The Manse & The Manse Cottage Shore Road, Lochranza

Boasting an elevated position in Lochranza with fantastic views across the village, Kilbrannan Sound and beyond, this substantial detached red sandstone villa, which was a former Free Church Manse, offers generous, characterful accommodation, with soaring high ceilings on both floors, including six bedrooms, a large reception room, a dining kitchen, and three bathrooms (plus a WC). The villa also comes with an attached, two-bedroom, one-bathroom self-contained holiday cottage providing accommodation for up to four people. Externally, the impressive home occupies a plot of approximately half an acre, with spacious gardens and extensive private parking. The house was built c. 1889, painstakingly rebuilt and restored in the early 90s, and completely upgraded just a few years ago by the current owner.

You are welcomed into The Manse by an entrance porch with space for coat and shoe storage, leading through to a reception hall. Double doors from here open into a living and sitting room, perfectly positioned to take full advantage of the property’s views and offering a wonderfully flexible floorspace for various configurations of lounge furniture. Two fireplaces (one with a warming Clearview log-burning stove and the other flanked by a display recess with fitted shelving) create characterful focal points in the room. The kitchen lies across the hall and provides ample space for a large, sociable seated dining area. Contemporary grey cabinets are accompanied by worktops, sleek metro-tiled splashbacks, and a selection of integrated appliances, as well as space for freestanding goods. The kitchen is adjoined by a scullery with additional cabinets and workspace, leading to a large utility/laundry room with a useful WC. The kitchen also affords access to a versatile sunroom/greenhouse. One of the property’s six bedrooms completes the ground floor and is accompanied by an en-suite shower room.

The remaining bedrooms and a family bathroom (with a shower-over-bath) can be found on the first floor, accessed via a landing with a large linen cupboard. The largest bedroom is supplemented by built-in storage and an en-suite shower room, with the smaller bedrooms offering versatility for use as a home office/study. Two of the bedrooms, one of which has a walk-in wardrobe, have been created from the original drawing room, which the new owner may wish to convert back to. Finally, the house also includes a large walk-up attic offering outstanding storage space and featuring a window and an electricity supply.

Externally, the home’s generous plot provides spacious gardens to be enjoyed during the warmer months, with low-maintenance gravelled areas, a large lawn, and a wealth of mature, leafy trees, hedges, and shrubs. A gated driveway provides excellent private parking.

The Manse Cottage

The Manse Cottage has its own external entrance door which opens into the kitchen, where space is provided for small dining table and chairs/breakfasting area, and contemporary white cabinets are accompanied by a worktop and freestanding appliances. An adjoining family/dining room offers versatility to be used as a separate dining area or a comfortable lounge setting. Stairs take you to a multipurpose space on the first floor, which could be used as a living room and leads to the cottage’s two well-presented bedrooms, both supplemented by built-in storage. An attractive, contemporary shower room can be found on the ground floor.

NB: All furniture & white goods in both the Manse & The Manse Cottage are available by separate negotiation.

Area description

Lochranza is thought to be the most scenically attractive of Arran’s villages and is sheltered by the surrounding hills. The village focal point is Lochranza Castle, which sits on a shingle spit. On the southern side of the loch, other attractions include the Isle of Arran Distillery, which began production in 1995, the large population of red deer, golden eagles, seals and otters and a 11-hole golf course. There is a ferry terminus that allows quick access to the stunning West of Scotland via Claonaig. Kintyre here we come ! The village has an active local community with a village hall that hosts many event including pop-up pubs, bonfire nights, and dances, a Post Office, surgery, The Sandwich Station restaurant, and the ‘Stags’ restaurant, which is renowned for excellent food. The Lochranza Hotel has been purchased by the local community (December 2022) and has exciting plans to re-open during 2023. Primary schooling is available at the nearby village of Pirnmill, with secondary schooling in Lamlash. Lochranza is very popular with visiting yachtsmen who enjoy the many moorings, and floating pontoon, and launch slip by the pier.

Brodick (Arran’s main town) has two larger Co-Op supermarkets and a full range of professional services. Brodick is the port from which regular sailings throughout the day, serviced by Caledonian MacBrayne, lead to the mainland at Ardrossan.