Escape the grind
Former water mill has turned into a rural idyll, writes Jenny Shields
CONVERTING old buildings has been something of an obsession over the last decade, with the likes of agricultural, commercial and industrial properties being turned into homes. The most successful projects don’t try to erase or camouflage the past, but to celebrate it.
Only a few miles outside the East Lothian county town of Haddington, by the banks of the River Tyne, is The Old Mill, a handsome A-listed building dating from the mid 18th century.
This old stone property has been skilfully renovated and made into a family home while at the same ti me conserving i ts original features. From the outside, it looks little changed – there have been no unnecessary or inappropriate additions and the original water wheel is still in place.
The main living space is reached by an external wooden staircase that takes you to the middle floor where there is an entrance hall that opens on to a large sitting room. This is a dramatic space, with the old mill stones and gears at one end of the room. It says a lot for the confidence and inherent style of the owners to have retained these massive reminders of the mill’s past, yet because they are part of the building they do not look at all out of place.
Other attractive features include the French doors leading onto a decked balcony with views over the water. This thoughtful addition to the project makes sure that the life force that once powered the mill, the River Tyne, is still a focal point of the building. Also on this floor is a high-end breakfasting kitchen – put in two years ago – with wood units, Aga and marble worktops. There are two bedrooms, a bathroom and a laundry room on this level. On the upper floor are two en suite bedrooms while the lower ground floor has a games room/home cinema as well as another room which could all be converted into a self contained apartment if required.
The grounds of The Old Mill are beguiling, offering riparian fishing rights as well as four acres of gardens, paddock and orchard.
In all, this home offers enviable peace and quiet despite being only a 40-minute commute from Edinburgh. Offers over £695,000 to Strutt & Parker in Edinburgh.