Bonnie Prince Charles: The Duke of Rothesay has a soft spot for Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum. Photo / Danny Lawson, Getty Images
Bonnie Prince Charles: The Duke of Rothesay has a soft spot for Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum. Photo / Danny Lawson, Getty Images
One of Scotland's most stately castles, said to be a personal favourite of Prince Charles, is going for the regal sum of $1.
Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum in the west coast of Scotland is everything you want from a castle. It's a decadent, crumbling pile of crenellationson a romantic island only, reachable by the Mallaig ferry… or royal yacht.
Five red stone towers on the banks of Loch Scresort make an impression.
Once a stately, playground for aristocrats - today the upkeep is costing a king's ransom. The current owners Scottish Natural Heritage are no longer willing or able to pay.
There have been a number of high-profile plans to buyout the castle, reports Tatler. These have included plans to subdivide it into a set of seven stately flats, personally backed by the Prince of Wales' personal heritage project The Prince's Regeneration Trust.
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Built by Sir George Bullough in 1897 for the equivalent of $30 million in today's money, the Daily Record reports it could be the deal of the last three centuries.
That is, if it weren't for the massive and urgent repairs. Conservative estimates put repairs at 39.5 million.
So what do you get for your dollar deposit? Apart from a some hefty repair bills, quite a lot:
Thrown in with the pile is the "orchestrion"- a one of a kind 19th century Jukebox for Dukes. This one is said to have belonged to Queen Victoria and emulates a 40 piece orchestra.
Basket case: Kinloch Castle is full of eccentricity, and in need of repair. Photo / Flickr, Damian Entwistle
The sad, and aged castle was once at the forefront of technology as the first house in Scotland to have electricity, courtesy of one of the first hydroelectric generators.
There were also hot houses for tropical plants and a collection of live hummingbirds, turtles and alligators. Though these are all long dead, escaped or stuffed.
An original Alexander Graham-bell era telephone hangs on the wall alongside many other examples of Bullough's enthusiasms as an 19 century-early adopter.
The Bullough and his castle were once dismissed as a "basket case", surveyor Hugh Garratt told Tatler, however the western isles have learned to love the eccentric landmark.
"The castle needs an owner who will love it, has the sense to understand it before leaping to conclusions, as well as deep pockets and even deeper reserves of fortitude."
The Duke's Jukebox: The Kinloch Orchestrion. Photo / Geopix, CC
Although the building is Grade A listed, it is thought this is mostly to do with the storied, ornate interior, The Scotsman suggested that Kinloch "has little great architectural value and speaks more of place in time."
In order to buy the $1 castle, you will have to first appease owners Scottish Natural Heritage.
"Kinloch Castle is not currently on the open market for sale. We are working to identify a beneficial owner for the castle and grounds," a representative told the Daily Record.
"Any future owner will need to contribute towards three key objectives: securing the conservation and preservation of the castle; contributing to the sustainability of the Rum community; and enhancing nature on Rum, including promoting its enjoyment, and minimising the castle's impact on the natural environment."
Kinloch's romantic setting on the Isle of Rum. Photo / Neil Roger, Flickr
Current frontrunners in the bid, are the newly formed Kinloch Castle Friends Association. Having secured the $13 million needed for the first part of the most urgent repairs, they hope to take on the running of the castle and stave off the worst of the dilapidation.
"It's all going to cost more than we thought, but in the end it will be fit for a long future of opportunity for Rum and the Small Isles and Lochaber," association secretary Catherine Duckworth told The Scotsman. "It's exciting now, but also hugely daunting."
