Old Bank House, Bank Street, Cromarty, IV11

Old Bank House is a handsome B listed property in the centre of Cromarty on the Black Isle, a peninsula lying just to the north of Inverness between the Moray and Cromarty Firths. Built in the 1820’s as a bank and with connections to Hugh Miller, the famous Scottish geologist and writer, the property is of historic note in the village.

Cromarty, an 18th Century former fishing village, is a charming mix of meandering lanes, fishermen’s cottages and subtantial merchants’ houses. There is a good range of independent shops, a small supermarket with post office, and primary school, as well as a community cinema, cafes, restaurants and the harbour with its ferry to the north side of the firth. Secondary schooling is available at the highly regarded Fortrose Academy and Inverness, about 40 minutes’ drive away, has all the facilities of a modern city including its airport with regular flights to the south and Europe.

The Black Isle has fertile rolling countryside with a beautiful coastline of raised beaches and prominent headlands. The area has a number of way-marked cycle trails and walks, while the coastal villages offer sheltered harbours and nearby Fortrose has a links golf course.

Old Bank House is in a delightful, peaceful setting in the village, within walking distance of all amenities and the harbour. Semi-detached to the rear, the house is private with its sheltered garden and secluded courtyard. The current owners purchased the property in 2007 when it was in a poor state of repair and have restored and upgraded both the interior and exterior to create an impressive, beautifully presented family house. The work carried out was extensive and included re-roofing, rewiring, replumbing, the installation of a wood pellet boiler, reconfiguration of some of the rooms, timber treatments, and complete redecoration. Where possible traditional features have been retained, restored or replaced in the same style, while small areas of original decorative features have been left exposed to echo the history of the house. The ground floor annexe, the former bank rooms, has both internal and external access and is currently incorporated into the existing accommodation but also offers potential for use as self-contained wing.

EPC Rating = E