of Tyninghame House enjoy 38 acres of shared gardens and policy woodlands.

To the south of the house are lawns with a path to the ruins of the Norman Church of St Baldred's. Lady Haddington's 'Secret Garden', which adjoins the rose garden, has featured in many books. It has a selection of tree peonies, roses, campanulas, lilies, irises and philadelphias. In the centre is a gazebo with a statue of Flora, pictured on the front cover of Peter Beales’ "Visions of Roses" (1996).

There is a pretty laburnum walk in the Wilderness and a recently resurfaced hard tennis court. Surrounded by rhododendrons, it is set in an historic bowling green. In spring the garden is a mass of daffodils and other spring flowers. The gardens are open to the public annually for one day in May and one in July under Scotland’s Gardens Scheme.

A beech avenue leads down from the great stone obelisk to the sea and there are rights of way for pedestrians and riders over tracks and avenues on the adjoining Tyninghame Estate.

Garages

Adjacent to the gates to the rose garden is a range of stone built garages with crow step gables. The two nearest garages and two parking spaces in front of them are owned by The West Wing.

Stables and Grazing

To the north east of the house beyond the wide lawn is a 3.4 acre field owned by The West Wing. Adjacent to the gate is a timber built, felt roofed stable block on a concrete base. It comprises two loose boxes, a feed room and a large store room.

Situation

Tyninghame House is beautifully situated, set in a very famous garden with 38 acres of woodlands and parkland which features a 16th century bowling green, walled kitchen garden, an ice house, an heraldic sundial, and a tall stone obelisk that marks the climax of a mile long avenue stretching to the sea.

The owners at Tyninghame House enjoy designated bridle paths, cycle paths and footpaths both in the grounds and through neighbouring parkland and woodlands. An avenue of beech trees leads down to the coast where there are magnificent, sandy beaches next to the John Muir Country Park.

Edinburgh is only 27 miles away via the A1 which is dual carriageway from Haddington. Dunbar, 6 miles to the east, has a railway station on the main line from Edinburgh to London King's Cross. There are regular trains to Edinburgh from Drem. East Linton is the nearest village and has local shops, a good pub/restaurant and a primary school. Belhaven Hill prep school is on the near side of Dunbar.

Golf courses in the area include nearby Whitekirk, which has a health centre and swimming pool, North Berwick, Dunbar, Muirfield and all the Gullane courses. Dunbar has a micro climate with reputedly the most sunshine and lowest rainfall in Scotland.

Directions

From Edinburgh, follow the A1, signed for Berwick-Upon-Tweed. At Haddington, leave the dual carriageway, taking the A199 signposted to East Linton. Continue past East Linton and take the turning on the left signposted to North Berwick and Tyninghame (A198). Follow this straight road for about one mile to the village of Tyninghame. Turn right, through the gates, and follow the long drive through parkland to the house.

Park at the garages on the right hand side before the house. Take the gate into the rose garden and follow the path to the front door of the West Wing, which is below the turret and stairs.