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THE WATER OF FIFE WHY THIS HISTORIC HOME WILL STIR PASSIONS IN WHISKY LOVERS
WHEN Betty Spence first moved to the pretty Fife village of Newburgh, she loved the fact apple trees and pear trees grew in almost every garden – including her own at Burnside House. “I thought it was just because the ground was good in this part of the world,” she smiles. “It turns out, however, that the monks at Lindores Abbey had brought them over from France and handed them out to all the villagers.
“It is lovely – fruit trees grow everywhere and it’s a reminder of the area’s past.”
After a break of 523 years, spirit is once again flowing from the copper stills at Lindores Abbey, linked to the earliest written reference to Scotch whisky.
“This is where whisky was born, if you like,” says Betty, who has lived at Burnside House with her husband Gordon for four years.
“We discovered recently another connection to the abbey. There is a burn which runs through our gardens which is called the Holy Burn, because the monks channelled the water to the abbey for the production of aqua vitae.”
The earliest Aqua Vitae, a botanical spirit, was made at Lindores as long ago as 1494, and the new distillery has reinvented it for a new generation.
Reinvention applies to Burnside House too. Betty and Gordon have upgraded this former manse, which dates back to 1845, with great care and attention and the result is a beautiful family home.
The house has been extensively modernised to include an eco-friendly heating system, triple glazing, and a new fully fitted kitchen with modern appliances and a Range cooker.
“The house was used as a small hotel for a while and when we moved in the bar was still there, and the bedrooms all had small en-suite cubicles, so we removed all of that,” explains Betty.
“I loved the idea of having a bath in the master bedroom – I didn’t want an en-suite built in, because it would have disturbed the lovely cornicing, but the idea of a bath really appealed.” She adds, smiling: “It’s a very relaxing room.”
The ground floor includes a bright and spacious lounge with a bay window and fireplace, and a comfortable sitting room – both have multi-fuel stoves, plus a large games room and a gorgeous sun lounge, which has access to the gardens.
The first floor is home to the master bedroom, two bedrooms with en suite shower rooms and two further bedrooms, plus two family bathrooms, one with a contemporary freestanding bath and a separate walk-in shower.
The second floor is dedicated to large gym, which could equally work as a cinema room, playroom for children or a further bedroom. Skylights mean the space is flooded with natural light.
Betty, who is an artist, has tastefully decorated each room in soft colours. Her artworks – often inspired by the gardens at Burnside House – hang on the walls, and while great care has been taken to preserve and maintain the original features of the property, modern luxury aimed at comfortable, contemporary family life is in every nook and cranny.
“People say the house has a welcoming and cosy feel, which is lovely,” says Betty. “It has been a happy home for us – it’s the perfect place for big family get-togethers. When all our children and grandchildren come together here, it’s really wonderful.”
Outside, the gardens are fantastic, with lots of seating areas and stunning views
over the surrounding countryside. There is a private courtyard at the back, which is ideal for entertaining and al fresco dining, and access leads to a wooden footbridge over a neighbouring stream, into more lawns and woodland.
“Although we are close to the main road, we never hear it – the house has triple glazing, and it is very peaceful,” says Betty. “It’s lovely in the summer, when all the flowers are in bloom, to sit in the garden and enjoy the views.”
It is around a 10-minute walk to Newburgh, which is home to an excellent range of local facilities and enjoys a thriving community spirit and a reputation as a centre for creative arts. The M90 motorway network means Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen are all within easy reach, while Perth, the increasingly fashionable city of Dundee and Stirling are within commuting distance.
Betty and Gordon never intended to sell Burnside House when they bought it in 2016.
“We really have loved it – it was such a big change for us, from the cottage we had been living in, and we have done a lot of work to it over the years,” Betty explains. “My heart sank just a little when the For Sale sign went up….”
She adds: “But as Gordon prepares to retire, we want to do something different.
“We don’t want to leave Newburgh, as it is such a lovely, friendly place to live, but we are planning to buy a house in Spain.
“So we plan to downsize, and divide our time between the two – life’s next great adventure.