Around A Temple

Craigiehall Temple is a unique property combining a circular stone tower originally dating from 1759 with a contemporary extension which now provides a stunning 6 or 7 bedroom detached house (depending upon internal room layout/use) with ample garden ground and a rural setting close to central Edinburgh. The property is entered via an impressive glazed vestibule providing access to both the main accommodation and to the tower. The tower is arranged over two floors with the dining room on the ground floor linked via a spiral stone stair to the bedroom and en-suite shower room on the upper level.

The main body of the house is also arranged over two floors with the reception areas on the upper floor and the bedrooms on the lower floor. This arrangement has been designed to take advantage of the stunning open views over the valley. The upper floor houses two reception rooms with access to a large balcony, as well as the spacious dining kitchen with granite work surfaces and oakwood hand-built units, which also has sliding doors providing access to a second balcony on that level. The ground floor provides the bedroom accommodation. Three bedrooms with en-suite facilities are complemented by three further bedrooms – one of which is currently utilised as a home office. There is also a useful utility room on this level. The tower was originally added to in 1996 and was further extended in 2005.

The extended area features hand-cut Cullalo stone sourced from Stirling as well as reclaimed Scottish Slate for the roof. The original tower has an interesting history. Originally constructed in 1759, Craigiehall Temple was also known as The Leny Temple and still features a splendid pillared portico by Sir William Bruce, the architect of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The architectural value of the Temple lies mainly in its portico. Bruce designed it for the fine mansion of Craigiehall just across the River Almond which he built for the second Earl of Annandale whose arms are carved above the entrance. That was at the end of the seventeenth century; more than 50 years later, Charles Hope, Annandale’s nephew and successor, transferred it to the Tower that he was building on Leny Hill. It is believed that the Tower has only changed hands three times since its construction.

Situation: Cammo Road is situated to the west of the city of Edinburgh within the highly regarded area of Barnton. The old village of Cramond is approximately 1 mile distant with Edinburgh city centre approximately 5 miles to the west. The house is superbly placed for swift access to the city by-pass, M8, M9 and M90 motorways, whilst Edinburgh Airport is a short drive away.

* 6 to 7 Bedrooms (depending on use and layout)

* 2 Reception Rooms

* 5 Bathrooms

* Historic Tower Conversion

* Gardens

* Private Parking

Location: Craigiehall Temple Tower House, 66 Cammo Road, Edinburgh EH12 0AR.

Tenure: Feuhold (Scottish Equivalent of Freehold).

Guide: £895,000.

Contact Strutt & Parker Agencies Tel: 0131 718 4597 – Isla Collinge.

Online Brochure ….

http://search.struttandparker.com/residential/66-cammo-road-edinburgh-eh12/5369

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Economical Ecumenical

This is the classic “before” example of one of the buildings seen in various television restoration programs, and at a very economical guide price starting around £30,000.

Capel Nebo is a detached single storey building which stands in the heart of this popular hilltop village within a few miles of the North Pembrokeshire coastline at Abercastle. The property has been utilised as a place of worship and has potential for conversion to a residential dwelling or for commercial purposes (subject to any necessary Change of Use and/or Planning Consents). The property stands on a small plot of land which is bounded by a natural stone walls on three sides and a stone wall boundary at the fore.

Mathry is a popular hilltop village which stands in between the market town of Fishguard (5 miles North East) and the cathedral city of St Davids (10 miles South West).

Mathry has the benefit of a church, public house, a village/community hall and a craft shop.

Externally – The property stands in a small plot of land with a lawned area bounded by a stone wall. There are stone wall boundaries to three sides of the property. The boundaries of the property are coloured red on the plan (available from the Estate Anecy’s Fishguard Office). The fixed Pews are included in the sale of the property.

Location: Capel Nebo, Mathry, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA62 5EZ.

Tenure: Freehold.

Guide: £30,000 to £40,000 – At Auction Friday 26th October 2012 at 3pm (if you read this AFTER the auction date, it is ALWAYS worthwhile checking to see if the building did ACTUALLY sell after at auction, or perhaps is still available for sale)..

Contact JJ Morris Agencies Tel : 01437 760440.

Online Brochure ….

http://www.jjmorris.com/index.php?URL=img_link&EXTRA=002673675&CURRENCY=GBP

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Ecumenical Email

We really love receiving email from our readers and subscribers with specific requests for style of unusual property, and/or geographic locations. Even better when we can respond positively. This request was for something interesting in the RG9 postcode area. Now that is a precise location. Not sure if this is exactly the type of thing, and it is a little under our visitors budget, but it is a pretty building and caught our eye.

