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Cornhill castle goes up for sale


By Kyle Ritchie

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The Castle of Park situated on the outskirts of Cornhill has been placed on the market with a £1.5 million price tag.

The historic property dates back to 1242 and was said to have provided refuge for King Robert the Bruce.

It was later rebuilt in the early 1500s into which remains the basis of the castle layout as it stands today.

The castle has been listed by property agents Knight Frank.

Castle of Park located near Cornhill is on the market. Picture: Knight Frank
Castle of Park located near Cornhill is on the market. Picture: Knight Frank

The listing details it as a Grade A listed 16th century castle with late 18th and 19th century additions.

It has a Z plan layout with these castles having a central rectangular tower with smaller towers attached at diagonally opposite corners.

The accommodation is laid out over four floors and includes six principal reception rooms, eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms, with four of those en suite. There is also a two-bedroom flat on the top floor.

Within the grounds there is a pavilion building which is currently used for functions. The land extends to about 36 acres in total comprising lawns, ponds, woodland walks, a walled garden, orchard, croquet lawn and labyrinth.

There are also a number of outbuildings including a GP shed, potting shed and a triple garage. The gardens are surrounded by some mature woodland and also include a large paddock.

The 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.

The current Castle is a large mansion which may have foundations from the 13th century, but was built or rebuilt into its current state in 1536.

In the 1700s, a number of extensions were added changing it from a fortified house into a large Georgian country mansion, and in 1829 a Gothic tower was the final addition.

The current owners purchased the castle in 2007 and over time have refurbished it.

The property has been used as a self-catering holiday home and exclusive use venue over the last four years.

It has attracted visitors from as far afield as America and Australia to the Banffshire area.

The current laird is a keen open water swimmer and installed a dual propulsion pool in the garden in 2017.

The castle features a billiard room with wood burning stove; a barrel vaulted dining room; historic chapel; drawing room and great hall.

A pavillion, which was constructed in 2018, is situated a short distance away from the castle.

It is used for various events including weddings, ceilidhs, conferences and meetings.

The grounds have several blocks of mixed mature woodland including lime, oak, ash, horse chestnut, beech, copper beech and sequoia.

In addition, there are four fields of pasture which extend to 17 acres and are used to graze a small herd of Highland cattle.

The castle is approached from a tree-lined driveway with a gravel sweep at the front.

It is situated among farmland just south of Cornhill.

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