It's no secret that you can buy a giant wreck for next to nothing. A 20-bedroom castle went under the hammer last year at just £500,000, for example, and a beautiful, crumbling place in Devon recently sold for £750,000.
Yet even in the light of those places the example on this page — the Dalquharran Estate near Girvan in Ayrshire, just down the road from the famous Turnberry golf course — is still a rather incredible bargain.
Agents Rettie have slapped a price tag of just £800,000 on this 261-acre estate that contains two irresistibly romantic castles.
It's such a bargain, actually, that between us writing this article and scheduling it for publication, the agents received an offer.
It remains listed on their website for now, however, so anyone who feels they might have missed out might be advised to keep abreast of how the sale progresses. After all, this is a place where the survey is pretty much guaranteed to throw up a few issues.
That's because the castles included aren't just run down, or sporting dodgy avocado bathrooms and wood-chip wallpaper in the hallway. They are full on wrecks, shells of their glorious former selves.
Dalquharran Old Castle is the older of the two, dating to the late 15th century but greatly expanded to become a 'stately castle' in 1679.
The 'new' castle is dubbed the Robert Adam Dalquharran Castle, Robert Adam being the architect who erected the famously picturesque Culzean Castle, which sits above a clifftop just a few miles away.
The estate also includes several other buildings ripe for renewal and development, roughly 160 acres of farmland — a mixture of arable and pasture — with the rest of the estate being woodland.
And all for £800,000, the same price that you'd pay for a semi-detached new build in the Surrey town of Reigate, a four-bed house in Lancashire or a pleasant flat in the centre of Edinburgh. No wonder Dalquharran was snapped up quick-smart.
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.
-
Merlins: Britain's smallest bird of prey is a 'swerving, zigzagging, 240mph weighted missile' that's gutsy enough to chase off a golden eagleSize doesn’t matter when it comes to the fighting spirit of the tiny merlin, a fierce parent and favoured hunting accessory of Mary, Queen of Scots.
-
The greatest moment in the life of Jessie Owens: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 13, 2025Breathtaking athleticism and Shakespeare's birthday are among the questions in the final quiz of the week.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
-
Vibrant colours and exquisite taste make this three-bedroom London townhouse singOn Kennington's West Square, this Grade II-listed home is a monument to the discerning eye.
