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1 Twin, 1 Double - See all features
Overview
Property details
This building was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh at a time when he was doing his very best work. The nod towards Scottish Baronial architecture is evident in the projecting turret.
Designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh
This building was designed by Mackintosh and dates from 1903–4, a time when he was doing his very best work. It was commissioned, by a local draper and ironmonger as a shop with a flat above and workrooms in the attics. The first floor flat with spacious, airy rooms and touches of Mackintosh’s design flair is now the Landmark apartment.
We have redecorated the flat, which has good and characteristic details. The main room runs into the projecting turret, or tourelle, which Mackintosh added to the outer angle of the building in a nod towards Scottish Baronial architecture. This gives it an airy feel and a view of the River Earn and the wooded hills beyond.
Exploring the Highlands
The Mackintosh Building is in the centre of Comrie, a typical highland village, with a bridge over a pebbly river, a whitewashed church and a small square, on the corner of which stands this distinguished and surprising building. There are good places to eat here and if you might catch a performance by the local pipe band in the square below. The highland scenery unfolds around Comrie and Loch Earn is only a short drive away, as are the towns of Perth and Stirling.
STL licence number: PK11963F
What this property offers
Floor plan
Things to do nearby
The Mackintosh Building sits in the centre of the beautiful village of Comrie, on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. There is an excellent circular walk around the local area. Keen golfers can enjoy Comrie's own acclaimed, scenic golf course and also the world famous, luxury Gleneagles golf resort, which is about half an hour from Comrie by car and is open to visitors all year round.
The Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre and Crieff Visitor Centre, both a short distance from Comrie, have a wide variety of things to do and see, to keep visitors entertained. The majestic garden, claimed to be one of the finest in Scotland, at nearby Drummond Castle is a perfect place for a stroll to appreciate the elegant and tranquil surroundings.
Loch Earn is a freshwater loch about 10 miles west of Comrie with a range of watersports to suit all tastes. Don't miss the leaping wild salmon at Buchanty Spout, about 15 miles east of Comrie, where you can marvel at this amazing spectacle of nature.
Stirling is 25 miles away and is well worth a visit to its historic sites such as the Castle, the National Wallace Monument and the Battle of Bannockburn. Stroll around the medieval old town and venture into the surrounding, beautiful countryside by following one of the many walking routes in and around Stirling. The Blair Drummond Safari Park, on the outskirts of the city, is a fun day out too.
Close by is the Black Watch Castle & Museum (24 miles) and the Perth Museum and Art Gallery (24.2 miles). For more information on things to do during your stay at The Mackintosh Building, please see our Pinterest page.
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Clear directionsPlease note, these directions should be used as a guide only. Full directions will be sent with your booking confirmation letter.
Essential information
What you need to know about this building
Is there Wi-Fi in your buildings?
No. At the moment, we have decided not to implement Wi-Fi in our buildings following a consultation with our customers. Many said that they would find it useful, but many also felt that it would somehow damage the experience of staying in a Landmark. As the responses were so split, and as we have so many other initiatives requiring funding, we have decided to put this on hold for the time being.
Does the property allow dogs?
No
Is there car parking specifically for Landmark guests?
Yes – there is one parking space at the rear of the property.
Access to the parking area is via an unlit, unadopted stretch of road. This road can be difficult to negotiate particularly during inclement weather conditions. Special care should be given driving along this short approach to the parking area.
From the parking area access is, on foot, through the garden and out onto the main street before going up a flight of stairs to the flat.
What type of heating does the property have?
There is central heating and an open fire.
How can I get fuel for the open fire or stove?
Unfortunately, there is currently no arrangement for the purchase and delivery of logs, however details of local sources will be provided with your order confirmation.
What is the mobile signal like?
To check up-to-date mobile network coverage in the area, visit signalchecker.co.uk. Due to the location and structure of many of our buildings, signal strength may differ to those indicated.
How is the property accessed?
Access to the parking area is via an unlit, unadopted stretch of road. This road can be difficult to negotiate particularly during inclement weather conditions. Special care should be given driving along this short approach to the parking area.
