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Comedian Alan Carr, widely recognized following his win on Celebrity Traitors, has recently taken on an exciting new venture that he describes as one of his most thrilling projects in quite some time: purchasing a Scottish castle. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Chatty Man presenter acquired Ayton Castle located in the Scottish Borders. The property had been listed with offers starting at £3.25 million, and rumors quickly swirled that Carr intended to convert the castle into a hotel and spa. However, he later dismissed these claims during a podcast, emphasizing that Ayton Castle would serve as his personal residence. “It is my home and I’m selling up and moving up there. It is a lovely community, really small and I want it to be magical up there,” he stated.
The notion of owning a castle in Scotland sparks curiosity about the accessibility and costs involved in acquiring such historic properties. Dorothy Newlands, chair of the Scottish Castles Association, sheds light on the current market of castles for sale. She highlights a variety of castles available, ranging from restored medieval tower houses to ruins requiring significant restoration. For instance, Law Castle in Ayrshire, a tower house gifted as a wedding present centuries ago, is on the market for offers over £1 million. At the higher end of the scale is Castle Cary near Creetown in Dumfries and Galloway, with a price tag of £9.5 million and featuring a ruined castle at its core. Newlands advises prospective buyers to consider practical factors like road access and to work with architects skilled in conservation to ease the restoration process. “Castle restorers are a friendly bunch, very willing to help with advice,” she remarked.
Newlands also points out the diversity of those interested in castle ownership, ranging from individuals dedicating years to restoration projects to groups such as clan associations and communities purchasing castles to serve as local landmarks. Several castles, including those close to Edinburgh such as Ormiston Castle, Cakemuir Castle, and Brankstone Grange Castle, offer renovated living spaces starting around £3 million. Another example is Shieldhill Castle near Biggar, a 30-bedroom country house hotel dating back to 1199, priced at approximately £1.5 million. “People buy castles because they love the history and they want to play their part in bringing some of our built heritage back
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