Most of us would do anything to avoid going back to our school days.
Unless, of course, that involved a trip to the glorious new Schoolhouse, which is part of the 300 acre Straloch Estate in Perthshire. This Victorian building has just undergone a two-year renovation to transform it into a five-bedroom holiday home, with prices starting from £2000 for three nights.
We asked owner Lucy Holt to reveal more.
Tell us about the history of the property
It was formerly Straloch School, a listed 1849 building, which provided primary education for young children living locally in Northern Perthshire’s Strathardle Glen. The school was mothballed in 2011 before being put up for public auction by Perth and Kinross Council in 2023.
What are your memories of being at school there?
They were exceptionally happy. Both my siblings and I enjoyed our time there, not least as it was a five-minute cycle ride from home. Miss Barbara Stevens, the headmistress in our day, fostered a lovely atmosphere amongst the pupils. All eight of us.
What condition was the building in when you started work on it?
By the time we started renovation works, the building had been lying empty for 12 years and was in a state of total dereliction and disrepair.
What were the biggest jobs?
Where to start? From an exterior perspective, the entire roof needed re-slating, and all guttering and drainpipes had to be replaced. Given that it was a conversion in building standards terms, we also needed to meet the thermal efficiency of a new build standard, so all perimeter walls had to be stripped back to allow for suitable insulation, roof spaces insulated, and windows sensitively replaced with traditionally manufactured double-glazed sash units. Not to mention installing a sustainable air-source heat pump, re-wiring, and re-configuring the layout of rooms. Fortunately, I’ve overseen a couple of build projects, but this was in another league.
Who handled the interior design and what was the brief?
Our lovely friend Tyrella Nash of Dunkeld based Dunville Interiors was a colossal help. We’ve worked with her on several properties over the last decade, so she really knows our style and is a canny shopper. The brief was to create a colourful, warm, elegant holiday house that included a few surprises without falling back on Highland tartan and tweed features. The sitting room - a former classroom - is huge, so we were keen to cosy it up with a mix of old and new furniture, creating a homely space that would instantly make guests feel at ease. All five bedrooms, with their bespoke bedheads, commissioned curtains, and winning wallpapers are stylishly snug.
Tell us about the pieces that have been retained that nod to the building's history
The family of Mrs Dutch, a former headmistress, made contact and donated an original child-sized wooden desk with a lid and a pair of wooden chairs that once belonged in the school. I may even have sat at this wee desk while learning my times tables back in the day. Similarly, we’ve lovingly restored the original school see-saw so that a new generation of children can gain as much pleasure as we did bouncing around in the old playground.
Were there any Scottish artists/designers/craftspeople used?
Above the kitchen table is a striking triptych of paintings commissioned from Edinburgh artist Jonathan Freemantle. These depict our favourite Straloch landscapes. The house also doubles up as an informal gallery and features numerous pieces painted by my mother, professional artist Margaret Mitchell, who also lives on the estate with us .In addition, all key contractors from building construction to landscape gardening were local, including project managers, Galbraith Group.
What are your favourite features of the house now that it's completed?
Good question. My vote goes to the reclaimed cast iron radiators throughout the house. These were sourced from Castrads, a company I stumbled across while researching options that would work efficiently with our new sustainable heating system.Not only are these radiators stunning in their design, but we’ve painted them in a series of vibrant colours. Their history is fascinating; the column radiators in the corridor were salvaged from the old Scotland Yard, and the vintage Italian Flue design kitchen ones came over on a ship from New York in the Twenties, arrived at Liverpool and somehow they’ve ended up in the Highlands. It’s incredibly pleasing to transform a functional heating element into a striking architectural focal point.
Any special mod-cons that guests will appreciate?
The kitchen is a chef’s dream; a vast, high-ceilinged, bright and light room equipped with state-of-the-art fixtures and fittings. Everything is brand spanking new from the double Bosch ovens to the double dishwashers and American style fridge freezer. An outdoor mod-con is the six-seater hydrotherapy hot tub, as it’s ideal for a rejuvenating post-walk muscle massage or perhaps a spot of serene star gazing. Above all though, it’s less about the gizmos but more about the landscape and natural beauty. Our strapline at Straloch is “Highland escapism’” and guests repeatedly tell us that we deliver in spades. Schoolhouse tenants are free to roam around the estate, enjoying the tennis court, loch fishing, wild swimming, building campfires, den building and enjoying endless walks across the 3000-acres. Booking a gourmet Wild Picnic up at our bothy in the hills is a must-do activity.
Any feedback so far?
It’s very early days but the feedback that tickles us most is from people connected with the original school, whether former pupils, staff or local families. They’re delighted that someone has taken on this neglected building and restored it to its former glory. The renovation was a major project that grew arms and legs but we’re thrilled with the result and we can’t wait to share Straloch and all it has to offer with visitors from far and wide.
www.straloch.com
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