Some houses belong as much to the history of a place as they do to the people who eventually make them home.
At Geddes Village, a tiny collection of traditional dwellings in the countryside between Nairn and Cawdor, this stone and slate cottage can trace its beginnings back to around 1840.
Originally built as one of six servants’ quarters associated with Geddes House, it is a modest piece of local Highland history that has evolved into a comfortable two bedroom home.
Its appeal begins with the setting, around four miles south west of Nairn and less than a mile from Cawdor, where fields, mature woodland and countryside surround this small group of old houses.
The cottage itself retains the proportions and character of its origins, including original storm doors, sash and casement windows and thick stone walls beneath its traditional slate roof.
Inside, the main living and dining room is bright from windows on three sides and provides the natural centre of the house.
A multi fuel stove sitting on a slate hearth gives the room warmth and character, while there is enough space to accommodate both sitting and dining areas without either feeling squeezed.
An extension towards the rear contains the kitchen, where a large window looks directly into the garden and a traditional Belfast sink feels entirely at home within an older property.
The bathroom has been treated with similar thought, combining a claw foot roll top bath with a rainfall shower and underfloor heating.
There are two bedrooms, with the larger enjoying light from two sides while the second could work equally well as a bedroom or home office.
Yet it may be beyond the walls of the cottage that Geddes reveals one of its strongest cards.
The rear garden is substantial, private and largely laid to lawn, with mature trees and shrubs framing an open outlook across rolling fields.
It gives the property considerably more breathing space than might be expected from a two bedroom cottage and creates room for gardening, entertaining, children or simply somewhere quiet to sit and watch the wildlife moving through.
There may also be potential to extend the house, subject of course to obtaining the necessary permissions, which adds another possibility for somebody attracted to the location but looking for more space in the future.
Despite its peaceful rural surroundings, Geddes is far from isolated.
Cawdor is less than a mile away, with its village shop, primary school and well known castle and gardens, while Nairn provides the everyday services of a thriving Highland town alongside its beaches, harbour and golf courses.
Inverness is around eleven miles away and Inverness Airport approximately seven miles distant, making this an unusually well connected piece of countryside.
That balance is perhaps what makes the cottage particularly interesting.
It offers the history and quiet of a small Highland settlement without requiring its owner to surrender easy access to schools, shops, transport and the city.
Geddes Village may be small, but that is rather the point.
Almost two centuries after these cottages were built, this one remains a simple, characterful home surrounded by countryside and carrying a small part of the story of the place with it.
The property is being marketed by e2w Property Services
The asking price, full property details, photographs, floor plans, Home Report where available, and viewing information can all be found on the official listing.
Click here to view the official listing
