Melville House, a Grade A listed restored Palladian mansion in Fife has come onto the market. Situated on the edge of the Howe of Fife, the house was built in 1692 by pioneering architect James Smith for George the First Earl of Melville. It remained in the Melville family until 1949, was bought by the present owners in 2003 and has now been completely restored as a private house.
* Luxury property for sale in Scotland
The house is extremely important architecturally, and is reminiscent of Sir William Bruce’s work. It was built with a symmetrical H shape with three storeys above a raised basement and has two storey wings on either side which form a ‘U’-shape. The ground floor comprises the double library, three good sized sitting rooms, and three offices. There is also a music room, study, dining and room. The stunning original oak-panelled ‘large room’, three further panelled reception rooms and the master bedroom suite are on the first floor with ten further bedrooms on the second floor. The raised basement contains a kitchen, breakfast room, three staff rooms, fitness room, laundry cellar, boiler room and stores.
There are two further self-contained wings of the house, each with sitting room, three bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom, and outside there are a pair of pavilions each with two bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom.
Also outside is a potential leisure complex with a cinema and a theatre/dance hall, and estate buildings, garage and an unusual tree house, all in about 16.5 acres of grounds containing sweeping lawns, a walled garden, cricket pitch and a former tennis court.
Melville House is five miles from the town of Cupar and just 15 from St Andrews, with Edinburgh just over half an hour by car. Some of the best sporting opportunities in Scotland are nearby, from salmon fishing in the River Tay to grouse shooting and golf on some of the best-known courses in the world.
The price is on application only but for further information please contact Knight Frank on 0131 222 9600.
