The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
SPLENDID ISOLATION
Jack McKeown visits a secluded luxury farmhouse in the heart of Angus, which enjoys beautiful views across the countryside – and even has its own cinema room
Occupying nearly five acres and tucked a third of a mile down a private lane, Renmure Farmhouse is a fantastic retreat from the world. Yet it’s far from remote. Montrose, Forfar, Arbroath and Brechin are all just a short drive away. The golden sands of Lunan Bay can be walked to across fields and farm tracks.
Jim Crosby bought Renmure Farmhouse in 1999 and lives there with his wife Wendy and their two German shepherds.
The house was once the centrepiece of a farm that was split up and sold off. “Normally when that happens the farmer gets all the best bits,” Jim says. “But in this case it was all done for the benefit of the house.
“Our land includes a belt of trees between us and the farm buildings. This gives us a lot of privacy and means you don’t see tractors passing by.”
Renmure Farmhouse sits in one corner of a small cluster of houses and cottages at the bottom of a private lane that’s accessed from a minor country road.
A large gravelled area to the front provides plenty of parking space. There is an additional driveway to the side as well as a triple garage that houses some of car-nut Jim’s vehicle collection.
People who like to host parties will love Renmure Farmhouse, which has no fewer than six public reception rooms.
SPACIOUS INTERIOR
A large timber front door opens into a vestibule and then into a hallway. To one side is the handsome drawing room. This has a bay window and a lovely pitch pine ceiling. The fireplace houses a wood burning stove.
A formal dining room has a pair of windows overlooking the rear of the house. The dining kitchen has a homely feel to it. There’s a large range cooker and a table with seating for eight people.
Jim converted an old potting shed into a cosy television room. As with the living room, this also has a pitch pine ceiling.
“That ceiling was there already,” Jim explains. “It probably had the best ceiling of any potting shed in Scotland.
“We have all these big rooms but I would say this little TV room is where we spend a lot of our time.”
Off the TV room is a huge conservatory measuring nearly 30ft in length and with double doors out to the garden. It enjoys beautiful views across the Angus countryside.
“This is a great room,” Jim continues. “It’s completely south facing so gets a lot of solar gain. It can be the middle of winter but if the sun comes out for a few minutes it gets really warm in there.”
Another door from the conservatory opens into a large utility room. To the back of the
house are two spacious interconnecting hallways. One of these is set up as the dogs’ room. A pair of German shepherds – three-year old Jasper and 10-year old Nzo (pronounced Enzo) – bound over happily to have a cuddle and a lean on their new visitor.
A large extension was separated by breeze block walls into a series of small rooms when Jim bought the farmhouse.
He knocked most of these down to create a large games room. This is a nice informal place for relaxing. There is a pool table, a wood-burning stove, comfortable armchairs and a television. Patio doors open on to a decking which has a large hot tub.
“When we bought the hot tub I thought it might be a white elephant but we use it all the time,” Jim says. “I would say we’re in there six or seven nights a week.”
Behind the games room is the cinema room. This fantastic space has a high end speaker system and the choice of a large screen TV or a projector screen for the full cinematic experience.
Jim explains: “I’m a bit of a movie buff so this room was a wee bit of self indulgence. It’s really nice to come in on a rainy day and stick a film on.”
EN SUITE BEDROOMS
On the first floor are three spacious double bedrooms. The gigantic principal bedroom has a bay window and could easily be an upstairs living room. Bedroom two has a dressing room and an en suite shower room, while the third bedroom also has en suite facilities.
Another flight of stairs leads to the attic. Here, a spacious landing is used as a home office. There are two more bedrooms – both with elevated views – and a shower room.
The expansive gardens stretch to almost five acres and there are huge stretches of lawn, mature trees and an orchard. Across a track is a separate section that has previously been used for dog agility but is now a nice spot for a picnic or for children to play.
Multi-level decking provides plenty of space to enjoy sunny days and there is a hot tub and a barrel sauna.
GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL
What Jim likes best about Renmure Farmhouse is the privacy.
“I’m a fairly antisocial person,” he smiles. “I like my own company and wouldn’t do well living in a city. It’s also great having all this countryside around us. I can take the dogs on big walks out from the house and often don’t see another living soul.
“At the same time I wouldn’t want to be somewhere really remote or cut off. We’re in the middle of the four main Angus towns.
“When Wendy travels back from work in Aberdeen she phones me 10 minutes before her train arrives in Montrose and I’m there waiting for her.
“I know all the names of my neighbours within a one-mile radius, and of their kids and their dogs. It’s a really nice rural community.”
After 23 years living at Renmure, Jim, 58, and Wendy, 56, are moving to a new house at Auchterhouse.
He said: “Wendy is no longer as tied to Aberdeen for her work. I fly microlights, so it’s closer to Perth Airfield for me.
“The new house is at the base of the Sidlaws, so it’s still nice and rural with some great walking on the doorstep.
“We intended to downsize but somehow we’ve gone for a house that’s even bigger than this one…”
Renmure Farmhouse, by Arbroath is on sale with Gilson Gray for offers over £730,000.