The Retreat,
Ayton, Berwickshire, TD14 5QZ

A well-proportioned C-listed period family home with excellent access to the A1 and Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station.

Edinburgh bypass 45 minutes (42 miles), Berwick-upon-Tweed 8 miles, Newcastle 72 miles (Distances and times approximate).

Accommodation and amenities
3 reception rooms * 5 bedrooms * dressing room * 2 bathrooms * Kitchen * utility room * cloakroom * cellar store room * wine cellar * secluded walled garden * coach house * secret garden* mains gas

Situation
The Retreat is located on a quiet road in the village of Ayton, approximately 8 miles north of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Ayton has an excellent village primary school and a busy local shop, bank and post office, whilst a wider range of facilities is available in the seaside town of Eyemouth, 3 miles to the East, and in Berwick upon Tweed. To the east, the idyllic beaches at Coldingham and Cheswick are only 15 minutes drive away, whilst inland the river Tweed and Kelso racecourse are also close at hand. Some of the finest diving in the UK is to be found at the St Abbs Marine reserve 20 minutes away, whilst the cliffs above are one of the most spectacular nesting sites for marine birds in the UK.
Edinburgh and Newcastle are within commuting distance with the recently upgraded A1 ¾ mile by road to the east and the railway station at Berwick upon Tweed, some 6 miles south. From here a frequent fast train service runs to Edinburgh (journey time 45 minutes) Newcastle (50 Minutes) and London (approximately 4 hours). Edinburgh and Newcastle airports are both just over an hour's drive away. The Borders offers a unique quality of life with excellent leisure possibilities: the Retreat is an ideal home from which to enjoy walking, fishing, cycling, scuba, snorkeling and riding.


Directions
Take the A1 south towards Berwick-on-Tweed. About 7 miles north of Berwick, take the turning right signposted to Ayton. Pass through the village, just after the shop turn right at the crossroads onto Beanburn. The Retreat is a red sandstone house about 150 yds along on the right. For satellite navigation, the postcode is TD14 5QZ.

Description
The Retreat is an elegant C-listed period house, built in 1831. The house has been extensively modernised and decorated over the past decade and now offers modern comforts within a traditional home. Built of stone under a slate roof it not only has four good size double bedrooms and a single bedroom/nursery, but also offers considerable scope for further expansion (see floor plan for room dimensions and layout). In particular, the cellar store could be easily adapted to make a useful home office, games room or home cinema subject to attaining the necessary consents. Similarly, the coach house and hayloft could be adapted to provide a granny annexe or similar accommodation, again subject to the necessary consents. The Retreat has an open southerly aspect, which in conjunction with the large sash and case windows, give the house an airy and bright atmosphere..

Hallway (3.6m x 3.02m) / (11'10"x 9'11")
Drawing Room (5.33m x 4.65m) / (17'6" x 15'3")
Writing Alcove (2.68m x 1.21m) / (8'10" x 4'0")
Dining Room (2.71m x 4.9m) / (8'11" x 16'1")
Kitchen (3.74m x 4.71m) / (12'3" x 15'5")
Utilities (1.87m x 1.62m) / (6'2" x 5'4")
Cloakroom (1.5m X 1.4m) / (4'11” X 4'7”)
Playroom (4.2m X 3.1m) / (12'6 X 10'11”)
Landing (4.69m x 2.44m) / (15'5" x 8'0")
Master Bedroom (4.81m x 4.67m) / (15'9" x 15'4")
- Dressing Room (2.17m x 1.73m) / (7'1" x 5'8")
- Ensuite Bathroom (2.3m x 1.75m) / (7'7" x 5'9")
Bedroom 2 (3.21m x 4.04m) / (10'6" x 13'3")
Bathroom (2.63m x 1.9m) / (8'8" x 6'3")
Bedroom 3 (3.26m x 3.62m) / (10'8" x 11'11")
Bedroom 4(3.3m x 4.68m) / (10'10" x 15'4")
Nursery/Study/Bedroom 5 (2.44m x 2.03m) / (8'0" x 6'8")


Garden
The front garden is largely laid to lawn and screened from the Beanburn by a yew hedge. An intriguing feature is the “Holly house” formed from two ancient holly trees. The walled garden, which lies largely to the rear of the house, has a substantial west-facing main border, but also includes numerous mature fruit trees (apples, pears, plums, greengage and damson), raspberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants and a productive vegetable garden bordered by low box hedging. There is a 10' X 8' greenhouse on the south wall: a gap in the hornbeam hedge at the North East corner leads into a “secret garden”, predominantly laid to lawn, with a summerhouse.

Services
Mains gas, mains electricity, mains water, telephone and mains drainage.

Council tax
The Retreat is band G

Solicitors
Archibald Campbell & Harley,
37 Queen Street
Edinburgh
EH2 1JX
Tel: 0131 220 3000
Fax: 0131 220 2288
Contact: Andrew Mitchell

Tenure
Vacant

Viewing
By appointment with the agents, mypropertyforsale.co.uk tel: 0843 315 3826.

Entry
Entry and possession by arrangement.

These particulars, whilst believed to be accurate are set out as a general outline only for guidance and do not constitute any part of an offer or contract. Intending purchasers should not rely on them as statements of representation of fact, but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to their accuracy.

These particulars, whilst believed to be accurate are set out as a general outline only for guidance and do not constitute any part of an offer or contract. Intending purchasers should not rely on them as statements of representation of fact, but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to their accuracy.