Helensburgh property: Historic home built for royalty is put up for sale

The Ferry Inn in Rosneath is one of only two buildings in Scotland designed by the renowned architect Edwin Lutyens (later Sir Edwin) – and, as well as many beautifully-preserved original features within the building itself, the property includes around 250 metres of loch frontage and the shingle beach in front

Lutyens created a two-storey house over a raised basement in the Arts and Crafts style after he was commissioned by Princess Louise to extend the original Ferry Inn, which dated from 1800 and stood next to a jetty from which a ferry service ran between Rosneath and Rhu on the opposite side of the Gareloch.

The Ferry Inn was designed by Edwin Lutyens (Photo - Savills)

The original Ferry Inn was subsequently demolished, leaving the present building – and Ferry Inn Cottage, which stands as a detached dwelling in the grounds behind the main house and is included in the sale of the property.

The Ferry Inn is unusual in that its three main elevations, to the south, east and north, are all very different. The original drawings for Ferry Inn – which included a much grander Baronial style scheme which was not adopted – are held by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

The original Ferry Inn stood near a jetty from where a ferry operated between Rosneath and Rhu (Photo - Savills)

The importance Lutyens – who was only 27 when he accepted the Princess’s commission – gave to the scheme and his royal clients is illustrated by the addition of watercolour to his sketch drawings.

The many beautifully preserved features of Ferry Inn include the dominant triple chimney stack, the impressive stone entrance hall with its curving roof ends, and the arched doorways.

The entrance hall of the property (Photo - Savills)

There are a variety of window styles at different levels, including outshot windows at first floor level on the east elevation overlooking the sea, arched windows on the ground floor and the near full length windows to the drawing room.

Off the large central reception hall are the dining room, kitchen, study, morning room and magnificent drawing room along with staircases which lead to both the upper floor and the lower ground floor.

The kitchen was refitted in 2003 (Photo - Savills)

The kitchen was refitted in 2003 and is finished to an exceptionally high standard, with multiple cabinets, worktops made of granite and Corian, a central island and a number of integral appliances. A small morning room has a door out to the garden.

There is a long landing on the first floor, off which are four double bedrooms. The principal bedroom has its own luxurious bathroom and there are two further bathrooms – unusual for the period in that they are original to the layout, and include a wonderfully stylish Art Deco style bath and shower room.

The building includes many original design features (Photo - Savills)

The lower ground floor offers further accommodation including a hallway, sitting room and a further bedroom, presently used as a gym.

Ferry Inn Cottage has an open plan living room/bedroom and an expertly-designed kitchen and garden.

Ferry Inn Cottage is included in the sale (Photo - Savills)

Around the house are four acres of formal gardens and grounds, including a gravel courtyard parking area, enclosed by railway sleeper walls, a terrace and well stocked, secluded garden which would be ideal for summer entertaining, and mown parkland to the north with some fine trees.

According to estate agents Savills, who are marketing the property, ownership includes around 250 metres fronting on to the Gare Loch, as well as the shingle beach in front of the house.

The three main elevations of the property are all different (Photo - Savills)

According to the Helensburgh Heritage Trust’s website, Princess Louise never moved into the house because of her husband’s ill health, and during the Boer War the building became a convalescent home for wounded soldiers.

It was requisitioned by the government for military use in 1939 and after the war it was used as married quarters until 1958 before being bought by local boat yard owner, Peter Boyle, who used his apprentice ship fitters to refurbish the house.

The property sold for £985,000 in 2017 when it was last put on the market (Photo - Savills)

More recently, the Ferry Inn was bought in 2009 by Dr Joe Brown and his wife, who gave it a major upgrade before selling the property less than a decade later.

When put up for sale by Dr Brown, the property had an asking price in excess of £795,000, and property records later showed it was bought for £985,000 – and with offers over £875,000 being sought this time, it could well end up changing hands for more than £1 million.

Find out more at bit.ly/SavillsFerryInn.