From the parking area access is, on foot, through the garden and out onto the main street before going up a flight of stairs to the flat.
Care should be taken walking through the garden and between the buildings to the main street, the path is laid with chip stones.
What is the nearest railway station and how far away is it?
Gleneagles – 16 miles.
What are the kitchen facilities?
The kitchen is fully equipped with all plates, cutlery, fridge etc. There is also an electric cooker and microwave.
What are the bathroom facilities?
There is one bathroom, with a bath and a shower.
Does this Landmark have steep, narrow or spiral stairs?
The stairs are relatively steep.
Is there a garden or outside space?
There is a garden at the rear of the property.
Booking and payment
What happens if I can’t get to the Landmark due to bad weather?
If the weather is bad, please contact our booking office who will be able to tell you whether the Landmark is accessible. If the housekeeper can safely get to the building to prepare it then we consider that it is open and available for guests. However if we cannot undertake a changeover then we will do our utmost to transfer your stay to another Landmark, depending on what we have available. It may not be of a similar size or in the same part of the country as your original booking. If the building is accessible but the customer cannot travel due to poor weather in his/her local area then please be aware that Landmark will not provide a refund. However the customer may be able to claim on his/her own travel insurance. We recommend that all guests take out travel insurance when they first secure a booking.
How can I pay?
We accept Maestro (if issued in the UK), Visa, MasterCard, direct transfer and sterling cheques drawn on a UK bank. Cheques should be made payable to the Landmark Trust except for Lundy stays and boat/helicopter tickets which should be payable to The Lundy Company Ltd. All payments must be in sterling.
How do I pick up the key?
The key arrangements will be included in the Further Infomation document which will be sent to you prior to your stay.
Can I pay a deposit?
If your stay starts more than two months from the date you make the booking, you are required to pay a deposit of one third of the cost of your stay (or £100 per booking, if greater) at the time of booking. Camping on Lundy and The Bunk House at Llwyn Celyn must be paid for in full at the time of booking.
How can I cancel or change my booking?
If you wish to cancel or change your booking, please contact our Booking Office on 01628 825925
Do you accept payment in other currencies?
At the moment we only accept payment in sterling.
What if I arrive late?
Our housekeeper will leave the key in a suitable place, the details of which will be sent to you prior to your stay.
How far in advance do I need to book?
It depends. Some of our most popular Landmarks are booked up a long time in advance, but many can be booked at short notice. We will always have Landmarks free for the coming weekend so it’s always worth checking our availability list.
Do you have to be a member to book a Landmark?
No, Landmarks are available to be booked for anyone.
Do I need a Handbook to be able to book?
No, all the information you need can be found on our website, although we’d like you to buy one anyway as it will be a pleasure to own!
Staying at a Landmark
Are Landmarks accessible for people with disabilities or limited mobility?
Some of our Landmarks are suitable for people with disabilities or limited mobility. However, many Landmarks have steep or narrow staircases, uneven floors and thresholds, changes of level, low ceilings or beams, as well as indistinct colours on steps and in corridors. We recommend that you call Booking Enquiries on 01628 825925 if you would like to find out the suitability of a particular Landmark for anyone with a specific disability. Further information on access when visiting Lundy can also be found here.
Are Landmarks only available as self-catering accommodation?
Yes, Landmarks are only available as self-catering accommodation. We do not offer bed and breakfast
Do you provide catering?
Landmark does not provide catering, but we can recommend Greycoat Lumleys who can arrange for expert and well-trained staff to cater for one evening or for your entire holiday. Their cooks and chefs are able to work with you to meet your specific requirements
Do you allow dogs?
You may bring up to two dogs to properties where dogs are allowed (please see specific property details for exemptions however dogs are not permitted on Lundy except assistance dogs). They must be kept off the furniture and under proper control. A charge of £20 per stay is made for each dog. Please contact booking enquiries if a registered assistance dog is supporting one of the guests, for which there is no charge.
Can I bring a pet?
Apart from two dogs (see above) no other pets are permitted.
What time can I arrive and what time do I have to depart from the Landmark?
Arrival is from 4pm and departure is by 10am.
