Mackeanston House, Doune, FK16

Property Details: - Type: Detached house - Bedrooms: 5 - Bathrooms: 3

Agent: Cathedral City Estates - Dunblane Phone: 01786 392946

<p>Mackeanston House is a distinguished 18th century farmhouse, set in an acre of walled garden between the Stirlingshire villages of Doune and Thornhill, on the edge of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park. The five-bedroom house faces south, with extensive views across rolling farmland to the Gargunnock hills and Stirling Castle. Eight miles from Stirling, with its excellent road and rail networks, Mackeanston is within an hour’s drive of Perth, Glasgow and Edinburgh while, five miles away, Dunblane Station offers frequent rail connections to all three.</p><p>Built circa 1790 and part of the Gartincaber estate, Mackeanston House was acquired in 1947 by the present owner’s family, who have lived there ever since. Gradually expanded over the past two centuries, the house is elegant yet unpretentious, practical yet full of character. Approached from the nearby farm road, the tarmac drive leads between beech hedges to wrought-iron gates giving entry to the south-facing walled garden and the handsome front elevation. The beautiful, mature garden features well established trees, flowering shrubs and climbers; two elegant pergolas frame the front lawn whose deep borders, filled with roses, peonies and many other well considered plantings give colour throughout the season. A one hundred-year-old beech hedge divides the garden from the all weather tennis court, beyond which lies the orchard. On the east side of the garden a fruit cage shelters raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and blueberries, from which the current owner makes organic jams and jellies. A former vegetable garden, currently put down to lawn, could easily be revived. Warm stone walls support three types of espaliered pear while two prolific apple trees flourish against the east wall. This outstandingly sheltered, fertile garden offers endless scope for imaginative planting. The newly-acquired robot mower, which keeps the lawns and edges in immaculate condition, may be purchased separately.</p><p>In the orchard beyond the tennis court, beside a stream edged with trees and wild flowers, a one-bedroom Studio offers a peaceful retreat. Currently operated as a holiday let for two people and with excellent wifi, the Studio can provide useful income; it could, alternatively, be used as an office or as additional, ground-floor accommodation for guests. The layout, simple and light, comprises an open-plan bedroom and Sitting/Dining room with a fully equipped kitchen and separate shower room. French doors open onto a sunny balcony with lovely, south-facing views across farmland to the Gargunnock hills.</p><p>There are two garages: a double conveniently attached to the house and a large single at the end of the drive, the latter a useful home for a second car, garden equipment or a workshop. The property adjoins Mackeanston Farm, a position which underscores the rural setting while leaving the house private and self-contained within its encircling, old stone wall.</p><p>The house epitomises long-established comfort and character. The mansard lifts the roofline; windows draw in the long views; the stonework settles into the landscape. A wide porch, its doorway framed by a flourish of clematis and complete with an alcove for boots and fishing rods, leads through a glazed door to a spacious hall. Ahead rises an elegant, stripped-pine staircase, its woodwork, including v-patterned underside and pine corbels, aged to an attractive, dark hue. The hall gives access to a WC, understairs storage, cloakroom and utility room, leading to the back door.</p><p>To the left of the hall, a generous room currently serves as a Home Office, with windows front and back. Originally the old gun room and flower room, it now serves as a calm, focused workspace, equally well suited to a role as a library, music room or playroom. Beyond lies the Drawing Room, a well-proportioned space with windows to the front and side and an impressive fireplace with a carved wooden surround; this is a room that lends itself as easily to family life as to a more formal gathering.</p><p>To the right of the hall and running the full width of the building is the heart of the house, a combined family Sitting Room, Dining Room and Kitchen with a notably spacious Conservatory off to the side. The dining/living area is a friendly space, centring on a long table and an open fireplace with a painted surround and green slate hearth. A substantial pine dresser (available by inclusion) offers both display and storage. A comfortable sofa placed under the window is near enough for shared warmth and conversation, separate enough to be its own haven. The very large Conservatory or Garden Room, opening off the living area, has ample room for sofas and a family dining table; this light-filled space gives occupants the pleasing illusion of being in the garden while protected from the elements.</p><p>In the Kitchen area, contemporary units with solid beech worktops centre on an oil-fired Aga, fully reconditioned last year, which provides domestic hot water as well as gentle warmth. An electric hob and oven offer an additional cooking facility (the dishwasher and larder fridge are not included in the sale). From here, a half-glazed door leads to a porch and the back door. A wood store, adjacent to the porch, houses the boiler and fuse boxes. To the left, a door leads into the utility room and boot/cloakroom described above (housing a Miele washing machine, dryer and fridge which are included in the sale) connecting with the Hall via the downstairs WC and useful, under-stair storage space.</p><p>Upstairs are four Double Bedrooms and a spacious Single: two of them on the first floor and three at the top. The principal Bedroom is notably spacious and serene, decorated in a soft apricot tone and flooded with light from the south and east. The very large ensuite has a bath positioned to take in a view of the landscape and a separate shower, bidet and wash-hand basin. A long wall of fitted cupboards and wardrobes provides generous storage with both shelves and hanging rails.</p><p>The large, double, ensuite guest bedroom - originally the drawing room - is sunny, light and airy, benefitting from windows facing both south and west. The carved mantelpiece surrounding the open fireplace features a dragon, a lion and a griffin, a whimsical heraldic note that links the house to an older chapter of its story. The wood-panelled ensuite is comfortable and beautifully appointed.</p><p>The two further Double Bedrooms on the third floor have distant views to Stirling Castle; the spacious Single, looking east, is adjacent to a family Bathroom; each has its own character and is well suited to children or guests. On the landing, two press cupboards add to the ample storage found throughout the house.</p><p>The wider setting completes the picture. To the south, the Gargunnock hills form a gentle backdrop; to the east, Stirling Castle marks the horizon with the stamp of history; all around, productive farmland speaks of space and continuity. Within the grounds, there is a pleasing progression from the walled garden to the all-weather tennis court, to the private Studio by the stream. Seasonal highlights abound, from bluebells and primroses in the spring to raspberries and pears in late summer, with the beech hedge holding its line throughout.</p><p>In short, Mackeanston House is a venerable, well-loved Scottish family home, set in outstandingly lovely countryside while close to many amenities. Its rooms are elegant without being formal, its gardens are at once beautiful and genuinely useful, while the ancillary Studio brings flexibility and proven income. Properties with this combination of provenance, practicality and outlook are rarely available in this area. For a buyer seeking a house that wears its history lightly and supports modern family life with grace, Mackeanston is a compelling prospect.</p><p>Summary</p><p>Five-bedroom, three storey, country house</p><p>Breathtaking, south-facing hill views over rolling farmland</p><p>Three bathrooms, plus downstairs WC and cloakroom</p><p>Recently reconditioned Aga</p><p>Spacious Kitchen/Dining/Living Room</p><p>Large, bright Conservatory providing additional sitting and dining space</p><p>Separate Studio, providing additional useful space or a guaranteed income as self-catered accommodation</p><p>Outstanding flexibility for family life</p><p>Work-from-home possibilities</p><p>Beautiful, mature walled garden</p><p>Productive fruit trees and canes</p><p>All within easy reach of Doune, Dunblane, Stirling and the Central Belt</p><p>EPC band F</p><p>Council tax band G</p><br/>EPC Rating: F