General Description: The Old Chapel dates back to around the mid 1800s. Formerly a Weslyan Religious Meeting Hall and was converted in the 1980s. The property has many character features including a stained glass window and a vaulted beamed ceiling. The entrance hall leads to the kitchen and dining area. The kitchen incorparates a range of modern units and an electric Aga. The double height sitting area has a wood burning stove and extensive wooden bookshelves. A curving staircase leads to the double bedroom on a mezzanine floor. The room has a range of fitted cupboards and a gallery overlooking the sitting room. The modern bathroom is situated off the entrance hall. There is potential to create a second bedroom, subject to the usual consents.

* Vaulted Sitting Room

* Kitchen/Dining Area

* Double Bedroom

* Bathroom

* Garden

* Parking

* Potential for 2nd Bedroom

Location: The Old Chapel, Russell’s Water, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 6UE.

Tenure: Freehold.

Guide: £449,950.

Contact Savills Tel : 01491 843000 – Katie Baldwin.

Online Brochure ….

http://residentialsearch.savills.co.uk/property-detail/314437/list

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Little Lockup

This is a very thin police station, presumably for flat foots who are not too gravitationally challenged to be p.c., – police constable and politically correct. The price may be getting thinner too. Previously placed for auction at £110,000 we understand it didn’t sell. So is making an encore guest appearance on 23rd October 2012. We would hope the new reserve reflects the earlier unsold position, and the actual price on the day may be under the £99,000 mark. We are only reporting what has gone before. If this does raise your sleuthing instincts, might we suggest you telephone the auctioneer for an update on whether the guide or reserve has been reduced? We all know you can ask a policeman for the time, but perhaps this is bargain time, and time to phone the auctioneer. Whatever else, this does illustrate the value of our back-to-the-future philosophy.

This particular police station is almost in television Heartbeat land, as it is around 60 miles from where the filming for that series was made.

This building does have six rooms within so may have more depth than first appearances. Located in North Yorkshire, and being sold at auction this has all the hallmarks of an interesting and unusual property to convert.

General Description: A single storey former office building, extending to approximately 95.30 sq m (1,026 sq ft) The property is located in a predominately residential area on Newbiggin close to the intersection with Cravengate which can be accessed from the A6108. Richmond is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and approximately 13 miles south west of Darlington. The property may represent an opportunity for redevelopment or an alternative use subject to gaining the necessary consents …

6 Offices 67.90 sq m (731 sq ft) Kitchen 2.60 sq m (28 sq ft) Stores 24.80 sq m (267 sq ft) and W/Cs

Location: Former Police Station, 57 Newbiggin, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4DX.

Tenure: Freehold.

Guide: Previously UNSOLD £110,000 – For sale by AUCTION – 7pm, 23 October 2012, Newcastle Marriott, NE11 9XF.

Contact Pugh & Co Auctioneers Tel :0844 2 722444.

Online Brochure CURRENTLY Auction Lot 144 ….

http://www.pugh-auctions.com/Lot/Newcastle/20121023/144

Earlier listing (unsold then, when guided at £110,000 – PREVIOUSLY Auction Lot 149)

http://www.pugh-auctions.com/Lot/Newcastle/20120911/149

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Beatle Island?

At least four of our readers, and indeed the founder of Unique Property Bulletin have owned and/or lived on small islands, so this listing should hopefully ignite some interest from our website.

In the 1967, Beatle John Lennon bought Dorinish Island and is reported as waxing lyrical about this wonderful sea gem for living on … “I hope we’re a nice old couple living off the coast of Ireland, looking at our scrapbook of madness.”

Sadly as history testifies, this was not to be for John Lennon. His widow, Yoko Ono sold Dorinish Island to two local brothers in 1984. They have now put it on the market for sale.

Dorinish Island is one of the most westerly of Clew Bay’s reputed 365 islands. The island provides the most exceptional views from every aspect. To the north are Inishgort Lighthouse and the Nephin Mountains, to the east across the many Drumlin Islands Westport Quay can be glimpsed in the distance and overlooking the island to the south is Croagh Patrick Mountain.

