First impressions might lead house-hunters to believe they wouldn’t be able to afford Straton House, a grand home close to the coast at St Cyrus.

They’re sure to get a pleasant surprise when they see the eye-catching B-listed five-bedroom house, dating from the 18th century, is on sale for offers over £375,000.

The original Georgian building was extended in Victorian times to form a large mansion house, which was then divided into two properties in 1980.

The house is named after the ancient family of Straton of Lauriston. The last of the line, Sir Joseph Straton of Kirkside, a Peninsular War and Waterloo hero, lived there until his death in 1846.

Although the houses are attached, they are from different eras and each has the distinct feel of a detached house with its own private setting.

Straton House forms an L-shape around an enclosed courtyard and has two wings connected by a turret staircase filled with a number of features including a multi-fuel stove with stone hearth and wooden mantel, wooden flooring and exposed beams.

On the ground floor, there’s the sitting room, playroom (formerly a dining room), breakfast kitchen with a cream Aga, utility room, wc and front and side vestibules, along with a substantial storeroom and garage.

A turret staircase leads up to the first floor where the drawing room and study are found in the principal, south-east wing, along with a cloakroom.

There are three bedrooms and a bathroom in the two-storey east wing and a further two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor of the other wing.

The house overlooks the sea, with good views to the south-west over the Montrose Basin and the surrounding countryside.

Outside, there is an enclosed area to the side of the house with a log store, small greenhouse, oil tank and dog run. Steps lead up to a sheltered walled garden with a wooden summerhouse and garden shed, and down to a sheltered patio by the back door where there is a wooden Wendy house.

The current owners have been at Straton House for eight years, but a job transfer means they are having to hand the family home on to the next custodian of this historic house.

In their time, they have decorated extensively throughout the property and put in new carpets, blinds and curtains. They also built a new dog run and expanded the borders and vegetable patch in the walled garden.

For children, Straton House is an adventure playground with plenty of open space and the beach and sand dunes just a short walk away.

St Cyrus has a primary school, together with a post office, hotel and general store. A range of shopping, business and leisure facilities can be found in Montrose. Mearns Academy at Laurencekirk provides secondary schooling.

The house is conveniently situated almost midway between Dundee and Aberdeen, off the A92 coast road around five miles north of Montrose, offering its new owners an easy commute to both cities.

Ruaraidh Ogilvie, of selling agents Savills, said: “I have been familiar with the house for a number of years; I actually sold it to the current owners. It is a fantastic property and is pretty distinctive. The house offers people the opportunity to live in a grand home without having the headache of worrying about the maintenance of the whole building. It’s a stunning home in a great location, offering value for money.”

Contact: Savills Brechin on 01356 628628.