If walls could talk, Doirlinn House at Kilchoan, Acharacle, would have some very interesting tales to tell.
Over the years, it’s been everything from a coaching inn providing welcome relief to weary horse-riding travellers, to a shop and Post Office providing vital communication links with the rest of the world. And while it’s thought to date from the 19th century, those stepping through the front door of this large, detached house today will find themselves in a very modern and stylish home.
Located on the Ardnamurchan peninsula, the most westerly point on the British mainland, the house has been owned by the MacMillan family for nearly half a century, but as James MacMillan reveals here, the family’s connections to the house extend beyond that time frame.
“My parents, Gillespie and Catriona, bought the house in July 1966 and when they took it over, they ran it as a guest house and also ran the Post Office from here. My sisters, Maureen and Iona, had a very happy childhood here. I remember, in the summer months, enjoying sleeping in a wee shed outside so they could accommodate guests. That was a typically Highland thing to do as people wanted to make the most of the short tourist season,” said James, who works for Savills and farms in Caithness.
“We reckon the house was built around 1860 and it was originally an inn with a stable block beside it for the horses. While researching our family tree a few years ago we discovered an ancestor of ours had run the inn while my grandfather used to run a small shop from here. My parents ran the Post Office from here for more than 40 years and the house is often still called locally the Post Office house.”
Doirlinn House is without doubt an imposing country property. It enjoys a prime position and enjoys spectacular, panoramic views over its surrounding land to the Sound of Mull and beyond. It’s easy to see why visitors would want to stop and spend some time here. What’s surprising is that despite its age and history, inside it looks every inch the luxurious modern family home.
“Five years ago, when my mother wasn’t in the house, there was a water burst on the top floor and the house was absolutely destroyed from top to bottom. It was devastating and mum had to move out for a year while the repair work was undertaken,” said James.
“The house was completely re-built inside – even most of the joists were replaced – but the result is that you have a brand new house inside. The house was literally taken back to the bones, re-wired, re-plumbed and upgraded. There’s also superb insulation which means it’s a lovely warm house.”
The accommodation begins with an entrance vestibule which leads to a lovely hallway from where there’s access to the lounge, dining room and kitchen while a staircase leads upstairs. The lounge is a lovely bright room with windows on two sides and a charming feature of a wood-burning stove while the separate dining room is ideal for entertaining. The kitchen is fitted with modern high gloss kitchen units offset with wood-effect work surfaces and a breakfast bar. Appliances here include a Lamona gas hob with chimney hood, double oven, integral microwave, dishwasher and fridge. Just off the kitchen there’s a generous utility room, with fitted cupboards and plumbed for a washing machine. From here, there’s a handy ground floor shower room with walk-in mains shower and wet walling.
Moving upstairs, the first floor has a master bedroom with Jack and Jill-style en-suite four-piece bathroom. There’s a second double bedroom with built-in wardrobe and en-suite shower room, and a third double bedroom within easy reach of the stylish bathroom. On the second floor, what would once have been servants’ quarters, are now two stylish double bedrooms each with built-in double wardrobes and en-suite shower rooms.
Full of charm and in excellent order throughout and with five good-sized bedrooms, four of them with en-suite facilities, means this house could be used for a variety of purposes, from a family home to a lifestyle house where bed and breakfast could be offered.
“My mother died which is why my sisters and I are now selling the house,” said James who, because of work commitments, wasn’t able to make it along to our photo shoot. Priced at offers over £425,000, the asking price of the house, which enjoys lovely views of the Sound of Mull, includes 1.6 acres of ground comprising garden ground, a walled garden and a field located directly to the front of the property.
Enjoying a coastal location on the picturesque Ardnamurchan Peninsula, famed for its natural rugged beauty and wildlife, Doirlinn House is located in the crofting village of Kilchoan which is around 50 miles west of Fort William. Local amenities include a village shop, petrol station, primary school and a ferry link to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.
Contact: MacPhee & Partners, Fort William on 01397 702200.