WHEN Moshira Maddison saw this unique granite period house, she was awestruck by its amazing beauty.

Broomlands House, built by the former owner of the Dalbeattie quarry in 1903, is an unusual Edwardian mansion representing one of the finest granite houses in south-west Scotland.

Moshira, who moved to the Borders in December 1988, said: “My husband James used to work in Egypt and at the time he wanted to retire early so we started looking for a house in the UK that was a good size with some land.

“When I first saw the house, I fell in love with it. It has so many period features. It hadn’t been touched in over 40 years – everything needed to be done but I could see it had huge potential. With a bit of imagination, I knew we could turn it into a lovely home. I also loved Dumfries and Galloway.

“I remember reading a survey at the time and it was listed as one of the best places to live in the UK. I’ve not been disappointed. It’s a wonderful place to live and the people are really friendly.”

The striking six-bedroom house comes with a fascinating history and a picture of Broomlands House is displayed in Dalbeattie Museum due to its unusual qualities.

Dalbeattie granite has been used for building notable landmarks around the world including the Thames Embankment in London, the great docks of Liverpool, Greenock and Belfast and buildings in North America. Dalbeattie granite contains thousands of tiny quartz crystals that sparkle in the sun.

She added: “The quality of the granite is amazing. It has been built so skilfully – it’s a piece of art. When the sun is shining, it glistens like diamonds. This is something very special. You have to see it to really appreciate the magic of it.”

It took Moshira a year and a half to revamp the entire house and transform it into her perfect home, complete with its very own Egyptian room.

The house also has two staircases as Moshira and her late husband converted the house so that they would have their own wing as they previously ran it as a guesthouse.

She said: “We have large master bedroom and a very spacious luxurious bathroom. The bath is an octagonal shape with steps leading into it and it also has 24 carat gold fittings. I love the bath – it’s a great place to relax and soak up the atmosphere.

“I also have an Egyptian room with a blue and white ceiling. It’s filled with lots of reminders of my home in Egypt. When people visit they love to spend time here as it’s such an attractive room.”

There are many little touches of Egypt such as an unusual water feature in the lounge in an octagonal corner. The fountain is surrounded by statues and changes colour.

Moshira said: “It looks a little bit like a disco. I love it as it’s a touch of my culture. We have a lot of water features in homes in Egypt as it’s a hot country. The sound of water is very soothing and relaxing.

“I also have some nice Scottish touches too. My mother-in-law made the most amazing rugs, which I have hanging on the walls. In one of the rugs in the hall, she has stitched a piper and when you look at it, it feels like he is walking towards you. I’m proud of the rugs as they are very unusual – she was very talented.”

There is also a picturesque woodland garden with two ponds, a scene of serenity.

Moshira said: “I have grown so attached to the house but now it’s too big for me. I would like to downsize. I will miss everything about this house. I hope the new owners love it as much as I have.”

■ Broomlands is on the market for a guide price of £650,000. Call CKD Galbraith on 01556 505346.