An eight-bedroom pink castle located north of Cairngorms National Park in Scotland is for sale for £1.5 million ($1.98 million). While it will be out of most people's reach, whoever buys the Grade A-listed Castle of Park will get a truly historic property, as the Aberdeenshire castle's foundations date back to 1242 and Robert the Bruce reportedly stayed there.
The castle was constructed into a tower house in 1536, and has late 18th- and 19th-century additions. Its location is great, as Aberdeenshire is famous for its castles and nearby Cairngorms National Park is the largest national park in the UK. The buyer will get a property on 36 acres of land with nine bathrooms and six reception rooms. The accommodation is laid out over four floors, and there is a swimming pool, pavilion and rose garden.
Internal features include the Great Hall with its open fireplace, a billiards room with a wood burning stove, a barrel-vaulted dining room and a historic chapel. The land is comprised of lawns, ponds, woodland walks, a walled garden, an orchard and a croquet lawn, and the gardens are surrounded by mature woodland and also include a large paddock.
Park Estate was originally part of the Royal Forest of Banff and was granted by King Alexander II to a Norman knight, Sir Walram de Normanville, in 1242. It was later rebuilt in the early 1500s into a Z-plan property, and a number of extensions were added in the 1700s, changing it from a fortified house into a large Georgian country mansion. A Gothic tower was the final addition in 1829.
The property has been used as a self-catering holiday home and exclusive use venue for weddings and other functions in recent years, and the current owner resides in a self-contained two-bedroom apartment on the top floor. History buffs will enjoy the idea that the castle is said to have provided accommodation for Robert the Bruce during his forays north in turbulent times.
Further information on the historic castle is available through Knight Frank here.
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