Banks Farm, Ruthven, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, AB54

Banks Farm comprises a charming traditional farmhouse, steading and land, located in a quiet yet readily accessible position near Cairnie, between Huntly and Keith. Likely to date from the 1870’s, the house is a larger than usual Banffshire Farmhouse and provides comfortable and well laid out accommodation of some 216m2 over two storeys. On the ground floor, a boot room / spacious hallway with seating area and access to a cloak room (plumbed for a shower room but fittings not installed). An inner hall leads to a spacious dining kitchen with a stone flagged floor, larder and a solid fuel Rayburn that also helps heat water, and from the hall, there are doors to a utility room and the attractive dual aspect sitting room with a wood burning stove and double doors to a study. A doors leads to the original front hall which has stairs to the first floor and a door to a lovely and bright living room / 4th bedroom. On the first floor, a landing leads to three good sized bedrooms and the family bathroom. The farmhouse appears to be in good order and has many of the features one would hope to find in a property of this age and character including open fireplaces, a wood burning stove, a stone slabbed floor and solid fuel Rayburn in the kitchen. The house has a wonderfully bright and airy feel for a traditional dwelling with several of the rooms having dual aspects. The dining kitchen, sitting room and living room / 4th bedroom are particularly appealing rooms. It is double glazed (apart from two dormer windows), heated using a mix of solid fuel (from the Rayburn) and oil.

GARDEN
Outside, the house is surrounded by a wonderful garden which was established by you some 20 years ago and which has been expertly curated over the years. Sheltered by mature beech hedging, the garden includes a wealth of plants and shrubs with various mature beds and borders, vegetable and fruit beds, a wide variety of mature trees (including many fruit trees), a pergola, trellis, several gravelled paths and areas of lawn. In addition, there are two aluminium framed greenhouses.

FARM BUILDINGS
Sitting adjacent to the house is a traditionally built steading which provides excellent storage as well as potential for development (subject to obtaining all necessary consents). Constructed of stone under a predominantly slate roof in a traditional ‘C’ shape, the steading includes various byres, stores and workshops and includes the original thresher and grain store. In recent years, the enclosed courtyard has acted as a wonderful safe haven for the owners poultry. Located opposite is a very useful covered former silage pit (about 24m x 14m).

LAND
In total, the grounds at Banks Farm extend to about 13ha / 32.2 acres and include two substantial fields, part of which have been planted with a variety of trees as well as offering potential for grazing horses and other livestock subject to installing fencing as necessary. The land sits between 100 and 140m a.s.l and has an easterly aspect and a wonderful outlook over the surrounding countryside. To the west lies a parcel of amenity woodland of mainly birch and other native broadleaves which screens and shelters the farm from the public road.
Whilst the farm is IACS registered, the vendors have not claimed for and do not own subsidy payment entitlement.

EPC Rating = F