A house to fill with special memories

Country house steeped in history is the perfect home for a happy family

MEMORIES are made in a house like this. Geoff Fenlon and wife Lesley have lived in the five-bedroom upper flat of the converted Waulkmill House, near Dunfermline, for 22 years.

But with their two children now grown-up and moved away, the time has come to downsize.

The couple will be leaving behind a property that means a lot to them.

“We have so many memories of our time here,” Geoff said. “Even our kids’ friends, who are all in their 20s now, are telling us we can’t move because they too have so many fond recollections of the place.

“The house comes with a lot of ground and the kids used to love playing in the lower gardens, which is a big space, when they were young.

“There is also 3.5 acres of woods that belong to us.”

Geoff, who is a consultant in conferencing, arenas and education, and Lesley live in a house rich with history.

“The property was built in two parts,” Geoff explained.

“The original part is circa 1780-90 and was a typical three-storey and attic Georgian country house, then an extension was built around it in the Georgian and Gothic styles in 1890.

“It was lived in as one house until the Second World War, when it was requisitioned and used as an officers’ mess for the navy.

“It returned to the owner, Mr McCrone, after the war and became his estate factor’s house.

“He had previously lived in it but moved across the road to an even bigger house with a nine-hole golf course after making his money scrapping the German High Sea Fleet at

Scapa Flow.” The property was later converted into three flats – in the basement, entry level and upper.

The attic was already converted when Geoff and Lesley moved in and they’ve done further work to make the home even more spacious.

“We opened another attic space and made it into a utility room,” he continued.

“We also put in a new kitchen and bathroom.

“It’s a pretty flexible place – where we currently have the kitchen, there was previously a bedroom.

“People don’t expect it to be such a large space.”

The property is in walk-in condition and is entered via an imposing stone staircase.

It comprises of a lower hallway with stairs leading to the main hallway, which gives access to all first floor apartments including a south-facing living room with stone fireplace containing a log-burning stove, a south-facing sitting room with feature wooden fireplace, dining kitchen, three double bedrooms, family bathroom and WC.

On the upper level is a shower room and two double bedrooms, one of which has a utility room off of it.

The house is currently on the market for offers over £295,000 through Hunters Residential.