Orchard House, Bowmont Street, Kelso

On the instruction of Roxburghe Estates - a handsome, listed Georgian town house, close to Kelso town centre, Floors Castle and with views of "The Golden Gates".

Situation - Edinburgh 44 miles Berwick-upon-Tweed 24 miles Melrose 14.5 miles Tweedbank Railway Terminus 15 miles

Orchard House, close to the junction of Bowmont Street and Roxburgh Street, is situated a short distance from the centre of the historic Scottish Borders Town of Kelso, on the banks of the River Tweed. Kelso is a bustling town, famed for its ruined Abbey fishing and Floors Castle (there are views of "The Golden Gates" from the house), and is a popular tourist destination, providing local schooling, modern health centre, shop, supermarkets, hotels and a range of professional services. Private schooling (3 years to 18 years) is available in Melrose (St Mary’s School), 14.5 miles to the west and just outside Berwick-upon-Tweed (Longridge Towers) 20.5 miles to the north-east.

The spectacular rolling landscape of the Tweed Valley and the Cheviot Hills adds unrivalled scenic beauty to the surrounding area, renowned for its wealth of sporting and recreational opportunities. The Scottish Borders has some of the finest fishing in Britain on the rivers Tweed (the famous Junction Pool is in Kelso) and Teviot, with a wide variety of other sporting activities including game shooting, cycling, walking, riding and golf (located approximately 3.5 miles to the south of Orchard House is the championship Schloss Roxburghe course). Close by are Kelso Rugby Club and Kelso Racecourse. The latter hosts fifteen jump racing meetings each year.

Orchard House has excellent transport links: Berwick upon Tweed is situated only 24 miles to the northeast, with its intercity rail connections to both north and south. The journey by rail from Berwick-upon-Tweed to London takes about 3 hours and 40 minutes. The Borders Railway, linking Edinburgh and the Borders, has a journey time of approximately one hour. The terminus is at Tweedbank (c.15 miles), just outside Melrose. Edinburgh and Newcastle International Airports are both approximately 50 and 60 miles respectively to the north and south.

Description - Dating from c.1825 Orchard House is a spacious, attached, B listed Georgian town house constructed of dressed stone with contrasting quoins, under a slate roof, about ¼ mile north of Kelso town centre (via Bowmont or Roxburgh Streets). Characterised by its garlanded block pediment in the centre of the front elevation and its distinctive chimney stacks, Orchard House is set in grounds of approximately 0.3 acres with separate pedestrian and vehicular access. The house has four floors, with two reception rooms, four bedrooms, two bath/shower rooms, family kitchen, utility room, basement (with scope for development) and three attic rooms, also with scope to add a play/games room/children’s “space” to the existing accommodation.

Adjoining the house, is the large, enclosed sunny lawned garden with surrounding borders and several mature trees, protected by a high stone wall along the front and a brick wall at the back. The gravel driveway, with ornamental double iron gates, from Orchard Park extends along the north side of the garden to the carriage circle beside the house. Pedestrian access is from Bowmont Street through a wrought iron gate, set between impressive gate piers, leading to an enclosed “courtyard” garden, with raised beds, protected by a low stone wall with wrought iron railings along the top. Access to the basement door and the storerooms (below the garden) is down external stairs. Another gate connects the front of the house to the main garden. At the back of the house, protected on three sides by the house and garden wall, is a paved terrace which is at the back door.

(See floor plans for room layout and dimensions.)