ONE of few large Scottish estates seen on the open market in 2022, the illustrious, 1,528-acre Careston residential and farming estate near Brechin, Angus, reflected the changing face of the Scottish land market. Its sale saw the Category A-listed castle with 345 acres of land acquired by a European buyer, the bulk of the remaining farmland being purchased by expanding commercial farmers or those with rollover funds burning holes in their pockets.
Launched onto the market by Savills in autumn 2021 at a guide price of £11.3 million for the whole—or in eight lots—the sale of the Careston estate marked the end of an era for the Adamson family, whose home it had been for 150 years. Described by the writer Ochterlony in 1682 as ‘without debait the best gentleman’s house in the shyre’, Careston Castle was built in the late 16th century by Sir Henry Lindsay, later 13th Earl of Crawford, and revamped by his nephew, Lord Spynie, in the 1620s.
By 1721, the castle was owned by Maj George Skene and passed down through his family to his great-granddaughter, who married Alexander, 3rd Earl of Fife. An article in COUNTRY LIFE (March 1, 1913) notes the addition of a grand staircase hall at the rear, and the embellishment of the 16th-century turrets with crenellations in the Gothic style. Further additions were made for John Adamson, the son of a Dundee whaling captain and owner of the Erichtside linen works at Blairgowrie, who bought Careston from the Earl of Fife in 1872.
Denne historien er fra January 11, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra January 11, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
