Location

Kirkden House is attractively located just to the south of the village of Letham, which is centrally situated in Angus. Lying to the north of Letham is Dunnichen Hill, which is the reported site of the Battle of Nechtansmere in 685 AD, when the Picts reclaimed this part of Scotland. Letham, which dates from the 18th century, when it was laid out as a spinning and weaving community, is a well serviced village and provides local shopping with a post office, along with a baker, chemist, craft shop, hairdresser, pub, hotel and a primary school. Forfar, the county town of Angus, provides extensive shopping and business facilities, together with secondary schooling at the new community campus which has a swimming pool and leisure centre. Private schooling is found at the High School of Dundee, with a dedicated bus service from Forfar.

Angus is well known for its range of outdoor pursuits. Fishing can be taken on the North and South Esks. Balgavies Loch is a nearby nature reserve. The Angus Glens provide some of the best hill walking in eastern Scotland, and there is skiing at Glenshee. Loch fishing is available locally at Rescobie. As well as the local golf courses at Forfar and Kirriemuir, the championship courses at Carnoustie and St Andrews are within easy driving distance.There is a golf driving range at Forfar and a renowned sandy beach at Lunan Bay, while Glamis Castle, birthplace of the late Queen Mother, is easily reached. Locally there are many fine walks and the Murton Farm Tea Room and Nature Reserve is located close by.

The A90 at Forfar provides fast access south to Dundee, Perth and central Scotland, and north to Aberdeen where journey times have been greatly reduced by the Western Peripheral Route. Dundee has renowned cultural facilities including the V&A museum and provides all the services expected of a major city. There are east coast mainline railway stations at Arbroath and Dundee, with a sleeper service. Both Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports provide a range of domestic and European flights and there are services from Dundee to London Heathrow.

Description

Kirkden House is most attractively situated close to the village of Letham in Angus. It is set back from the Vinny Water which flows past the village on its way to Lunan Bay. Formerly the Kirkden Parish Kirk Manse it is a lovely two storey house, dating from 1783 and extended in 1825. There is an original old font stone by the front door. The original church was demolished in the 1950s. The house, which has been in the sellers' family since the late 1970s, is stone built with a slate roof and has a harled and stone extension. Situated to the side is a stone built range of buildings with a tiled roof, which incorporates Gardener's Cottage. This was occupied until October 2023, and has considerable potential as ancillary or letting accommodation, or, subject to any planning consents, could be extended into the adjoining outbuildings. In front of the house, and on the other side, are lovely, extensive gardens. It is a house which retains a number of original features, such as cornicings in many of the rooms; has good sized reception rooms, including a fine upstairs sitting room; and bedrooms both upstairs and down. As such, this is a most appealing property, ideal for entertaining and family living. It is double glazed.

Gates open to a front drive which leads through the garden, while a back drive leads past the cottage to the side of the house. An entrance vestibule with tiled floor leads into a welcoming hallway with a walk in shelved cupboard and staircase to the first floor. A cosy living room has a brick fireplace with a gas fire, display shelves and window shutters, while the dining room has a dado rail, shelved press, mantel, window shutters and a wooden floor. A study (previously used as a bedroom) has a window seat, shutters, and display shelves. The utility room has a porcelain sink, fitted storage units and a Bosch washing machine and dryer. Off an inner hallway is an understair cupboard, a partially tiled shower room with washbasin with vanity unit and WC, and bedroom two which has a washbasin and window shutters. The kitchen has fitted wooden units with granite worktops, tiled splashbacks, Panasonic microwave, three oven AGA, and a Mitchell & Brown wall mounted TV. A larder has a Blomberg fridge freezer and tiled floor, while the scullery has fitted units, sink, Blomberg dishwasher, and tiled floor. Off this is a further walk in larder with stone shelves and a rear entrance lobby with a cupboard housing a Worcester wall mounted boiler.

The first floor landing has a cupboard with attic ladders giving access to roof space. The elegant double aspect upstairs sitting room overlooking the garden has a picture rail, window shutters, brick fireplace with a gas fire and a Latin quotation which reads "fire lives and dies, cinders remain, life is like this".   Bedroom three has display shelves and a partially tiled en suite with shower, washbasin with vanity unit and WC. Bedroom four is also double aspect, while bedroom five has a fitted hanging cupboard, washbasin and window shutters. The tiled family bathroom has a bath with shower, pedestal washbasin and WC. Bedroom six has fitted wardrobes.

The garden is enclosed by hedges and has many fine shrubs including azaleas, rhododendrons and trees. There is an inset sundial (1674), a wooden potting shed (3.05 m x 5 m) and two greenhouses (both 4.4 m x 3.5 m) with power, water and light, and one with a productive fig and vine, together with two raised beds and a former dog kennel. A lovely walled garden has gravelled and paved paths, rose beds, a small pond and a wooden summer house (2.95 m x 3 m). To the side of the house is a stone flagged store while to the rear is a lean to bin store (4.9 m x 1.7 m) and a covered well. Beyond is an area enclosed by hedges with fruit trees and shrubs.

The U shaped range incorporates various stores including one with original nesting boxes, a dog kennel room with washbasin, and two stores/garages with auto roller doors. The accommodation in the double glazed Gardener's Cottage comprises a hallway with a cupboard with a wall mounted Worcester boiler; a double aspect living room with a wood burning stove; a tiled kitchen with Zanussi hob, Beko oven/grill, extractor, sink and a Blomberg washing machine; partially tiled bathroom with bath with shower, washbasin and WC; and three bedrooms, with bedrooms 2 and 3 having cupboards. The cottage garden is enclosed by hedges and there is a lean to store.

Directions

If coming from Arbroath or Brechin take the A933 to Friockheim and then turn on to the A932, signposted for Forfar. After some 2.8 miles turn left signposted Balmadies and Trumperton. Continue for 1.3 miles passing the edge of Letham following signs for Arbroath, and after crossing the bridge turn right, signposted Kirkden House.

From Forfar take the B9128, signposted for Muirdrum and Carnoustie. Proceed through Kingsmuir and after 0.5 miles take the turning on the left signposted Dunnichen, Letham and Arbroath. Continue for 1.8 miles, passing through Dunnichen, and opposite the cemetery turn left, signposted Letham. Continue into Letham on West Hemming Street and at the Square proceed straight over. After 0.4 miles turn right, signposted Arbroath, and after 0.2 miles, and after crossing the bridge, turn tight signposted Kirkden House.

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