A strange property advertisement has been released, with a luxurious castle available for purchase with just one down side – there might be an unwelcome guest wandering the corridors at night
A British castle said to be haunted by a ghost named Betty is on the market – for the hefty price of £5 million.
Carbisdale Castle in Scotland was bought by a London investment firm in 2016 from the Scottish Youth Hostel Association who had owned the site since 1945. Once dubbed ‘Britain’s poshest Youth Hostel’ the 19 bedroom property was later put back on the market for £1.2million. But the deal fell through and now several years later the castle in 29 acres is on the market again for £5million after a ‘vast restoration’.
The castle’s ghost is well-known among people who stayed there while it was a youth hostel with one of the top-floor bedrooms dubbed the ‘spook room’. Betty is said to appear dressed in white in various parts of the 41,000 sq ft property.
Agents Strutt and Parker say: “‘Carbisdale Castle is an impressive and imposing large mansion house built in the Scottish baronial style on a precipitous site above the inner Kyle of Sutherland with outstanding views in all directions. The current owner has undertaken a vast restoration of key parts of the castle to turn it back into the historic castle that it once was.
“The intention of the project was to combine all of the decorative features and grandeur of the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland’s original creation with services, systems, fixtures, fittings and layout of the highest contemporary quality together with reorganisation of the existing accommodation to suit 21st Century living and the potential development of a spa and swimming pool as complementary features.
“The current position is that significant work has been carried out, and the castle will be offered with the remaining few bedrooms finished, together with the Wellness Suite to be completed by the existing owner, subject to contract with the full purchase price paid.”
There is currently a planning application for 12 one-bedroom lodges around the loch area. Built in the early 1900s Carbisdale became known as the Castle of Spite because of its original resident’s bitter dispute with her husband’s family.
Mary Caroline, Duchess of Sutherland, was the second wife of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland.But the marriage was not well liked by the duke’s family, and when he later died the duchess’ inheritance was contested by her stepson
The Duchess sent to Holloway Prison for six weeks after being found guilty of destroying documents linked to the inheritance.Eventually, a financial settlement was reached and the family agreed to build the Duchess a new castle – as long as it sat outside the Sutherland Estate boundary.
The Duchess built it on the most prominent hillside site just outside the estate, with her new home overlooking her former family’s land and railway line. It was widely considered the Duchess located the castle to spite her husband’s family and the settlement agreement.
From 1945 it was used as a youth hostel by SYHA until the costs of owning and maintaining became too great. It was purchased in 2016 by the current owner who wanted to turn the youth hostel and function venue into ‘a private home of exceptional quality’.
Plans were approved for a swimming pool and spa with the castle tennis courts due to be opened up to the public.
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