Natural choice
Moving from the city to the East Lothian country has given the Hamiltons the best of both worlds
Afamily wedding might have provided the impetus for buying and quickly renovating Forbes Lodge, but 10 years later Susie and Andrew Hamilton are still enjoying the results. The couple bought the property in the centre of Gifford in East Lothian after 32 years of city life in Edinburgh.
‘Andrew and I were brought up in the English West Country, so swapping city lights for village life didn’t faze us,’ says Susie. ‘Gifford is such a friendly village and the house, situated as it is in five acres of garden but only three minutes’ walk from the shops, combines the joys of country living with a feeling of inclusion. I’ve always been keen on the atmosphere in a property and although the house needed modernising, it had a nice feel.’
Forbes Lodge was built in 1780 for one of the younger sons of the Marquess of Tweeddale, explains Susie. ‘Yester House was the Tweeddale family home and the Marquess built four large houses for his younger sons, all of which still thrive as family homes. The previous occupant of Forbes Lodge was Lady Marioth Hay, daughter of the 10th Marquess of Tweeddale and we owe her a debt of gratitude. She was chiefly responsible for creating what we think is one of the loveliest gardens in East Lothian.’
The couple bought the five-bedroom property in May 2006 and on 1 September that year their daughter was due to be married at home. ‘From May to August there was a rush to get the house ready for the wedding,’ laughs Susie. ‘It was quite a challenge. We replaced the roof and knocked through five rooms to create an open plan kitchen and sitting room.
‘The other big thing we did was to make better use of the area at the back of the house. This was a sun trap waiting to be exploited. We hummed and hawed because we had to remove 500 tons of soil from a grass-covered bank at considerable expense. However, it was worth it. When the sun shines, we live out there.’
Despite a few anxious moments along the way, the wedding deadline was met – but only just. ‘It’s amazing what you can achieve with a dozen builders on site,’ Susie says. ‘They worked tirelessly and by September the roof was on, all the bathrooms were finished and the replumbing and rewiring completed.’
The renovations included altering the layout not just structurally but practically. ‘We needed to make the house work for us on a day-to-day basis, so we changed the use of some rooms to suit the way we live. We also reinstated every fireplace, which was quite a job.’
When it came to décor, Susie knew exactly what she wanted. ‘In a Georgian house, you don’t want anything spanking new, which is why I didn’t paint anything white. Even when
we bought new toile de jouy wallpaper, we chose the cream background as opposed to the more modern white version.’
Susie’s also not averse to a bit of faking. ‘A friend and I made some of the headboards for the bedrooms. They’re polystyrene mouldings which we spray-painted. We had a fun weekend making them.’
Whilst the internal renovations took about six months, the garden evolved over a more leisurely six years, adds Susie. ‘ We left the magnificent oaks and limes alone, but cut down many of the larger trees, with the council’s permission. Each tree has been replaced with younger and often smaller ones such as rowan and crab apple. Like all growing plants, trees have a natural lifespan and many of them were ready to go. There were several yew trees which were meant to be topiaries and be regularly shaped and cut but they hadn’t been touched for years, so a lot of them went too.
‘We relocated the driveway and put the parking at the side of the house rather than at the front. This simple measure ensures that the stunning views from the reception rooms are uninterrupted. We also built perimeter stone walls and replanted the lawns. In fact, I think the only thing we haven’t changed is the river which runs through the garden and is Andrew’s great love.’
A keen fisherman, Andrew extols the virtues of the Gifford Water and explains why it gives him so much pleasure. ‘There can’t be many houses situated in the middle of a village that look onto a sea trout river,’ he says.
‘We’re incredibly fortunate to have both river banks and two, good, sea trout spawning pools. The river doesn’t just play host to fish; thanks to a healthy insect population, there is an abundance of colourful bird life, including kingfisher, dipper and grey wagtails, and the woodland abounds with wild animals. Bats and hedgehogs are commonplace and in a good year butterflies thrive. Standing on the bridge that crosses the river and contemplating life as the water flows below reminds me of how lucky we are to live here.’
Susie is in no doubt that Forbes Lodge is her perfect house. ‘If you gave me a million pounds there is nothing I would want to change. My son and daughter come with their families to stay every summer and there are 12 of us in the house for seven weeks. The house is brilliant; it adapts so well and is equally functional when it’s just Andrew and me.’
Forbes Lodge – a house for all sorts and all seasons and very good for weddings too.