Dorinish has a very colourful past, one of its former owners of course being John Lennon, who purchased the island for a reported £1,550 in 1967. It then subsequently became known to many as Beatle Island. Dorinish was uninhabited when John bought it from Westport Harbour Board and he was granted planning permission (since lapsed) for a holiday home.

Dorinish Island can be reached within 15 minutes from Rosmoney, Murrisk and Lecanvey Piers.

Maybe worth placing a call to Andrew Crowley at Sherry FitzGerald Agencies to see what the position is on access, planning permission, and price? You never know! For sure readers here have ended up with this sort of island in times gone by. This wonderful place of some 19 acres (7.7 hectares) is just there for the delight of some lucky person. If the beauty of this place can capture the imagination of the genius who penned Imagine, then it must surely be worth a visit to see if an offer might be made.

Location: Dorinish Island, Clew Bay, Westport, Co Mayo, Ireland.

Tenure: Believed to be Freehold equivalent for Eire

Guide: Euro €300,000 (US$386,000) = Approximately GBP £239,000.

Contact Sherry FitzGerald Agencies Tel: Westport, Co Mayo 098 29009 – Mr Andrew Crowley.

Online Brochure, along with some lovely photographs. Check out the old ruinous house. Imagine.

http://www.sherryfitz.ie/commercial/Farms-and-Estates-For-Sale-by-Private-Treaty-Westport-Dorinish-Island-Clew-Bay-Westport-Co-Mayo-propertydetail.aspx?id=316624&ST=5&pc=2

IMAGINE

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Beach & Botanical Bandstand

This is our first Bandstand. On an island as well ! Following the Beatle Island listing earlier in this Bulletin, we have a variation on a theme. Sir Paul McCartney is on record as stating the Beatle classic – Ticket To Ride, was based on a ticket to Ryde on the Isle of Wight. I digress.

Initial thoughts on this Isle of Wight Bandstand, are because there is likely to be a concern from local community members about the future use, is to go for something that combines viability with a form of home, plus community function. We have managed this sort of thing in our Real Dragons’ Den website so it can be done. For example (subject to planning permission and length of the long leasehold), it may be an idea to have a home element – living below the shop as opposed to the old fashioned Ronnie Barker Open All Hours living above the shop. Then combine some form of community service facility utilising the old Bandstand above. Depending on whether there is already a capacity nearby (which one wouldn’t want to disrupt) the thing that comes to mind is a sort of alfresco restaurant facility on the deck where the band used to play. Probably requiring specialised glass surround as a wind break. But the idea is there.

The question is: Will the numbers stack up and could this be doable? If so, you may have an interesting and certainly unique lifestyle along with your unique building.

Agency Narrative: “Prominent former Bandstand building enjoying panoramic views over Sandown Bay The building is well placed to be converted to beach side concession, cafe or restaurant, subject to any relevant consents. The ground floor of the building runs to approx. 70m² (750 ft²) on a site of 225m² (2,421 ft²) Located on Sandown’s Culver Parade, close to the junction with Fort Street.

The building enjoys panoramic views not only of Sandown Bay and Culver Down to the East, but also overlooks the public park, playground, tennis courts etcetera to the rear. As such, this building is very well placed and would suit application for change of use to cafe or restaurant, subject to any relevant consents.

Sandown forms part of the Sandown-Shanklin-Lake conurbation wrapping themselves around Sandown Bay with the sandy beaches and leisure offer of the area ensuring high numbers of visitors and tourists, boosting the local population of around 19,500. Sandown’s seafront is a magnet to tourists and locals alike, flocking to the area to enjoy the many facilities and amenities on offer besides the famous sandy beaches including the Isle of Wight Zoo, Dinosaur Island, Browns Pitch & Putt, giant slide and boat park and Sandown Pier with its rides and attractions.

The ground floor of the property is predominantly a rendered concrete building, probably circa 80 to 90 years old. The structural condition of the building is questionable. Gully Howard Chartered Surveyors have not inspected the building, but from plans provided estimate the GIA (gross internal area) of this part of the building is approximately 77m² (753 ft²). The roof of the structure is raised forming canopy over the former Bandstand area. As you can see from the photograph, this roof is in need of repair, if not total re-build. As previously mentioned, if the building was converted for alternative use, the chances are that this open area would be glazed rather than left open to the elements, subject to any relevant consents. To the rear of the building is a further canopy, providing further covered outdoor space, which could be utilised and glazed or walled in, subject to any relevant consents or the building may suit demolition and re-build s.t.p. Please see plan overleaf for detail.”

