City’s finest view
With panoramic vistas and a truly capital location, life’s sweet in this Georgian gem
ITis the town house that provides all the benefits of an urban setting, yet also offers amazing views of green space. This handsome three-storey villa in Edinburgh’s Marchmont area is handy for all the requirements of city centre living, such as cosmopolitan restaurants, theatres, leisure facilities and excellent transport links.
But the view from the first floor drawing room is something you might expect from a chocolate box cottage in the heart of the countryside. That’s because Georgian-era 2 Fingal Place looks directly onto one of the capital’s most entrancing open spaces, The Meadows.
Complete with a view of Arthur’s Seat, the picture changes with the seasons and provides current owner Gillian Charlton-Meyrick with a colourful year-round panorama. She said: ‘It starts in March, when the grass in front of my house bursts into a carpet of colourful crocuses.
‘That’s followed by the daffodils, which are planted in huge numbers across the park. Then, come May, we are treated to avenues of cherry blossom which look absolutely wonderful.’
The Meadows has been an active part of Edinburgh’s history for hundreds of years. It was once a loch, called the Burgh Loch or the South Loch and provided much of Edinburgh’s drinking water, funnelled along wooden pipes.
It really came alive when a drainage programme began in the mid-17th century and, in 1827, an Act of Parliament was created to prevent the area being built upon.
Its grass provided the first playing surfaces for the capital’s two great football teams, Hearts and Hibs. The first derby match between them was played on The Meadows on Christmas Day 1875.
Mrs Charlton-Meyrick’s home had been built 55 years before, in 1820. Doubtless, the first owner would have been a wealthy Edinburgh merchant or seafarer. Certainly, he would have had staff, as the butler’s pantry was still in evidence when the current owner moved in 18 years ago.
Mrs Charlton-Meyrick said: ‘When I bought it, it was a complete wreck. It still had its 1970s décor, all shocking yellows and greens throughout the house.
‘They had even laid green lino over the flagstones at the entrance.
‘It took me six months to scrape them clean and polish them up but it gave me great satisfaction.’
A full year of hard graft saw her turn the B-listed property into something akin to the way it was intended to look almost 200 years ago.
MRS Charlton-Meyrick said: ‘It’s now a beautiful house. I spend much of my time in the sitting room-cum-kitchen but I use the upstairs drawing room when I’ve got company. The views are fabulous and because it’s north-facing, the room gets wonderful light. ‘The place is amazing for entertaining. I have had 16 for dinner in the dining room, which is great because I can get all my family around the table.
‘I have had my four children with me in the house but they’re all gone now and I’m having to downsize.’
It’s possible a new owner may come from the world of academia, as Fingal Place is conveniently placed for Edinburgh University.
Whoever buys it will benefit from a wealth of period features, including solid wood floors, ornate cornicing, wrought iron balustrades and an attractive cupola. Two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms are to be found in the basement, along with a dressing room or nursery, linen cupboard, wine cellar, larder, cloakroom and wash house.
The dining room, sitting room and kitchen are all on the ground floor.
As well as the drawing room, the first floor accommodation includes the master bedroom with a generous dressing room or additional bedroom plus a family bathroom. Rooms with a view, indeed.
Offers over £825,000 to Peter Strang Steel at Savills, Edinburgh. Tel 0131 247 3731 or email pssteel@savills.com