A UNIQUE Victorian property on the Rosneath peninsula with a rich botanical heritage is to be given a new lease of life as a restored family home - and there are plans for a visitor centre and exhibition space too.
The Linn, in Cove, went on the market in October last year before being quickly removed following hundreds of expressions of interest in just a few days.
Listed at offers over £295,000, the B listed mansion - which is also home to three acres of gardens with around 4,000 plant species - was snapped up at the end of 2020 and work is now under way to restore it to its former glory.
The gardens were created and developed by the Linn’s former owner, Dr Jim Taggart, who died in June 2019 almost 50 years after he started work on the grounds.
The seven-bedroom house has fallen into disrepair in recent years, and the new owners have asked Renfrewshire-based City Gate Construction (CGC) to turn it back into a stylish property which preserves its stunning architectural appeal.
Given the sensitive and delicate nature of the restoration, the company says the work will take several months to complete.
READ MORE: Kilcreggan artist Pam designs portrait of much-loved Cove botanist, Dr Jim Taggart
On an Instagram page documenting the “resurrection” project, new owner Matthew Young said: “We will be trying to restore the house and the gardens as soon as we can in order to get the gardens open to the public again, but please bear with us.
“As you can imagine there are all sorts of safety and maintenance issues which need to be addressed first, but we will get there.”
Plans include the creation of a visitor centre and exhibition space telling the story of how the Taggarts built the garden and how the new owners are going to restore it and develop it into the future.
Dave Palmer, commercial director at CGC, said: “We recognise the importance of this iconic home not just in its architectural merit but in the biodiversity which the gardens offer.
“We will ensure this restoration to a family home will be undertaken with great care for our client with the exacting attention to detail which CGC applies to all our work.
“This outstanding home will once again recapture its Victorian splendour and CGC is proud to be playing our part in this unique undertaking.”
The two-storey Italianate villa was designed by architect William Motherwell and was completed in 1860.
READ MORE: Opinion - 'The Linn is a national treasure we can't afford to lose'
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