Interiors: Turret House, Kelso

Turret House in Kelso may seem modest in comparison to many historic places in Scotland but this little building has the diverse curriculum vitae of a much larger home, with its architecture reflecting its changes of use over the years.

Widely considered to be Kelso's oldest house, a lintel above its inner front door is inscribed with the date 1678 and "IMP", the mark of Tweed boatman John Palmer, the first resident of what was then a single- storey building.

A schoolteacher and then a family who ran a tannery business are known to have lived here before a "developer" from Nova Scotia bought the house for 140 in 1822. He added the distinctive tower (within which is a magnificent stone spiral staircase) and raised the roof to create two upper storeys, converting the accommodation into separate flats.

Fast forward a century or so and a sweet shop, run by one Katie Bennet, had moved in on the ground floor, remaining there until the late 1950s when the house was inherited by someone who, less than a decade later, sold it to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) for 100. The Trust in turn leased the building to the church, and what is now the living room hosted Sunday school classes.

The local council turned the house into a museum when it held the lease from the mid 1980s, but this succumbed to financial pressures in 1997. At this point, NTS brought the property under the banner of its Little Houses scheme, with the intention of securing the future of the small, historically rich home.

"That's when it was reconverted to a single property," says Kevin Stewart, who with wife Pat bought Turret House in 2003. The couple viewed, and fell for, the property three years previously, when NTS first put it up for sale, and were still keen when it reappeared on the market.

Under the Little Houses scheme, the house was rewired, had dormers reinstated and some original window openings enlarged, and new roof lights were fitted.

Project architect, John Renshaw, ensured the conversion was carried out in a manner that safeguarded the historic fabric of the building. Positive ventilation was installed, with a unit feeding filtered air into the property using otherwise unused heat in the roof, helping to keep external pollutants at bay.

Today everyone can share in the history of Turret House by checking in for a self-catering holiday. Arriving at the front door is a little like stepping back in time as the house lies off Kelso's bustling main street within a tranquil, part-cobbled courtyard, opposite a 19th-century church and a row of traditional cottages.

Once within the dense stone walls there is also a kind of peace that belies the town setting. While kitted out with necessary home comforts, the interior preserves a sense of history; Kevin and Pat shopped at auction for much of the furniture while some pieces, such as the dining chairs, are family heirlooms.

Fortunately, the previous owners also stayed true to the building's character, introducing subtle kitchen and bathroom fittings. A Formica ledge in the first floor bedroom's en suite shower room might be considered a relatively modern addition but in fact its presence has been safeguarded since renovation under the Little Houses scheme.

"The National Trust for Scotland consider the Formica to be a reflection of the evolution of the property," explains Kevin.

On the ground floor, the light-filled kitchen boasts a stone mantel with a hassle -free gas flame-effect stove in its hearth. There's a table in here but guests also love the atmospheric dining room with its exposed stonework and a little window recessed deeply to one wall, from which the original owner (with less of a townscape in place) could see the river.

The water (Kelso sits at the meeting of the Tweed and Teviot, a world-famous salmon beat called the Junction Pool) can still be seen from one of two bedrooms on the second floor.

"When it's really quiet you can hear the water too," says Kevin.

And with the 12th-century ruins of Kelso Abbey also visible from the house, the feeling of history abounds.

There's also plenty of countryside to explore and a utility room, ideal for muddy boots, also sits at ground level in Turret House. Original flagstones at the entrance lead to that beautiful stone spiral staircase, which climbs up the light-filled tower.

The first floor also soaks up natural light all day, with windows to both the front and rear. A door from the main living space on this level leads to the upper level of a two-tiered courtyard (the lower level is accessed from the kitchen) that's a perfect suntrap and ideal for drinks on a summer's evening.

The living room itself is pleasantly, and quite surprisingly, roomy, with irregular wall surfaces adding to the character. A small stove holds a gas burner, while the first floor master bedroom has an original (now decorative) fireplace. The window shutters in this bedroom are in working order and Pat revived the low armchair with her re-upholstery skills.

There's also an original cast iron fireplace in the twin bedroom on the second floor, while the third bedroom up here can be arranged as a double or a twin. Patterns embossed on the doors of these rooms are also carefully preserved in respect of NTS's original recommendations.

Turret House sleeps six guests (there's also a family bathroom on the second floor) and since taking over as custodians, Kevin and Pat have maintained the high standards set by NTS to conserve this historic bolthole in the manner it deserves.

Listed status from Historic Scotland prevents them making major changes to either the exterior or interior of Turret House. But then, why would they want to?

For more information, tel: [phone], or visit www.turretkelso.co.uk

• This article was first published in The Scotsman on Saturday, May 29, 2010