A beautiful Arts-and-Crafts home in a town with a beach, castle and award-winning ice cream
Described as ‘one of the most lovely houses in Broughty Ferry’, Melfort offers prime accommodation in a wonderful coastal location.


In 1927, Dundee architect and businessman George Morton decided that he was to build himself a house. The location he chose? Broughty Ferry, four miles east of Dundee itself, and a place which boasts a beach, castle, museum, and one of Scotland's very best ice cream sellers: Visocchi's Cafe, which has been a local institution since 1954.
It's also a spot with a mixture of large Victorian villas and quaint fishermen’s cottages, and thus made an ideal spot for Morton's proposed house, Melfort, which is a substantial family property designed and built in the Arts-and-Crafts style. This handsome home is currently on the market via Savills for offers over £1 million.
Fully detached, harled and with a slate roof, the property has been ‘thoroughly modernised’ in recent years, but retains a wealth of period features.
As well as seven bedrooms and four reception rooms, the house comes with a variety of different styles and spaces for entertaining.
The owners recently installed a games room and gym, as well as a brand new kitchen, while a pitch-pine staircase in the heart of the house and wooden flooring throughout preserve the character.
As well as being a great home for families, it's also idea for golf enthusiasts: the property is almost perfectly equidistant between the Open Championship venues at Carnoustie, along the coast to the east, and St Andrews, which is 20 minutes or so away once you've crossed the Tay Bridge into Fife.
The town is home to a number of great pubs and restaurants, supermarkets, shopping facilities, a library, the Royal Tay Yacht Club, as well as primary and secondary schooling (Eastern Primary and Grove Academy are within walking distance from the property).
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The transport links are equally as excellent, with train stations in Broughty Ferry and Dundee, linking to the north and south — including a sleeper train to London. Dundee airport also flies to London City airport, Belfast City and the Shetland Islands.
Melfort is currently on the market via Savills for offers over £1 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
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James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
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