A 300-year-old manor house in the Scottish Countryside, a £1.75m mansion in Bothwell and a crumbling castle on a Shetland Isle were among the UK’s most-viewed properties last month.
The rambling Kinsteary House, near Nairn, dates back to 1701 and attracted viewers from around Britian dreaming of a Highland hideaway far from bustling cities.
But the stately retreat comes at a steep £1.5m price tag ,meaning most would have to dig deep to make it a home.
Thought to have been built on the ruins of an earlier castle, estate agents say the sprawling eight-bedroom, five-bathroom house has an “otherwordly” feel, with an “immediate sense of privacy, peace and tranquillity".
Kinsteary House
The B-listed Kinsteary House boasts a 26. ft drawing room, a library, morning room and a formal dining room, and sits in in 19 acres of its own ground.
READ MORE: 'Clearances castle' on sale for price of a flat
A gardener’s cottage and converted barn also come with the purchase.
At the opposite end of the scale on Rightmove-s list of most-viewed dwellings, is the three-storey mansion Elmwood House in South Lanarkshire, priced close to £2m.
The Blantyre Road home was only completed in 2004, and is fitted out with the marble tiles and luxurious extras, including its own gym, steam room and pool.
Promotional material states: “The property, whilst grand in scale, operates with a very convenient and natural flow and lends itself brilliantly to a variety of lifestyles, be that high level entertaining, multi-generational living or just a private, secluded family home.”
Meanwhile, publicity around the proposed sale of ‘clearances castle’ Brough Lodge on Fetlar, off the coast of the Shetland mainland, propelled the property to the top of the list last month.
The Gothic mansion and its estate – which boasts two folly towers and spreads across 40 acres - is on the market for a fraction of the price of a flat.
Described as Shetland's most unusual group of 19th century buildings, Brough Lodge is up for grabs for just £30,000.
But prospective buyers would not be buying a home, as the castle is being offered as part of a restoration project to turn it into a five-star retreat by owners the Brough Lodge Trust.
READ MORE: Towie Barclay Castle, historic clan seat, for sale
They estimate it would take a further £10m to turn the building into a luxury hub for ecotourism, and a further £1.6m to build staff quarters.
The 24-bedroom property dates back to the 1820s, when it was built by Baronet Arthur Nicolson – the man responsible for the clearances on Fetlar.
Rightmove’s property expert, Tim Bannister, said: “May’s most viewed homes include a stunning range of period and modern features, as well as the ultimate restoration project.”
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