Location

Afton House is set in a large garden on the corner of Kennedy Gardens and Wardlaw Gardens. It has an elevated setting with an outlook over the University buildings on the North Haugh below to the Old Course with the West Sands beach and the sea just beyond.

Kennedy Gardens is a side street off Hepburn Gardens and has the Wardlaw Hall of the University of St Andrews at its end. The house is well placed for the town centre being within 200 yards walk from Market Street through the Kinburn Public Park.

The house is also within 600 yards walk of the world-famous Old Course with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at its head and the West Sands Beach stretching beyond. The Cockshaugh Park, on the opposite side of Hepburn Gardens, links to the Lade Braes footpath which has a history stretching back to the Middle Ages and follows the route of an old mill lade which runs from the town centre all the way out into the countryside.

St Andrews is renowned worldwide as the Home of Golf. There are seven golf courses under the management of the St Andrews Links Trust. The Old Course is arguably the most famous golf course in the world and played host to the 150th Open Championship in 2022. There are many other golf courses in the area including the Duke's Course, St Andrews Bay, Kingsbarns and Dumbarnie.

St Andrews is also well known for its university which is one of the oldest in Britain, founded in 1413. The historic town has a good range of shops, hotels, restaurants and recreational and cultural facilities which include The Byre Theatre. Beyond St Andrews is the East Neuk of Fife, with a spectacular coastline which boasts fishing villages built around picturesque harbours and sandy unspoilt beaches.

Access to St Andrews by rail, road and air is good. Leuchars railway station (8 miles) is on the main Aberdeen to London line and provides a link to Dundee and Edinburgh. Edinburgh Airport, with a wide range of domestic and international flights, is 50 miles away and Dundee Airport is 15 miles.

Description

Afton House, dating from 1862, is a stone-built house under a slate roof. It is a magnificent property, extending to over 6,300 ft2 which was substantially modernised in 2009 / 2010 but retains many of its original features including cornicing, working shutters and fireplaces.

The front door opens into a porch which has a glazed inner door with side windows leading to the reception hall which has a grand staircase leading to the first floor. There is a cloakroom off the hall. The impressive timber panelled drawing room has a tiled fireplace with a timber surround and slate hearth, and a large bay window to the front.

The hall has been opened up to incorporate the dining room, creating a splendid entertaining space. In the dining room there are French doors onto a terrace and a wood burning stove on a slate hearth under a marble mantel.

On the opposite side of the hall there is a reception room used as a study with a wood burning stove set into the fireplace. There is a gym which has a glazed door opening into the garden and a shower room with WC.

The kitchen is a wonderful family room with a living area and a dining area with French doors to the garden. Fitted cupboards fill one wall with a steam oven, microwave / oven and warming drawer. A large central island houses the sink and a Miele induction hob with warming plate. There is also an integrated fridge and dishwasher. Off the kitchen is a utility room with two Belfast sinks and plumbing for a washing machine and dryer. There is a store with fitted shelves and a dishwasher.

There is a back hall with WC and a door to the garden. The back stairs with a full height window opposite lead up to the first floor.

First Floor

The main staircase leads up to a first-floor landing where there are three main bedrooms and three bathrooms. The principal bedroom has a white marble fireplace and a bay window with a superb outlook over the golf courses and out to sea. It has a dressing room with hanging rails and drawers and a bathroom with a tiled shower, free standing bath, period WC and twin wash basins.

Bedroom 2 has a connecting door to a bathroom with a free standing, roll top bath, shower, WC, wash basin and linen store. Bedroom 3 overlooks the garden. The bathroom next to this has a bath, WC, and wash basin.

Off the landing is a playroom which links to the back landing and back stairs. There is a TV room (or bedroom 8), a bathroom and a boiler cupboard with two boilers and a hot water cylinder.

On the second floor there are three further bedrooms and a study (or bedroom 7). There is a bathroom with bath, separate shower, WC and wash basin. There is a linen cupboard and under eaves store.

GARDEN

Afton House is set in a large garden enclosed by stone walls. To the front, off Kennedy Gardens, is an in and out driveway which connects to a gravelled parking area and the double garage. There is a low wall in front.

The back garden is fully enclosed within high stone walls and is south facing. There are herbaceous borders around a lawn with a summerhouse in the corner and a trampoline sunk into the ground. There is a paved terrace and a fire pit at the back door. Outside the dining room is a covered outdoor eating area with an outside shower. This adjoins the garage and a greenhouse.

Directions

From the roundabout at the end of Market Street in the centre of St Andrews head west on Double Dykes Road. Just before the junction with Hepburn Gardens turn right into Kennedy Gardens. Follow the road around the left-hand corner. Afton House is on the left-hand side at the corner with Wardlaw Gardens.