Am I insured if I break something?
We do not carry insurance for breakages. However we appreciate that accidents do sometimes happen. If you have a breakage during your stay, please let the housekeeper know and if appropriate we reserve the right to invoice you accordingly.
Are Landmarks suitable for children?
Yes, most of our Landmarks are perfect for children, with gardens to play in and secret places to discover. Our furniture is surprisingly robust and we positively encourage families to stay. However, some of our buildings may not be suitable for small children; for example, some of them have steep or uneven spiral staircases. We recommend that you call the Booking Enquiries team if you would like to find out the suitability of any of our Landmarks for young children.
Can I get married in a Landmark?
Unfortunately, most of our Landmarks are not licensed for weddings. However, you may get married on Lundy.
Can I hold a big party in a Landmark?
All our larger Landmarks are perfect for gatherings of family or friends. You may invite an additional two guests to visit you during your stay, however they must not stay overnight. This is very important because our fire regulations specifically note the maximum number of people in any one building. In addition our properties are prepared, furnished and equipped for the number of people specified and greater numbers cause damage and excessive wear and tear to vulnerable buildings. Should this condition be ignored we shall make a retrospective charge per person per day (whether or not they stay overnight) for each guest over the permitted limit, the charge being pro-rated on the total cost of your booking.
Are there televisions in the buildings?
We deliberately do not provide televisions and find that most people appreciate this.
Why are your access tracks sometimes difficult?
One of the challenges of restoring unloved buildings is gaining access to them. We frequently have to negotiate rights with our neighbours and share tracks with them. In many cases tracks do not belong to us and we have no right to maintain them. Wherever possible we work with our neighbours to provide you with a good quality surface, but where this is a problem then you will be warned at the time of booking.
Will there be sockets for my electrical appliances?
Yes, we have standard electricity sockets for UK appliances. If you are coming from outside the UK, you will need to bring your own adaptor plug(s). If you are visiting one of our European properties we have standard European electricity sockets. If you are visiting from the UK, you will need to bring your own adapter plug (s).
Can I charge my electric vehicle at the Landmark?
Landmark’s electrical systems have not been designed to provide continuous power from one socket over several hours. If an ordinary socket is used to charge an electric vehicle, there is significant risk of an electrical fire and consequent danger to life. Therefore, we are unable to allow electric vehicle charging from most of our Landmarks at present.
We are working to provide Type 2 Electric Vehicle charge points at our properties where there is private parking. Where this is available, please request this facility when booking the property to ensure the outlet is enabled on your arrival. There is a small charge to cover the cost of electricity provided. Please book this facility in advance.
Do you allow smoking in a Landmark?
No, we do not allow smoking in any Landmark.
Facilities
Are the kitchens and bathrooms restored to a modern standard?
Sometimes our kitchens and bathrooms have to be imaginatively fitted into the available space in buildings where before there were none, but they are all planned and equipped to a high and modern standard.
Is linen provided?
Yes, Landmarks are fully equipped with sheets and towels. All the beds are fully made up for your arrival. Except for the Llwyn Celyn Bunkhouse.
Are the kitchens fully equipped?
Yes, our kitchens are well equipped with cookers and fridges. There are freezers and dishwashers (in larger buildings) and, where space allows, microwaves as well as a wide and standard range of utensils. A full equipment list is available at time of booking.
Do you provide logs for the open fire/stove?
Fuel can be purchased from Boxted Berries Farm Shop, 53 Straight Road, Boxted CO4 5RB or from local service stations and supermarkets.
Will there be a mobile signal in the Landmark I book?
Mobile coverage varies. Some Landmarks have an excellent signal, but others have none at all. If you are concerned, you can check with the housekeeper before your arrival.
Is there Wi-Fi in this building?
Yes, and password is available on request.
What should I bring with me? Are there toilet rolls, soap, shampoo, milk, teabags, coffee, hairdryer?
A welcome tray with tea and sugar awaits your arrival and you will find a pint of milk in the fridge. We also provide toilet rolls and a bar of soap per basin, but no other toiletries. Hairdryers are provided.