From the perspective of the Unique Property Bulletin, we have had a couple of emails enquiring about our fondness for buildings on the Isle of Wight, and the realtively significant number of properties featured from the island in our Bulletin.

The answer, for us, is straightforward: an island adventure was had a decade or so ago when we started our small Unique Property Syndicates – a group of like minded friends clubbing together to go on small adventures. Not just the odd lighthouse building purchased, but more exotic things. One of the best was the purchase of the former Isle of Wight ferry MV Southsea. This was a wonderful time and experience. Not only was this ship beloved on the island, but the small group from this Unique Property Bulletin website had an immeasurable amout of enjoyment, pleasure, and it was a privilege to own the old girl for a while.

Returning to the Isle of Wight Bandstand. Materially important details are as follow:-

Location: Sandham Bandstand, Culver Parade, Sandown, Isle Of Wight, PO36 8QA.

Tenure: Long Leasehold.

Guide: £55,000 (PLEASE check leasehold length and exercise FULL due diligence).

Contact Gully Howard Chartered Surveyors Tel: 01983 822555 – Gavin Chambers or Jane Bauldry.

Online Brochure ….

http://www.gullyhoward.com/development-land-south-england.asp?prn=210682

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In case you missed it, and in addition to our weekly Unique Property Bulletin – our monthly FEATURE has been uploaded and is available via this link ….

Click Here For Monthly FEATURE

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…….and finally:-

Hobbits On Islay? Middle Earth meets Mull of Oa, or to be more geographically correct Lagavulin on the wonderful Island of Islay. Here we have a fantastic idea – Storm Pods – for a new island adventure, and an interesting freshly invented word of glamping.

Further detail for the Glamping Pods via …

http://blog.islayinfo.com/article.php/islay-pods-booking-site-online

This very unusual subterranean abode is well worth a visit to Islay for. The island is one of the jewels in Argyll and along with it’s neighbour, the Island of Jura, Islay is a must-visit location for anyone touring Scotland and/or Britain.

Further information about the Island of Islay can be obtained from the excellent internet site and brainchild of Ron at …

http://www.islayinfo.com/about_islay_info.html

Information on the Storm Pods can be found at ….

http://www.islay-pods.co.uk/index.php

Or by contacting:-

StormPods,
Lagavulin,
Island of Islay, Argyll,
PA42 7DX.
Tel: 01496 300 129

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Unique Property Bulletin

Unique Property For Unique People

Air Fields, Air Control Towers, Aircraft Hulls, Air Raid Shelters, Barns, Bridges, BT Telephone Exchanges, Bunkers, Canals, Canal Boats, Castles, Caves, Churches, Cinemas, Coastguard Towers, Customs Houses, Dams, Distilleries, Earth Dwellings, Engine Houses, Fire Stations, Foghorn Buildings, Gasometers, Harbours (For Ships), Helicopter Houses, Hospital Buildings, Hotel Buildings, Ice Houses, Infinite Spaces, Islands – Private, Islands – Small Community, Jails, Keepers’ Houses, Libraries, Lifeboat Stations, Lighthouses, Lodges, Lookout Defences, Martello Towers, Ministry of Defence Buildings, Movie Sets, Multi Storey Carparks, Nuclear Bunkers, Oil Rig Modules, Police Stations, Post Offices, Printing Works, Pubs, Pump Houses, Queen’s House, Railway Carriages, Railway Stations, Rocket Stations, Schools, Shipping Container Houses, Ships, Ship Hulls Landbased, Signal Boxes, Steam Houses, Stately Homes, Subterranean Dwellings, Toll Houses, Tunnels, Underground Railway Carriages, Underground Stations, Valve Houses, Warehouses, Water Towers, Water Works, Wild Cards, Winch Houses, Windmills, Wind Turbines, X Factor, Yachts, Zoos.

If we have missed anything, please email suggestions via our website….

http://uniquepropertybulletin.co.uk/contact-us/

Unique Property Bulletin – Archive

Back Issue Bulletins – Former Lighthouses, Coastguard Stations, Castles, Barns, Railway Stations, Windmills, etc

Unique Property Bulletin 30 September 2012

Around A Temple

Economical Ecumenical

Ecumenical Email

Little Lockup

Beatle Island?

IMAGINE

Beach & Botanical Bandstand

Click Here For Monthly FEATURE

…….and finally:-

Unique Property Bulletin

Unique Property For Unique People