This 16th Century Scottish Castle Includes Lairds Lugs and Shot Holes

If stories about brave knights and fair ladies have always been your literary cup of tea, Towie Barclay Castle, in the northern Scottish county of Aberdeenshire, is the place for you. The castle is listed by Fiona Gormley at Savills, asking for offers over $1.2 million. The price includes the castle, 2.7 acres of grounds, a secondary residence, an event space, and numerous outbuildings.

Unlike many other "castles," Towie Barclay is the real thing. The property has been the historic seat of the Barclay clan since 1136. The castle itself was built in the mid-15th century and belonged to the family then known as Tollie de Berkely. By the 1950s, though, the castle was seriously derelict. Fortunately, in the 1970s, the current owners, the Ellington family, began renovating and restoring the property.

Preserved details include the Barclay family coat of arms carved in stone; a shot hole, which is exactly what it sounds like—a hole made for shooting through to defend against attack; and "laird's lugs," aka spy holes in the staircase designed for eavesdropping. ("Laird" is Scottish for "lord," and "lug" is slang for "ear.") There are also original beams, a 16th-century Italian painted panel of the Last Supper, and a minstrels’ gallery in the Great Hall, used as a secret chapel during the Scottish Reformation (1560), when Catholicism was outlawed.

Today, the castle is a well-loved family house adapted for modern life. The Great Hall is exactly that, a great big room with a dramatic groin vaulted stone ceiling; the cave-like dining room makes for an unforgettable entertaining space; and the cozy, unpretentious kitchen sports a bright red Aga range. Currently, there are six bedrooms and just two bathrooms in the castle's 3,400 square feet; the primary bedroom is en-suite with a dressing room.

What would a grand estate be without outbuildings? An ideal space for extended family or for holiday rentals, the three-bedroom Gardener's Cottage includes a kitchen, a sitting room, and, unexpectedly, a sauna. Three more structures, including a former carriage house and a stabling block, have been converted to an event space. There's also a shed, a garage, and a greenhouse, while the groomed grounds encompass formal parterre gardens and rolling lawns.

Just one hint to aspiring young knights: if you’re going to rescue the laird's fair offspring, don't say anything around the staircase. He’ll hear you!

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