Do you have other questions?
Our Booking Enquiries team can help with information about each building.
History & restoration
Largely unknown and unrecognised
Until 1980, when Alastair Kirsop, a student from the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow, completed his dissertation (for which see the following pages), the Mackintosh building in Comrie was largely unknown and unrecognised. Mr and Mrs Ray Smith, a retired couple, had bought the flat on the first floor in the early 1970's, quite unprepared for the interest that was about to be taken in it.
Before long, however, Mackintosh enthusiasts were knocking on the door asking to see the flat and gradually the Smiths came to take an equal interest in their own property. They had, for example, been about to remove the fireplace from the sitting room, but upon learning of its designer they immediately gave up the idea.
So when, in 1984, they decided to move Mr Smith was concerned that any new owner, besides caring for the property, should make it possible for more people to see the flat. He had heard of the Landmark flat in Mackintosh's The Hill House, Helensburgh, and so he asked his lawyer to approach the Trust.
The Trustees were immediately interested; the building at Comrie is a minor one, but it dates from the years in which Mackintosh was doing his finest work, 1903-4, and it is still very complete, both the flat and the shop having retained most of their original fittings. In particular they saw the importance of flat and shop being re-united in one ownership in order to safeguard the future of the building as a whole. As a step towards this the flat was bought by Landmark early in 1985.
A short history of The Mackintosh Building
Read the full history album for The Mackintosh Building
Download the children's Explorer pack for The Mackintosh Building
The original Mackintosh decoration had disappeared
The architect for the restoration was Stewart Tod, who had also done the work at The Hill House and at several other Landmarks in Scotland. The flat needed a complete overhaul; the wiring was out of date and the plumbing untidily exposed. The original Mackintosh decoration had disappeared long ago under layers of wallpaper and paint, which all had to be stripped off. However, some of the original dark green stain, used on the woodwork, had survived on the sitting room fireplace and on the back of the sitting room door and so the rest could be restored to match it.
As work progressed a patch of original wallpaper was uncovered in the kitchen and above the door some distemper, which must have formed a 'frieze' along the top of the wall, above the wallpaper. Both patches have been left showing.
Two fireplaces had been removed; one from the small bedroom, which must have made it awkward to furnish and one from the kitchen. The latter was replaced with a surround which, like the cupboards and shelves along the wall, were designed to fit in with the surviving Mackintosh details.
The local joiner who made these and the bathroom cupboard took great trouble, as did all the men from Carmichael's, the building firm who did the work, to see that every detail was finished to the highest standard.
The linoleum in the kitchen, which fitted both for design and size, came from the lodge at Saddell in Kintyre, recently acquired by the Landmark. It was brought from there by Mr and Mrs Tod on the roof of their car, rolled up, secured to a board and singing melodiously all the way, like an organ-pipe, as the wind whistled through it.
The green fittings in the bathroom were almost brand new, so after some qualms it was decided to keep them and they do seem to fit in with the rest of the decoration quite well.
Throughout the flat, apart from the cupboards already described and new storage heaters, nothing has been added to the original design. The curtain rail in the sitting room was replaced by one less aggressively shiny and the curtains themselves were hand printed by Mrs Packer, who makes many of the curtains for Landmark, with the same design that was used at The Hill House.
The furniture in the flat is almost entirely the work of early 20th century architects and designers, such as Baillie Scott, Gordon Russell and Heal's, in most of which the influence of C.R. Mackintosh can be detected, as in so much that came after him.
All the work was carried out very quickly and the flat was ready by the end of 1985. Then in 1986, Miss Hamilton, the grand-daughter of the Mr Macpherson who was inspired to commission Mackintosh to rebuild his shop, agreed to sell it to Landmark and so the original aim of uniting the two was realised. She will continue to run it, however, until her retirement, when it is hoped that someone else will be found to carry on selling everything that you can imagine or wish for over one counter.
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Availability & booking
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How many nights?
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A changeover day is a particular day of the week when holidays start and end at our properties. These tend to be on a Friday or a Monday but can sometimes vary. All stays run from one changeover day until another changeover day.