AN ENGLISHMAN’S home is his castle, or so the old adage goes.
And this saying is particularly apt for the Benson family who live in Sunfield Cottage – complete with its own turret.
Originally from Yorkshire, Charles and Jo moved to the North-east 22 years ago before settling and raising their family here.
And the famous phrase was never far from Charles’ mind when selecting the property of their dreams.
“I had been coming up to work in Scotland since the 1980s and already knew I wanted to settle in Banchory,” said 48-year-old Charles, director of business development for M-I Swaco.
“The area won Jo over too but while I fell in love with Sunfield Cottage straight away, she took some convincing.
“I kept thinking about how an Englishman’s home is his castle and how I wanted a good bit of dirt, and a house I could take on a journey.
“I had a vision of how it could look one day and we’ve since transformed the place and we love it.”
The huge house has been a spacious home for Charles and Jo, 46. They raised their family here – sons James, 21, and Oliver, 19, who have both now left home – and 14-year-old Sophie.
And the expansive grounds have been ideal for the family’s two working cocker spaniels, Monty and Rosie.
Originally a traditional farmer’s cottage, the property was previously owned by a Mr and Mrs Anderson who also shared a passion for the property.
In the 1970s they ran an antique shop and watchmaking business from two adjoining bothies.
Their touch can still be seen here in the form of the antique lampposts which line the drive – all reclaimed from the old Aboyne and Banchory train stations.
Charles and Jo, who works for Marks & Spencer in Westhill, combined the bothies with the house, to make for even more living space.
In 1997 they had elevated decking put in at the back of the house, overlooking the garden.
And for the grand finale, they extended the cottage further, adding the turret and creating the magnificent master bedroom space with its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Every room in the house has its own unique character, and all are spacious, bright and airy.
Charles, Jo and Sophie are preparing to move to London now and dearly hope to find a family who will love this home as much as they have.
And the new inhabitants might even inherit something as a parting gift.
Charles said: “I hung a stag’s head over the front door, a gift from a gamekeeper friend.
“All these years I’ve been telling people that I brought down that great stag myself, but I confess I’ve been lying.
“I may leave it behind now as it’s only fitting it stays with a Scottish property.”