An historic estate owned by the family of a former prime minister has gone on the market for more than £9.3million.
Fasque Estate in Aberdeenshire stretches across 6,228 acres, and includes the recently renovated Balbegno Castle, a mix of cottages, grouse moors, farmland, a Christmas tree plantation and an artificial lake.
Four-times prime minister William Gladstone spent a considerable amount of time at the estate, near Fettercairn, after his family bought it in 1829.
He grew up elsewhere, but spent 20 years of his adult life there and visited as often as he could, often walking the 15 miles from Banchory Station to get there.
The vast estate has remained in his family ever since, but they have now decided to sell up – and are offering it as 28 individual lots, or as a whole for offers of more than £9,320,000.
Owner Charles Gladstone said: “Fasque has been part of our family for generations and we are very sad to let it go.
“In particular, I am immensely proud of the work we have done to Balbegno Castle and the house it is today.
“However, we do not live there and cannot do justice to it or the estate. We feel the time has come to move on and allow a new owner to take it on and nurture it in a way we are unable to do.”
Among the properties available is the six-bedroom A-listed Balbegno Castle – which is priced at £595,000 individually – set in 21 acres of gardens, grounds and parkland.
Prospective buyers may be drawn in by the impressive Great Hall, which has a vaulted stone ceiling depicting the coats of arms of 13 Scottish peers.
There are a total of 32 houses and cottages, estate and farm buildings as well as a mix of farming land, 2,335 acres of grouse moors, commercial forestry, and a renowned pheasant shoot. Asking prices vary from £45,000 to £2.1million.
Estate agents Strutt and Parker hope that by dividing up the estate, it will appeal to buyers across the rural property market.
Robert McCulloch, who is part of the team handling the sale, said he expected to be “exceptionally busy” with inquiries.
He added: “The lotted sale of Fasque Estate represents the potential fragmentation of a largely privately-owned estate which provides a rare opportunity for buyers with a range of budgets to realise their ambitions to buy a rural property in a very pretty part of Scotland.”
