Having put their own unique stamp on it, a new beginning awaits the former home of author Alistair MacLean, writes Susan Welsh
Let’s be honest, sometimes when I visit a pristine showhome, one that’s been designed to be a blank canvas so the new owners can put their own stamp on it, it can be tricky to find that “something special” to write about.
With Torguish House, a detached former manse at Daviot, just four miles south of Inverness, I have the opposite problem.
This gem of a property is unique, and in the words of the owners Mike and Angie Moor, “pretty quirky” – which is just the way they like it.
It’s been nine years since they relocated from Middlesborough to the large house at Daviot, moving with their son Ben, 40 van loads of furniture and their assorted businesses which include an antique and salvage firm, building Romany-style caravans and in Ben’s case, making specialised guitars including some from old cigar boxes.
It would also be true to say their home reflects their warm, engaging and interesting personalities.
It’s filled with a wonderful mixture of antiques and collectibles, so much so that it’s hard to stop your eyes being drawn to the variety of objects filling the rooms, such as the shining full-size suit of armour that stands midway up the semi-circular staircase.
The hallway’s decor is pretty unusual too because, from the ground to second floor, it features a hand-painted mural showing iconic scenes from the Highlands, including Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness.
“It was painted by Stephen Route, a well-known artist from Hull, using a broad-brush technique. It took him six-and-a-half weeks to complete and he’s guaranteed it to stay as good as new for a lifetime. He came up a couple of years ago to see how it was faring and had almost nothing to do to it,” said Mike, who is a very sprightly 72.
Having had a holiday home in Scotland for several years, the family decided to relocate here permanently and spent some time searching for the ideal property.
“We looked at other properties and put in bids for them but were pipped at the post several times,” said Angie, 68.
“So we asked an agent to send us a selection of homes she thought suitable and she sent us details of Torguish House. As soon as we saw it we knew it was right for us.”
The house, which is on the market at offers over £750,000, has a fascinating history. It dates back to 1705, built some 40 years before the Battle of Culloden, and was extended in the 1860s.
Torguish served as the manse for the nearby Daviot Church of Scotland, and that’s where the story really gets interesting as it was the former Highland home of renowned thriller author Alistair MacLean.
The writer, who penned bestsellers such as The Guns of Navarone and Where Eagles Dare, spent most of his childhood at Torguish House as his father was the minister at the local church.
“We’ve had Alistair’s nephew and niece stay with us which was really nice,” said Mike. “They told us stories relating to the family’s time here and gave us a nice selection of black and white photographs of the family taken here.
“We also had a literary afternoon here with a group of 20 American fans of MacLean’s work.”
Alistair MacLean died in Germany in 1987 and was buried in Switzerland where he lived as a tax exile for a large part of his life, but his earliest memories were of Torguish House.
The house was then owned by the Pringle family, famous for producing world-class knitwear, and prior to being bought by the Moor family was owned by well-known local businessman Alastair “Sugar” Kennedy, director of football at Ross County FC, who, with his wife, ran a B&B and letting cottage business from the house.
The house continues to be run as a successful biker-friendly B&B, while there’s four substantial cottages in the grounds which are used as self-catering holiday lets.
The couple run a small cafe, selling home-made cakes and drinks from the dining room of the house, while they also run their antique and salvage business from the house, although the bulk of the goods are in a series of large outbuildings or set out in the extensive gardens.
The full accommodation includes a vestibule which leads to a reception hall. The large lounge has an impressive fireplace as a focal point and tall original sash and case windows with wooden shutters. It, along with the equally large dining room across the hallway, are both bright rooms filled with natural light and offering pleasant views of the garden and hills beyond.
This floor also has WCs, an en-suite letting room, owner’s accommodation and a large fully equipped and well-maintained commercial kitchen with plenty of surface and food preparation areas, and an eight-ring gas burner Flavel Range cooker.
To the rear is a laundry and back door leading to a private court yard.
Head up the broad spiral staircase and on the first floor there are five enormous bedrooms, some large enough to easily accommodate a grand four-poster bed, and each with en-suite facilities and feature fireplace, while the top floor has two even larger rooms, one of which author Alistair shared with his three brothers.
The property comes with around two-and-a-half acres of established grounds and includes a stand of around 350 Scots Pine trees, and a sunken walled garden with pond.
Within the grounds are the self-contained two-storey cottages which have a galley-style kitchen, dining/sitting room, one or two bedrooms, and ground-floor bathrooms with overbath shower. The owner’s accommodation is located at the rear of the house and can be reached internally or via its own private access.
There are a number of outhouses, two large sheds, a garage, henhouses and a static caravan, plus parking for several cars as well as motorcycle parking facilities with ground anchors.
A long drive from the A9 leads to the house and cottages, the entrance having become something of a local landmark as it regularly has large statues of stags or eagles displayed there.
“We are sad to be leaving as it is such a lovely house, while the gardens are a haven for wildlife with regular visitors such as red squirrels, badgers, stoats, woodcocks and pine martens,” said Angie.
“We’ve loved having guests here and had quite a few memorable moments including the chimney being struck by a bolt of lightning and being partially invaded by bees and bats.”
Mike said: “We blocked off all the chimney’s upstairs to avoid any similar occurrences but the thing that sticks in my memory is having one American guest ask, ‘’Can I have a bat in my room please?’ – she thought we could order a bat to fly round her room!”
With a daughter and three-year-old grandson living in England and another grandchild on the way, they have decided to sell the property and downsize, but fully intend to continue running their businesses and stay in the area.
Contact: CCL Property Ltd on 01343 206011.