Ravensdowne

The Grand Tour

Ravensdowne is a locally important street; Georgian in character and lined with grand houses, it was voted by The Times as one of the smartest streets in the United Kingdom. The house lies directly adjacent to Berwick Museum and Art Gallery and Nicholas Hawksmoor’s Barracks and Main Guard, Britain’s earliest barracks building.

Entry is through a recessed stone porch set back from the street and to a private hallway that links directly to the rear garden and the original stripped 18th-century oak staircase ahead. Handsome Georgian redwood panelling runs along one wall, salvaged from a church closure. To the front of the plan is the sitting room, beautifully decorated and panelled throughout. There are military undertones here – a nod to the former inhabitants. A restored chimneypiece and working fire ground the room, and original shutters afford privacy from the street. Beautiful cornicing has also been restored in this and all principal rooms.

To the rear of the plan is the spacious kitchen, with painted wooden cupboards and oak worktops. The brick wall of the original Georgian exterior has been revealed next to the cleverly concealed original scullery. Half-glazed French windows lead to the garden and allow light to flood the room, while a seating area allows for cosy kitchen suppers or simply enjoyment of the verdant garden views.

On the first-floor hallway is a storage cupboard, formerly the dumb waiter and now decommissioned. The main bedroom, currently used as a living room, enjoys views of the historic barracks, green ramparts and the sea beyond. The room has a beautiful marbleized chimneypiece and deep original cupboards set into the alcoves. There is also particularly excellent plasterwork decoration to the ceiling, while a study is discretely set to one side. Two connected ancillary spaces, currently used as dressing rooms, lead to the main bathroom at the rear of the plan. This room is wonderfully light and painted pale blue, with a cast-iron bathtub and brassware by Lefroy Brooks. Pretty views extend over the rooftops to the town hall clock tower.

The apex of the house contains two further bedrooms, one with its own en suite shower room. Uninterrupted views extend to the green ramparts and the North Sea in the distance.

The Great Outdoors

The private west-facing garden lies to the rear of the house, where a spacious stone terrace leads to a lawn surrounded with maturing shrubs including roses, lavender and rosemary. An additional seating area is positioned at the back of the garden; perfect for evening drinks watching the sunset. The grand garden wall originally separated the house from the adjacent military hospital; it is made from local stone and retains military marking set within.

For adventures in nature further afield, there are numerous walks along the River Tweed and beyond. Wonderful local beaches include Fisherman’s Haven Beach, Cocklawburn Beach, and the beachfront and lighthouse at Berwick-upon-Tweed itself. A five-minute walk onto the ramparts leads to walks around the historic town walls and to walks that extend for miles, with gorgeous views of the bridges, river and surrounding landscape. The Lowry Trail, named after the famed painter, takes in many of the favoured local sights.

Out and About

There are excellent amenities within Berwick itself, just a five-minute walk from Ravensdowne, including a great selection of independent bakers, butchers and fishmongers. Eateries include The Mule on Rouge and The Barrels Alehouse pub, alongside microbrewery The Curfew and coffee roasters Northern Edge. Audela restaurant, Atelier wine bar and Indian restaurant Amran’s are also of particular note. There are brilliant independent bookstores and antique shops along Bridge Street. Live music events take place at The Barrels and Radio Rooms, while the Maltings theatre and arts institution acts as a cultural centre. Throughout the year there are food festivals, historic festivals and literary festivals. Important local landmarks and day-out destinations include Holy Island, Lindisfarne Castle and Bamburgh Castle, plus stately homes such as Paxton House, Mandeston House and Chillingham Castle.

There is a good selection of state primary, middle and senior schools in Berwick, including Berwick Academy; Longridge Towers is an excellent co-ed independent school for all ages a couple of miles outside neighbouring Norham.

Berwick-upon-Tweed is only 45 minutes by train to the centre of both Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne, while London Kings Cross can be reached in around 3 and half hours. The train station is a 10-minute walk from Ravensdowne. The A1 is a short drive away and acts as the main link by road to Newcastle and Edinburgh. Additionally, both Edinburgh and Newcastle International airports offer routes to most European cities and holiday destinations, as well as London Heathrow and other southern English airports.