Prestige property: Swayed by stunning steading conversion

Old Mill House, Port Allen, Errol, Perth. Offers over £875,000

By the 18th Century, Port Allen – previously known as Harbour of Errol – had grown into a busy grain shipping port and was reportedly home to some 200 people.

A horsemill was built on the original grain production site towards the end of the 1800s, and today it is part of an impressive B-listed converted steading that serves as a unique and spacious family home.

Old Mill House, the half of the steading which retains the fabulous circular horsemill, was bought in 2005 by Gill and Mike Cattanach who spent three years renovating it before moving in with their son.

Old Mill House, Port Allen, Errol, Perth. Offers over £875,000. Image: DTX images

“One part had been used for storage and had a roof that wasn’t salvageable, and the rest of the building was just walls that had crumbled down to around half their height,” recalls Gill, a retired marketing director and part-time weight loss coach.

“We basically built it up from the bottom upwards, using the stones that were more or less still lying around the property.”

The project, which Gill jokingly likens to those covered by Channel 4’s Grand Designs, involved installing a new roof, plumbing and electrical works, as well as internal walls for the living space.

Retaining the original character and history of the building was key for Gill and Mike, who works as a chocolatier, and they hired the help of tradespeople from in and around the Perth and Dundee area.

Old Mill House, Port Allen, Errol, Perth. Offers over £875,000. Image: DTX

Gill explains: “We wanted to keep the same stones all the way through, and we wanted wooden window frames to keep it in line with the style of the building and properties of this age – we didn’t want any plastic in the windows at all.

“Because the property has quite a large footprint, we also wanted to keep as much of an open-plan space as possible, as it would have been back then.”

The north-facing entrance opens up to a partially-vaulted reception hall with a large stone-built fireplace.

It leads to a generously-proportioned kitchen – which Gill describes as being the heart of the home – that is flooded with sunlight thanks to a south-facing double-height glazed wall.

To the front of the property is the circular horsemill, which the Cattanachs have transformed into a cinema room, and to the west of the ground floor is a spacious library.

The home’s four bedrooms are all contained on the first floor, where the principal suite boasts a luxurious ensuite bathroom, dressing area, and private balcony.

The outdoor space is equally impressive, with double doors from the kitchen leading to a secluded courtyard, and the vast maintained lawns are surrounded by fruit trees.

“I have become more greenfingered than I have ever been since we moved here,” says Gill. “We went through a phase of making our own apple and pear cider, and chutneys as there are lots of trees with lots of fruit.”

Old Mill House, Port Allen, Errol, Perth. Offers over £875,000. DTX images

Nearby is a sheltered pond on which Gill and Mike’s son enjoys paddleboarding with friends and the Old Mill House’s location lends itself to peaceful riverside walks with the family dog.

The Cattanachs are downsizing, but will miss the environs and entertaining at the house.

Gill adds: “The house is great if you have people staying or coming over for drinks, because the hallway has an open fire and leads into the round house/cinema, so you can have the doors open into there as well as to the dining room.

“The house is really private and there is a stunning veranda on the whole west side of the house which is sheltered from the elements, so you could sit out there and no-one bothers you at all. It is just very quiet and private.”

For more information, contact Savills on 01738 477 525