Prestigious residential estate centred on a luxurious stone built mansion in an accessible rural setting.

Location

Boquhan House is set in magnificent private gardens and grounds at the foot of the Gargunnock Hills. There are superb views over the gardens to the hills to the south and over parkland to the distant highlands to the north. The beautiful Boquhan Burn runs through the property and there are lovely walks in the hills above.

The property is easily accessible. The pivot of the motorway network is only 5 miles to the east with the M80 and the M9 giving quick access to Glasgow and Edinburgh respectively. Glasgow can be more directly reached via the A81 through Strathblane and Milngavie. Edinburgh Airport is 45 miles via the M9 and has regular services to London as well as services to an increasing number of international destinations.

The property is on the edge of the Carse of Stirling and the neighbouring Trossachs provide a spectacular backdrop. Loch Lomond is 15 miles to the west. Gleneagles Hotel and associated Country Club (26 miles) provides an extensive range of sports and leisure facilities including three golf courses – the Kings, the Queens and the Monarch (designed by Jack Nicklaus). Gleneagles is also well known as a centre for field sports with many guests staying at the hotel for grouse shooting, pheasant shooting and salmon fishing in the area.

Kippen is a sought after residential village with a primary school and small general store. There are secondary schools at Stirling and Balfron. For private schooling many attend Dollar Academy. Bridge of Allan is also home to Stirling University which has a sports centre and the MacRoberts Art Centre with its theatre and cinema. Stirling is the major town of central Scotland and provides a full range of shops, schools and services including branches of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, a large shopping centre, a cinema and swimming pool.

Description

The house is well designed with grand façades. The south façade is bright and sunny with full height windows in the majority of rooms. French doors lead out to the terrace at ground level and to balconies on the first floor. The north façade is also impressive with a pillared entrance flanked by steep pitched gables.

The imposing structure is matched by the high quality interiors and fine woodwork used throughout. Wooden floors are twinned with beautiful wall panelling: The Ionic pillars in the reception hall set the tone for the wonderfully elegant style within. Internally the accommodation is bright, well proportioned and excellently laid out both for entertaining and for modern family living. The entrance leads to a large L shaped hall with French doors leading out to the terrace. Off this hall are the main reception rooms comprising two drawing rooms, a library and a dining room. The breakfast room and kitchen adjoin the dining room with a sitting room opposite which was previously used as a gun room. The east wing comprises a laundry and stores and contains a staff sitting room, bedroom and bathroom.

The first floor accommodation is set around a passage with landings at either end. The principal bedroom suite is off the west landing and comprises the principal bedroom, two large dressing rooms and a bathroom. There are two further bedroom suites off the corridor and an elegant first floor drawing room with a balcony outside and a sitting room. The east landing has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen and has been used as an integral flat. There is extensive space on the second floor containing large store rooms and a billiard room.

The house is served by a garage / workshop block with adjoining kennels. There is also a stone built garden store. There is a walled garden with stables containing six loose boxes, a store room and a studio.

There are four cottages on the estate, including the original gate lodge next to the front gates off the A811. The three other cottages, which were built at the time of the main house, include a detached cottage at the end of the drive and a pair of semi detached cottages next to the walled garden.
Gardens and grounds

In front of the house is a large tarmac sweep and parking area with a flat lawn. A ha ha divides it from the parkland in front. A fir and beech hedge fringes the drive.

To the west of the house is the backyard which comprises a tarmac circle around a central lawn. There is a drying area beyond which is shielded by a high wooden fence to the west. A back door gives access to the house. Off the backyard is a building constructed of stone under a pitched slate roof, which contains an electricity substation and a large garden room.

The main gardens are to the west of the house and comprise a very large lawn with a central roundel of trees. Belts of trees run along either side with open views at the end to the Gargunnock Hills. To the east of the house is a sheltered rose garden with rose beds laid out around lawns with hedges to the front and back. Immediately in front of the house is a large paved terrace with nine urns. There are raised flower beds. Steps lead up to the doors to the reception hall and study.

The Boquhan Burn runs to the west of the property with masses of rhododendrons on either bank and a wooden bridge leads over the burn to further gardens beyond. There are acres of 'secret gardens' with shrubs and lawns backed by further banks of rhododendrons and trees above. The gardens continue westwards to the back drive where there is an all weather tennis court enclosed by a high netting fence with a circular stone built pavilion. To the side of these gardens is an enclosure of mown parkland bordered by rhododendrons and woods. At the far end of the garden is 'Bonnie Prince Charlie's Well' with a stone obelisk inscribed to Bonnie Prince Charlie who is said to have drunk at the well prior to the 1745 uprising. There is a vaulted well with paving stones around.

A bridge leads from the front of the house over the Boquhan Burn to the back drive on the far side. Off the drive to the right is a road to the walled garden, cottages and garage / workshop.

Beyond the house and cottages there is also a floodlit equestrian manège with a mixture of sand and rubber base, enclosed within post and rail fencing.

Square Footage: 10934 sq ft

Acreage: 58 Acres

Directions

From Glasgow take the A81 north through Strathblane and continue north until the junction with the A811. Turn right onto the A811 and proceed east towards Stirling. The gates and driveway to Boquhan are on the right hand side about ½ mile beyond the roundabout signposted to Kippen.

From Edinburgh take the M9 north past Stirling. Exit at Junction 10 and take the A84 west past Blair Drummond. Turn left onto the B8075 and follow this road to the junction with the A811. Turn right onto the A811 and continue west for about 3 miles. The gates and drive to Boquhan are on the left hand side.