Evelyn Channing, Savills’s first lady of Scottish country property, is overseeing the sale, due to the retirement of the present incumbent, of the 1,086-acre Tillyfour residential and livestock farm in rural Aberdeenshire, 5½ miles from Alford and 25 miles west of Aberdeen.
Tillyfour has a longstanding history with Aberdeen Angus cattle dating back to 1820, when William McCombie took on the lease from his father and set out to build up his own herd. He crossed Angus ‘Doddies’ with Aberdeen ‘Hummlies’ to produce the sturdy, hornless, amenable breed we know today. From 1832 onwards, McCombie won more than 500 major awards for his cattle at agricultural shows throughout the UK and Europe.
In 1867, Queen Victoria visited Tillyfour to officially recognise the Aberdeen Angus breed. To mark the occasion, a new wing was added to Tillyfour House.
Not being very tall, Her Majesty would have been unable to see over the hedge to the field in front of the house from a ground-floor room and she is recorded as having sat in the new first-floor drawing room (now the principal bedroom) to watch the parade of cattle in what is still known as the Bull Field.
Tillyfour is currently on the market via Savills for £7 million as a whole or in two lots for £4.8 million and £2.2 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
‘Its loss became a cautionary tale, and a rallying cry for architectural conservation’: The rise and fall and renewed interest in Ireland’s remarkable country housesLesley Bond traces a brief history of Ireland’s country houses and questions whether you can ever separate the house from the history it represents.
-
Alan Titchmarsh: 'I am so weary of seeing Lutyens-style benches and chairs absolutely everywhere'A strategically placed chair doubles as a focal point and a spot to rest — but we need to move on from Lutyens-style ones says our regular garden columnist.
-
A micro estate for sale in west Wales shows that the best things come in small packages. In this case, three of themBrithdir is a remarkable collection of properties centred around a lake and just five miles from the sea.
-
This blissful converted mill has sweeping views, a breathtaking library and gardens by a Chelsea gold medallistPenny Churchill takes a look at Stanbridge Mill, one of the finest properties for sale today in the west country.
-
Portmore has it all: A 3,459-acre Scottish estate for sale, with a signature Baronial sandstone mansion at its heartFor sale for the first time in 40 years, Portmore Estate is everything you could ever want in Scotland.
-
Location, community and charm: the enduring desirability of London's mews housesFrom birds, to horses, to beautiful family homes, the mews of London are some of the nation's most sought-after homes. But why?
-
The distinctive and historic home that might just be 'one of Dorset’s most picturesque'Grade II*-listed Manor House, set in just under eight acres, dates from the 16th century.
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
