This 19th century cottage has all you need today

A 19th century cottage has been beautifully modernised and upgraded.

Presented by Galbraith, Bedrule Mill, near Denholm, in the Scottish Borders, has been modernised, upgraded and extended since 2005.

The cottage sits within approximately 25 acres of land on the side of a spring fed fresh water rill and enjoys tremendous privacy whilst being within easy reach of most Borders towns and their amenities.

With three reception rooms, and three-four bedrooms, the property has a biomass pellet boiler in the store/barn which serves under floor central heating (ground floor) and radiators, together with the hot water.  The system accommodates a generator which will supply heat and light to house and greenhouse in emergency (generator not included).

In addition to the two wood burning stoves, the fireplaces and chimneys in the master bedroom and the dining room have been fully repaired and are in working order, though the old kitchen range in the latter would require some attention.

The early 19th century stone barn has been recently refurbished and repaired as a useful store and houses the pellet burner.

A large multi-purpose steel framed building, a short distance from the cottage, incorporates storage for farm/agricultural use, double garaging, workshop, WC and two spacious office/studio rooms (one with pantry and Belfast sink, the other with bespoke wall to wall fitted cupboards with sliding and folding doors).

There are 16 solar panels are on the roof of this building with their output feeding into the Grid. This building extends to around 2315 sq.ft. on the ground floor and 745 sq.ft. on the first floor.

Bedrule Mill is the oldest building in Bedrule, its foundations dating from before 1540, thus probably contemporary to Bedrule Castle, the remains of which are in the neighbouring property to the South.

It was a corn mill consisting of two one-up/one-down cot houses, with mill attached for much of its life, until the 18th/early 19th Century when it became a pirn mill (and known locally as Pirnie Mill), making the bobbins and reels for the textile industry in Hawick and further afield.

Signs of the wheel housing are on the west gable above the rill.
The cot houses were converted to one house, and by the beginning of this century, the mill had also been incorporated. There were numerous poor quality outbuildings, all demolished except the byre, but the huge lintels of one long lost building were rescued and form three impressive ‘seats’ in the garden.

Fast Castle (also known as Castle Knowe) is believed to date from the 12th Century and was basically a timber palisade on top of a natural rocky mound which may or may not have had an earlier fort there and there are vestiges of rampart and terracing at the upper level. It was also thought to be the ‘fortalice manor for Bedrule Castle’, ie an outlook fort, in the 16th Century.

Views from the top, towards Fatlips (Minto Tower), Ruberslaw and the Minto Hills are breath-taking, together with those from the perimeter fence marching Bedrule Farm to the east.

The motte is a scheduled monument and under the auspices of HES (Historic Environment Scotland).

In the garden policies and the steep bank beside the steel barn, there are a number of rare or special trees, grown from seed, some collected from the wild, including two unnamed alders collected by the RBGE from Japan where they are endangered.

They come with RBGE (Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) certification. Others come from Chile and the Himalayas, as well as from collections from around Scotland. Part of the back lawn is kept rough to accommodate the wild orchids and other natives.

The scree above the river opposite Fast Castle has recently been fenced off which has resulted in a fine natural regeneration of hazel, hawthorn and wild cherry. About 3 hectares of hardwood on the west side of the river is awash with AWI (ancient woodland indicator) plants and sports an ancient oak, ash, hazel, aspen, young sweet chestnuts, and a fine alder carr.

The bridge to Bedrule Mill was completed in 2009 and has a weight limit of around 30 tons. It is a new steel bridge by Beaver Bridges in Shropshire and the foundations were rebuilt by Gilbert Developments. There is also a ford across the Rule Water.

Bedrule is a small Borders settlement on the east side of the Rule Water between Hawick and Jedburgh. The surrounding countryside is particularly appealing and local amenities including shops, primary school, inns and a restaurant are found in nearby Denholm. A wider range of amenities, including secondary schools, is available in both Hawick and Jedburgh. The Borders Railway, with its regular trains to Edinburgh, terminates at Tweedbank – approximately 17 miles by road.

The property currently benefits from RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) and FIT (Feed In Tariff) payments.
Bedrule Mill is a registered small holding (No. 92/775/0002) and its approximately 3.6 hectares of permanent grassland is eligible for IACS payments for proprietors’ own stock, and for the Scottish Governments’ current greening policy.

The agents will consider offers over £650,000.

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