Period beauty

Golfing great’s 19th Century home is well above par!

▼ Golfer Jean Donald.

well as stunning views and equally beautiful interiors, St Helens at 1, West End Place, also has impressive sporting heritage. The seven-bedroom property in North Berwick, East Lothian, built in 1867, was the birthplace of one of the foremost female golfers and a local legend.

Jean Donald won a string of accolades during her career, including the Ladies French Open Championship in 1947, the Scottish Ladies Championship in 1947, 1949 and 1952, and the Sunningdale Open Foursomes on four occasions, twice with partner Peter Alliss.

Her name was on signature Slazenger ladies’ golf clubs for years and her numerous medals and honours are now on display in Gullane Golf Club, after Jean died in 1984. But St Helens is where it all began for Jean, who was born in the property in 1921. Current owner Barbara Mcpake bought the property, set over three floors, in 2006 and has enjoyed lots of good times there – especially when it comes to admiring the views.

“The upstairs living room, especially, has some amazing outlooks over Bass Rock,” she said.

“A lot of time has been spent in that room, staring out of the window.”

With hidden nooks and high-ceilinged rooms, the property has retained many of its original features such as intricate cornicing, fire surrounds and bay windows. “It’s not something you want to mess with too much,” Barbara continued. “The main thing we did when we moved in was to pull up all the carpets to put down new flooring.

“But the guy we had in to do the work said the original flooring was beautiful and he could bring it all back up, and it looks great.”

The first reception room on the ground floor overlooks the front garden and leads into the dining kitchen, while the second reception room is currently used as a double bedroom, but would make an ideal playroom or study.

On the first floor is a second formal reception room, three further double bedrooms and a bathroom. What at first appears to be