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Converting a Scottish Castle – Fenton Tower – into
an Exclusive Home for Rent
Fenton Tower was built in the 1570s and its gun loops, the iron yett
on the front door and evidence of iron window grilles suggest
dangerous times. The castle is located in a defensive position on
high ground overlooking rolling arable fields and bounded by the
Lammermuir Hills to the south. It is two miles from North Berwick
and East Lothian’s beautiful sandy beaches, and about twenty-five
miles from Edinburgh.
Earlier fortifications on this site date from the twelfth century
and belonged to the Anglo-Norman De Vaux family. The existing Fenton
Tower was built by Sir John Carmichael who sheltered King James VI
here in 1591. The castle’s initial life was relatively short as it
was ransacked in 1650 by Oliver Cromwell’s invading Republican
forces, although part of Fenton Tower continued to be occupied as a
bothy until 1750. Thereafter, the Tower was left a decaying,
roofless ruin for over two centuries.
The surrounding land was bought by the Simpson family in 1906 and
has been farmed by them ever since. Sitting in the vaulted dining
room with its wonderful table made from old timbers rescued from a
French Chateau, Ian Simpson told me why he undertook this massive
restoration:
“As a boy I used to play in the ruins. However, we were always being
approached by people who wanted to do it up. I was feeling somewhat
guilty because it was falling down. Then John MacAskill, a lifelong
friend, retired from banking in New York at the age of 50, and
suggested we form a company to restore the Tower; he was the
catalyst.
“We started planning the work in February 1999 and the project began
a year later. Our architect was Nicholas Groves-Raines, a specialist
in historic buildings, and we used a builder from Perth named Ian
Cunningham.”
I asked Ian Simpson what some of the main challenges were.
“I was the overall co-ordinator of all the building work and was on
site every day. We had a lot of wind and rain when the roof was
going on over the winter. I was amazed by the dedication of the
stone masons who had to work in the most horrendous conditions.
“Because Fenton Tower is a Scheduled Monument and Grade-A listed, we
worked very closely with Historic Scotland and used traditional
materials wherever possible. We had to use oak pins in the roof
trusses rather than nails, and all the stonework is pointed with
traditional lime mortar, finished internally with lime wash. Some of
the original exterior harling was taken away for analysis, and we
made up a natural soft pink colour with crushed local seashells and
red sand. The roof was finished with large sandstone tiles similar
to the original ones.
“The plumbing and all other internal services had to be hidden away
within a new internal wall. Some way into the project, the firm of
plumbers went into liquidation, so I ended up employing the men
myself.”
The overall effect is impressive. Ian Simpson’s team has restored
the building to its former glory, retaining its ancient character
with a fastidious attention to detail. Fenton Tower is also
well-equipped with modern facilities in keeping with its new role as
an exclusive private house, available for short-term lets for up to
twelve people at a time. There is even a communications room
fitted-out with the latest Internet, telephone and conference call
facilities.
Claire Fortune, the Tower’s interior designer, has complemented the
restoration work with subtle furnishings and antique furniture, much
of it collected in France. Window shutters are covered in a Pierre
Frey fabric and there are embroidered Chelsea Textiles, giving the
rooms a stylish, contemporary ambience.
On my tour we headed from the dining room to the state-of-the-art
kitchen where local produce is used to prepare meals for guests. We
then went up the public stair to the double-height great hall. This
is now the drawing room, where guests can sip malt whiskies in front
of the impressive fireplace, and, like other rooms, it now has
piped, under-floor heating, hidden beneath the flagstones.
A spiral staircase leads up to the bedrooms, and, taking advantage
of the height of the Tower, each bedroom suite has windows on three
sides ensuring wonderful views of the East Lothian countryside. The
original dry stool closets have been cleverly incorporated as deep
alcoves or storage cupboards. Each bedroom has a fireplace and a
four-poster bed, and is linked to an en-suite bathroom (formerly an
ante-room) with amazing baths and showers rescued from French
Chateaux and Victorian stately homes. The Ruthven Suite has a canopy
bath and an antique surround shower by Doulton, and another bathroom
has a stunning, deep French copper bath.
Our conversation moved on to cars and I asked Ian Simpson whether he
had ever owned a Bentley: “No, but I’ve been restoring E-type
Jaguars for years – my uncle, WP Dale, was a keen vintage Bentley
owner and a leading light in the Bentley Drivers’ Club.” I also
discover that Mr Dale owns the nearby Vintage Motor Museum, which I
visited regularly as a child.
Fenton Tower is a beautifully restored Scottish castle although, in
Ian Simpson’s words, it would “never have been done without the
enthusiasm of the workforce”. What a place to base yourself for that
special party of golf, shooting or fishing, for a wedding, or merely
to get away from it all.
Interviewed by Christopher Lamotte from Real Marketing
tel: 01620 825 751
e-mail: c.lamotte@real-m.com
website: www.real-m.com
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