Wreck of the Week

Reader Ellie wrote to me about this fab former school. Here's why: I am a HUGE fan of Wreck of the Week. I'm writing because there is a particular wreck that is deeply lodged in my heart, which I'd love you to share in the hope of finding someone to do it up! Every time I go to visit my partner's grandmother, I walk by it and it is incredible. It's called St Aidan's School House and is in Berwick-upon-Tweed , with incredible sea views. It is, indeed, an incredible building - and this isn't the first time I've been asked to look at an old building that's been sitting on the market for too long. The issues tend be similar - a building that's too big to make one home - so it puts off do-uppers, and has awkward development restrictions - so it puts off pro-developers. St Aidan's has been gradually falling apart since it closed for good in 1998. The Charity Commission - having discovered that the original trustees had all died ...

Does it sound really bad that I didn't actually know where Anglesey is until I started 'Wreck..'?  Worse, I thought it was part of that Guernsey/Jersey bit in the Channel, rather than a rather pretty bit of Wales in the Irish Sea. Sorry about that Anglesey-ians... Angleans...Anglesonions... Moch mon Anyway, three stunning properties on Anglesey this week. First, the seven-bedroomed former Rectory, above and below, up for auction at the end of this month. The property, in the village of Llanfachraeth , comes with around two acres of garden land and outbuildings. It's thought to date from the 14th century but isn't Listed so - yay, plastic windows here we come! If needs a fair bit of work. The photos show some damp issues (there's a well in the cellar and one in the garden..) and the agent's note mentions Japanese knotweed. There's an old-lady-gone (or old vicar gone..) look about it - notice the Christmas tree, but it's a handsome prop...

It's cold,wet and windy today. Perfect weather for a virtual visit to Scotland for a round-up of six lovely wrecks. Starting with my current favourite - the traditional cottage above and below, at Inverkirkaig, a couple of miles from the fishing port of Lochinver, Sutherland . Three bedrooms, two reception, kitchen and bathroom - and gorgeous views over Inverkirkaig Bay. outside is a small, fenced garden and disused outhouse. It's on the market at offers over £100k through Wilsons - PDF here . Details and more pictures here . There are no internal pix for the traditional Scottish croft (above), but the riverside location looks gorgeous. On the market through Strutt & Parker at offers over £120k, you get the three-bed farmhouse above, plus the chunky stone outbuilding (below) and half an acre of land. The property sits on the River Don, around seven  miles outside Alford, Aberdeenshire , on the A980. More details and pictures here and here . Talkin...