Cavers Castle
Roxburghshire, Scotland
Asking Price: Over £300,000
Asking Price: Over £300,000
Although now in ruins, this 15th century tower house located in the Scottish borderlands was once an impressive home. The original castle, which was built sometime in the 13th century, belonged to the House of Balliol, but by the 15th century it became the seat of power for the ‘Black’ Douglas family, another powerful Scottish clan.
In the 15th century they built a five-storey Tower house, which incorporated parts of the original keep. From the 17th to 19th centuries Cavers Castle saw extensive renovations. Sadly, the castle was mostly demolished in 1953 so that its stone could be used as new construction material.
At the time of the demolition, the then owner James Palmer Douglas, explained “I tried to sell it – at any price. I advertised it up and down the country, I approached the County Council and the Government. I asked my M.P., I offered it to the National Trust. I suggested it might be an hotel, a holiday home, a school, a hospital, a place for old folk, and I would have let it go for £4,000. They all said that whatever happened it mustn’t be demolished, but nobody would take it. So now it goes for what its insides will fetch as scrap, and I’ll be left with a ruin”.
Most of the property surrounding the castle has also been sold off in the 20th century, and the castle itself has been put up for sale and changed owners several times in recent years. It is now being offered for at least £300,000.
A spokesperson for the Rettie estate agency told The Scotsman, “It is a once magnificent Scottish Castle in 11 acres in need of complete restoration. All that remains of the Castle are the bricks and mortar of the five storey, south-easterly wing. Some of the walls are up to eleven feet in thickness and detail around fireplaces and cornicing still remain.
“Existing plans are available proposing the restoration of the Castle to a single dwelling family home. The plans are to create a family home to a very high specification, with space, design and amenities to meet today’s living requirements.”
Interested parties may also be able to purchase the title the ‘Baron of Cavers’ separately.
The castle is listed under the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland – click here for more details
Those interested in the property can download this brochure from Rettie here.
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