A two-storey farmhouse and an extensive and versatile steading with buildings suitable for a variety of uses, Thorneyflat Farm is a property with immense potential much enhanced by its location on the outskirts of Ayr and its proximity to the A77 bypass.

This traditional farmhouse is composed of three cottages joined together to provide extensive accommodation which includes two reception rooms, kitchen, utility room, office, playroom, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, shower room and basement. It is much larger than it appears initially from the winding path up to the entrance.

A small burn runs through the gardens and grounds and there are the remains of an old cottage and brick-making kilns in the woodland area next to the house. Surrounded by trees and open countryside, Thorneyflat is one of those rare gems that seldom becomes available.

Adjacent to the house is an attractive tarmacadam courtyard and a superb traditional steading composed of 17 stables, farm office, garages, games room, workshop and two substantial hay sheds with lean-tos.

The steading - available as a separate lot with 16.74 acres - could lend itself to a wide variety of uses such as craft workshops or equestrian use subject to obtaining the required planning permissions. It may also be possible, again subject to planning consents, to convert part of the steading for residential use. The land consists of pasture divided into five fields and paddocks.

Three cottages rolled into one, the stone farmhouse is a quirky property full of character and benefiting from an unusual and highly versatile layout. What was the northernmost cottage, for example, could quite easily be adapted to form a separate granny flat or similar.

On the ground floor there is an entrance hall, large playroom, shower room, boot room, a sizeable store room which houses the oil-fired central heating boiler, large utility room fitted with a range of floor and wall mounted units, and an equally large kitchen with a fireplace, fitted units and electric Aga.

There is also a separate dining area and a small office with shelving. Another hall has doors to both the garden and courtyard, off which is an attractive drawing room, a snug or informal family room, a south-facing double bedroom and a bathroom. On the first floor are three further double bedrooms - all bar one enhanced by traditional coombed ceilings - plus a second bathroom. A large basement area provides additional storage space.

Attractive gardens well screened by trees and hedging incorporate large expanses of lawn, shrub beds and a patio. To the west, the property is bordered by a small burn over which is a timber bridge. In addition, there are various outbuildings including stables with three boxes and six stalls, a large farm office, a 27ft long garage with arched double doors, a workshop, and a timber garage with an adjoining hard core parking area. Two paddocks extending to around 2.5 acres and an acre of woodland form the final part of this particular lot.

The steading currently consists of a 36ft by 24ft cartshed with loft, a very large multi-purpose games room, large byre, grooming room and storeroom and stabling. There is also a separate brick building containing two stables and a bull pen, two timber stables, a feed store, tack room and six further stables, plus a hayshed.

Lot three consists of a workshop with large sliding doors, a concrete floor and offices at one end, a hayshed and lean-to, and a paddock extending to half-an-acre.

Thorneyflat is available as a whole, at offers over #275,000, or in three lots: lot one, consisting of the farmhouse, stables, farm office, garages and 3.74 acres of land at offers over #165,000; lot two, the steading with 16.74 acres, at offers over #75,000, and lot three, with the workshop, hayshed and small half-acre paddock at offers over #35,000.

The house lies within three miles of the centre of Ayr, a county town offering a wide variety of shops, leisure and sports facilities including a racecourse, theatres, cinemas, and a number of good primary and secondary schools.

South Ayrshire is renowned for its scenery and championship golf courses at Turnberry, Prestwick and Royal Troon. Prestwick Airport is just seven miles from Thorneyflat, while commuting to Glasgow by car takes fewer than 45 minutes.

''Because of its location, close to Ayr and within easy reach of the A77 bypass, and particularly given its extensive buildings, Thorneyflat has considerable potential for many uses including conversion of the building to residential use,'' says Bob Cherry of sole selling agents Cluttons Daniel Smith. Tel: 01292 268181.