One of the best kept 16th century houses in Scotland has hit the market for £8million in Fife - complete with its own ghost.
The historic Earlshall Castle boasts 10 bedrooms, eight reception rooms, six bathrooms, three cottages, a walled garden, and a five car garage.
The property is also rumoured to come with a ghost. Supposedly, the footsteps of Sir Andrew the Bloody Bruce, the most notorious Baron of Earlshall, can still be heard on the spiral stairs of Earlshall to this day.
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The castle also hosted the famed Mary Queen of Scots during in 1561 as well as James VI of Scotland later on. Both monarchs would have ridden from the royal palace of Falkland to hunt at Earlshall.
There are four floors in total, and spiral staircases transport visitors from floor to floor. Each level hides galleries, laundry rooms, gun rooms, and libraries behind halls and vestibules. The master bedroom has been modernised to include a walk in closet as well as a dressing room.
The great hall is still decorated with furniture and textiles reminiscent of the castle’s history, and the great fireplace features a wooden mantle with swords and taxidermy hung above.
One of the property's historic barons, William and Agnes Lindsay, were responsible for painting the ceiling in the long gallery. To this day, the ceiling is decorated with a full-length coat of arms of European royalty, Scottish noble families and imaginary nobles.
The multi-million pound property dates back to 1546 when it was built by relatives of King Robert de Bruce, and has a central block with off-set towers, and a separate building known as Dummy Daws can be reached through the arched Gate House. There is also a gateway to the Courtyard with another entrance to the castle.
From 1708 until 1824, the property fell into a state of disrepair, but in 1890, Robert Mackenzie from Perth, purchased the castle and employed Scotland’s finest architect, Robert Lorimer, to carry out restorations.
The property also includes the 125-year-old topiary lawn, which is Earlshall's best known feature. Walled gardens adjoin the property, and various ‘rooms’ or ‘gardens’ within it are divided by yew and holly hedges. There are also orchard and rose terraces as well as a bowling green.
Earlshall is set in 34 acres of its own parkland and policy woodland near the village of Leuchars in north east Fife.
Earlshall Castle is listed on Savills.com
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