Meet Stephanie Lothian, Co-Owner of Williamstone Farm steadings

Hi Steph, can you please introduce yourself and The Barn to our readers?

Hi, my name is Steph and together with my husband Ryan and son Lewis we own and run ‘The Barn’ at Williamstone Farm Steadings in the beautiful seaside town of North Berwick. The Barn is a grade ‘B’ listed holiday cottage which has been extensively renovated to create a luxurious and stylish home from home. It sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms and has been awarded a five star rating from VisitScotland.

The Barn is located in its own four-acre plot of stunning farmland on the edge of North Berwick, how would you describe its surroundings to anyone thinking about visiting?

I think of the Farm as being a little oasis of calm and tranquility. It’s actually located within the busy seaside town of North Berwick but as we’re surrounded by fields, we have a very rural and countryside feel. We frequently have deer who visit, herons, pheasants, squirrels and you might also spot birds of prey. It’s just a 10 minute walk to the beach, 8 minutes to the train station and a 15 minute walk to the High Street, so many of our guests enjoy completely abandoning their car during their stay!

How did it all begin? What led you to take on the mammoth task of renovating a grade ‘B’ listed building and turning it into luxury self-catering accommodation?

Total naivety on our part! We had been looking for a new project in Edinburgh as we’d sold our house at the time and were living in rented accommodation. An estate agent had sent through the schedule for Williamstone Farm and for me it was love at first sight (Ryan took a fair bit more persuading!). We bought the farm in 2015, I don’t think I appreciated just how much work it required back then, which was probably what was putting others off as it had been on the market for some time! The Steadings were derelict, and the Farmhouse required modernisation as the previous owners had lived in it for 35 years. We really had no idea what we were going to do with the Steadings at first, but the idea of holiday accommodation evolved mainly due to its stunning location. We found a fantastic architect, Lynsay Bell from LBA Studio, and so the journey began project managing the renovations ourselves, whilst juggling day jobs, to keep costs down. We had a fabulous team of trades, true craftsmen, for instance Hughie our incredibly talented stonemason who is a true local legend! Lynsay’s innovative yet sympathetic designs, along with quality of workmanship, secured us the Herald Property Award for ‘Best Renovation/Conversion’ in Scotland 2018 which was quite a moment for us. We had been up against some stiff competition from renowned development companies, and let’s face it, we were just a Husband & Wife team with a relatively small project, but the judges selected us and we were delighted.

How would you describe the interior and what was the process like bringing an old building back to life?

Bringing an old building back to life is a labour of love! Some of the Steadings had been used to keep pigs and horses so there was a lot of manure which had to be removed just to get things started! I look back on the renovations as a joyous process seeing the Barn come back to life, but time is a great healer as I also remember just how stressful the whole process was, juggling budgets, trades, materials etc. All worth it in the end though!

The details throughout are so well considered, can you pick out something you are most proud of and why this was important for you to include it at The Barn?

I am most proud of the exposed natural stone walls and wooden beams we managed to salvage. An enormous amount of love and attention went in to them both and it was so worth the effort (and extra expense!) We even have some old metal fixings from years gone by which tell a lovely story of the barn’s farming history.

There are also many hints of the steadings’ past within the property, can you tell us a bit more about its history?

The Barn dates back to the late 1800’s and was used to store grain and farm machinery with the adjacent steadings used as stables for the horses and shelter for the pigs.

What type of experience should guests expect when they come to stay at The Barn?

Guests should expect understated luxury, and the perfect mix of old meets new. We are delighted to have so many returning guests and a phrase which we love to hear is when they describe the Barn as their ‘Happy Place’. I think that describes it better than anything I can come up with!

You are great at sharing the local businesses, eateries, and suppliers through your Instagram, there is a real sense of community. Who would you say are some of your favourite local businesses?

This is one of the greatest pleasures our business has brought me. I have loved discovering, and sharing, the enormous amount of local businesses we have in East Lothian and they are all contained within our ’Top Tips for your Stay’ which is sent out to guests on booking a stay with us. Here is a selection of our favourites! Bostock Bakery, Steampunk Coffee, Brand Farm, Drift Cafe, The Herringbone, Alanda’s ice-cream, Falko, The Cheese Lady, Minato Sushi, The Lobster Shack, Laura Thomas, Yarrow Cookery School, East Coast Lobsters to name just a few!

You even provide some of the local produce at The Barn, can you give us a flavour of what guests might expect?

We are delighted to supply freshly ground Steampunk Coffee for the cafetière, an artisan bread from Bostock Bakery, pack of borders biscuits and some milk and butter. Our bathrooms are stocked with an extensive range of Laura Thomas products so you’ll be able to try her Shampoo, Conditioner, Hand Wash, Shower Wash, Body Lotion and enjoy the aroma from the Lemon & Peppermint scent diffusers. Laura has just opened a shop on the High Street in North Berwick and our guests can make the most of a 15% discount.

With only a 15 minute walk to the High Street, where would you recommend your guests go from here?

Take a wander along our fabulous High Street renowned for its many independent shops, cafes and restaurants then head down to the Harbour for Lobster & chips at either ‘The Rocketeer’ or ‘The Lobster Shack’ followed by an ice-cream from the multi award winning ‘Alanda’s’. For the best cocktails in North Berwick head to ‘The Herringbone‘, then when you’re ready to retreat to the comforts of the Barn, meander your way back along East Sands beach.

What would you say is the perfect way to relax and unwind at The Barn, can you set the scene for us?

Following a busy day exploring North Berwick and the surrounding beaches cosy up in front of the log burning stove with a nice glass of your favourite tipple, relaxing with some good company and enjoy the peace and quiet. If you enjoy cooking and entertaining then you’ll love our Poggenpohl kitchen with its impressive island.

Where can our readers find out more about The Barn, and how can they book?

Bookings can be made through our website and if you’d like to see more photos and read about all our local recommendations head to our Instagram.