Beyond the limits of Edinburgh’s prosperous commuter belt, the outlook among leading country house agents remains surprisingly positive, despite a lack of supply. As one leading agent remarked, ‘here in Scotland, we’ve had so much thrown at us in recent years that we’ve all learnt to put our heads down and just get on with our lives’.
However, most will admit that today’s buyers are cautious about buying country houses that don’t offer another string to their bow, in the form of good sporting facilities, a working farm or established holiday lets, with proximity to an airport seen as a major advantage.
Galbraith are joint agents with Knight Frank in the sale — for ‘offers over £2.35m — of the charming, 358-acre Holme Rose amenity estate at Croy in the Nairn Valley.
Close to the Moray Firth and four miles from Inverness airport, I’m told a flight to London takes a commutable hour and 20 minutes. The pleasant coastal town of Nairn is nine miles to the north-east, with Inverness city centre 10 miles to the south-west.
Holme Rose (which means ‘farm of the Roses’) stands near to Kilravock Castle, the historic seat of the Rose clan. The estate was sold in the 1930s to Brig James Stirling of Fairburn, before being bought, in 1969, by Lord Campbell of Croy, the father of the present owner.
Lord Campbell was Secretary of State for Scotland in the early 1970s and regularly received British and international politicians and other dignitaries at Holme Rose.
The original farmhouse was built in the mid 18th century and gentrified by Col Rose who, in 1820, added the Classical Georgian front, using locally sourced Nairn pink stone.
The present house, listed Category A, is currently let on a short-term tenancy and has three main reception rooms, eight principal bedrooms and four bathrooms, with two first-floor flats providing a further six bedrooms. It comes with a gate lodge, two estate cottages and two further cottages in need of refurbishment.
The house stands in more than 15 acres of formal gardens and grounds, including a former walled garden, listed Category C. The farmland at Holme Rose consists of 194 acres of farmland, currently down to grass and let to a local grazier, and 149 acres of woodland — a mix of mature broadleaf along the riverbank and east and west driveways, together with some more commercial blocks.
The estate also offers 1½ miles of single-bank salmon and sea-trout fishing on the River Nairn, with opportunities for roe-deer stalking and the potential to create a pheasant shoot.
Holme Rose is for sale via Galbraith and Knight Frank — see more pictures and details.
The latest update to Pevsner brings the 21st century update 'tantalisingly close to completion'
The work of updating Nikolas Pevsner and Ian Nairn's magnum opus on the buildings of England continues with a volume
-
'One of the finest houses in Cheshire' blends Georgian architecture, modern exoticism and space to park your helicopterPenny Churchill looks inside Stretton Hall, an exceptional house for sale
-
Marilyn, maraschino cherries and classic movie musicals await you in Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 29, 2025Friday's quiz puts your cocktail knowledge to the test.
-
'One of the finest houses in Cheshire' blends Georgian architecture, modern exoticism and space to park your helicopter
Penny Churchill looks inside Stretton Hall, an exceptional house for sale
-
Splendid isolation at four gorgeous properties for sale around the worldFor those craving a home that offers a true escape from the world, some wonderful properties are on the market right now. Here's our pick of some of the finest — ideal for nature lovers, those in search of tranquility and Bond villains alike.
-
The market for super-prime houses in England's biggest millionaire's playground is booming — and this £10m example is one of the bestWhirley Hall is a 17th century building that's a perfect example of how 21st century updates can transform an old home almost beyond recognition.
-
If I had to spend the rest of my life living underground, I would do it in this four-bedroom house for sale in the Peak DistrictThe aptly named Underhill is a 'a work of inhabitable art' that was built in the 1970s. And there's a swimming pool in the middle of it.
-
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?
