A castle owned by the great-great grandson of former Prime Minister William Gladstone has gone on the market.
Balbegno Castle lies between Edzell and Fettercairn and is close to the Angus Glens.
It’s reached by a shared track from the country lane that runs through Edzell and on towards Fettercairn.
The track runs uphill for quarter of a mile before a branch left leads into the castle’s 20 acres of grounds.
Balbegno Castle consists of an original tower dating from the 16th Century and a Georgian wing that was added in 1795-96.
The Georgian wing is in good condition but could benefit from some updating. The original tower needs much more work, however. It would be a daunting prospect for all but a seasoned property developer but it has the potential to be utterly spectacular.
Exploring inside the castle
Rachel Sedgewick from Glen Dye Estate manages the castle and gives me access to explore it.
The main tower is four storeys high and lime rendered. It has a stone slate roof with a turret and crow-stepped gables. The Georgian wing is an attractive two-storey addition with stone walls and a slate roof.
A large gravel area to the front of the castle provides plenty of parking. The huge front door leads into an entrance hallway. From here you can turn right into the newer Georgian wing or left into the old tower itself.
I explore the newer part of the castle first. A large formal dining room has high ceilings and an open fire. Lots of light flows in through two tall windows.
There are two bedrooms on the ground floor, a spacious kitchen with modern units, and a utility room. There is also a terrific games room built into what would once have been part of the basement. It has a barrel ceiling and I can picture myself enjoying a dram or two while playing pool or darts down here.
Beneath the castle a large cellar also has a barrel-vaulted ceiling and flagstone floor. It would be easy enough to knock through from the games room and create an interconnected set of basement rooms.
At first floor level is the superb drawing room. This comfortable space has fantastic views, ornate cornicing and an open fire. There are two more bedrooms and a family bathroom on this floor.
Investigating the tower
Back at ground level in the main hallway another set of stairs give access to the original part of the castle.
There are a pair of cellars at ground level and a staircase up to the first floor.
On this level is what is without doubt the most amazing space in the entire castle. The great hall is an enormous room with an ornate painted ceiling supported by curved hardwood timbers. The wonderful ceiling leaps a good 20 or 25 feet in height. Remarkably there are three more levels above the great hall.
A stone spiral staircase leads upwards from here. The second floor has a room that was once used for hanging game and still has numerous hooks in the ceiling.
On the third floor are two rooms. One of these would make a spacious double bedroom while, at almost 29 feet by 18 feet, the other is bigger than most living rooms.
Up on the fourth floor there are two more rooms and a doorway out to a small rampart. Standing here with the sun on my face I admire the outstanding views across a sweep of rolling countryside.
Reaching Balbegno Castle roof
The tower becomes more dilapidated the higher you climb and care is needed to avoid rotten boards and gaps in the flooring. And in one of many fascinating and inexplicable quirks, a saddle rack is fitted to one of the top floor rooms. Who on earth ever carried their saddle four flights up a spiral staircase?
It certainly needs a lot of restoration work but the tower could be converted into superb living space.
Beautiful gardens surround Balbegno Castle, with stone wall boundaries and mature trees. All together the grounds and fields extend to more than 20 acres.
Hollies Cottage lies to the west of the castle and is included in the sale. The three bedroom house has a lifetime tenant. To the rear of the castle is a handsome stone stable block. With arched openings and a huge footprint that wraps around its own central courtyard, it has the potential to be converted into a fantastic family home.
Whoever buys Balbegno Castle will need deep pockets to fulfil its potential.
The Georgian wing is perfectly liveable, however. It could be done up at a reasonable cost and lived in while the much more time consuming and expensive task of doing something with the tower was carried out.
Once restored, it has the potential to be one of the most outstanding properties in the area. It could be anything from a high end holiday let to a wedding venue or a tremendous family home.
Balbegno Castle owner Charlie Gladstone
Balbegno Castle is owned by Charlie Gladstone and his wife Caroline.
Charlie is the great-great grandson of William Gladstone, the famed Liberal politician who spent 12 years as Prime Minister and another 12 as Chancellor. He died in 1898.
Charlie, 59, is an Eton-educated entrepreneur who employs around 100 people across a range of businesses.
The father of six has worked in the music industry, published several books, and runs several hospitality businesses.
Balbegno Castle is a long way from his two other estates and he isn’t able to devote much time to a property that is now in need of a lot of renovation work.
He told The Courier: “I love Balbegno, it’s a magical place full of history but small enough to make a home.
“As a family we just feel that it’s time for it to find a new owner; it has never been our family home, although we have done a great deal of work on it.
“Now it needs someone passionate who can improve it and make it come fully to life.”
Balbegno Castle, Fettercairn, was on sale with Savills for offers over £780,000 but is now under offer.
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