3 castles for sale to suit every budget
Maybe if you club together with friends…
Ever fancied yourself as lord or lady of a castle? Let’s face it, homeownership is increasingly difficult to manage so buying a place with turrets might seem even more out of reach.
But it’s a lovely fantasy, right? And for some people it’s not even a fantasy, it’s actually real life. In fact, not everyone who buys a castle is wealthy or titled, we’ve even found one for £150,000 (although as you will see it’s a bit of a doer-upper!).
So here are three castles, ranging from a vast expensive pile to fantasise about in case you win the lottery to one that needs a new roof (well, a new everything, if we’re honest).
Earlshall Castle, Leuchars, Fife
Presently on the market for an unspecified price is the impressive Earlshall Castle – presumably if you have to ask the price you probably can’t afford it.
It’s a stunning Scottish castle with 10 bedrooms, 8 reception rooms, parkland and around 53 acres of land in all. Plus there’s a walled garden with lots of those twiddly trimmed bushes.
Earhall was owned by the earls of Fife, who were relatives of King Robert de Bruce. If you are in the market for a castle that makes you feel like royalty then this is definitely the one for you; Mary Queen of Scots stayed here back in 1561 and James VI of Scotland, later James 1 of England, also visited.
And if that’s not enough to sell you on this stunningly beautiful castle then the estate agent is keen to let you know it’s a ‘perfect golfing destination’. So maybe it could be a little weekend golfing getaway.
700 year-old chateau, Vendee, France
If you don’t mind moving abroad to pursue your castle dreams then this stunning French chateau could be the home for you. And at just under €500,000 (£340,000), it’s frankly more affordable than most London property.
This beautiful home is situated in the quiet Vendee countryside and it’s been refurbished and restored in keeping with its historic past. Best of all, it’s been upgraded with all mod cons too so you get original open fireplaces and solid oak doors but also double glazing and electrics.
There’s even a dungeon, although it’s been converted into a shower room so it’s slightly more guest friendly.
Knockhall Castle, Aberdeenshire
This castle might be a bit more in most people’s price-range but it’s a doer-upper to say the least. Knockhall Castle is on the market for offers above £130,000.
Before you get too excited and think about putting your semi-detached on the market, you should probably know that it’s a bit of a ruin. The castle was built in 1565, with three stories plus an attic.
The building is externally complete and the estate agent says it has residential potential – but it’s definitely going to need a pretty major redevelopment. On top of that, it’s suggested that there could be significant archaeological interest surrounding the tower.
So it’s probably worth bearing in mind that if you decide you want a tennis court or a garage added to the estate you might end up with the equivalent of Time Team camping out on your land and digging up important artefacts first.
Investing for the future
Whether you’re saving for a castle or a bungalow, a bedsit or a mansion, you might be able to grow your money faster by investing it.
And if you put your money into an ISA then the taxman can’t take a cut of your returns, meaning you keep it all.
There are a number of ISA options and it’s important to research them carefully but our innovative finance ISA has target returns between 3.67-8% a year on a minimum investment of £100.
And easyMoney only lends your money to businesses that can secure it against property, although sadly not too many castles.
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