“This is a very fine and comfortable cottege, well placed for walking and bicycling excursions.”
It is directly on a road, but in October there was not much traffic, so it was quiet. The back garden is magnificent with a splendid view and fine location for outdoor dining in good weather. There is one shortcoming of the cottage, which could do with improvement: there is no place out front to lock up bicycles, which is a serious shortcoming in a place where so many people would be coming with bicycle excursions in mind. This could be rectified by anchoring a pair of sturdy bike-locking rings to the front facade. Because this is middle-of-terrace with no lane at the back garden, there is no way to bring bikes around to the back garden. (Evidently, it is customary for people to cut through the neighbors garden gates to haul trash bins to the end-terrace and back, but there were no instructions on this access route left with the cottage, and one doesn't want to disturb neighbors on a twice-daily basis). A related problem is that the only entrance to the cottage is from the street, leading directly into the carpeted front parlor. In muddy weather, it is impossible to get in without tracking mud into the front parlor, there is no place to sit and take off boots, and even with care it was exceedingly difficult to keep the front parlor clean. There are two nice wood-burning stoves, and wood can be purchased from the lovely village shop. The cottage would benefit from being provided with an ash bucket, and instructions as to where to put the ashes. We would be very happy to stay at Murrayfield again, and I mention the shortcomings only in the hopes that they can be corrected, which could easily be done.
- Prof Pierrehumbert, September 2020
