The picturesque Scottish castle up for sale after its owner refused to pay a $270 debt. Take a look.
- In 1997, a woman refused to pay a £230 ($270) debt. Now, she's had to sell her Scottish castle.
- Knockderry Castle is for sale for £1,250,000 ($1,476,781).
A Scottish castle has gone up for sale after a lengthy legal battle that began with a dispute over a £230 ($271.6) debt.
Court documents show that in 1997, Marion Van Overwaele was ordered by Dumbarton Sheriff Court to pay £230.87 ($271) for debts relating to a bridalwear business she owned. The debts quickly spiraled upwards due to interest, admin and court fees, and refusal to pay, as Van Overwaele insisted the debt was incorrect. As a result, she was declared bankrupt in 2000.
At this point, she transferred ownership of Knockderry Castle to her brother, George Amil. Van Overwaele continued to live there with him and his family. However, their legal woes worsened over time, and the family was evicted in March 2020.
Now, the listed castle is up for sale for £1.25 million ($1,476,781). Take a look inside.
The castle overlooks a beautiful Scottish lake known as a loch.
Overlooking picturesque Loch Long, the Knockderry castle boasts four reception rooms, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, and a separate cottage. It was built in the mid-19th century for a wealthy textile manufacturer
The property hosts an impressive range of original features, including cow step gables, turrets, stone balustrades, and a wood-paneled drawing room fit with period fireplaces, paneling, and stained glass windows.
The atmospheric wood-paneled drawing room.
The wood-paneled drawing room includes a minstrel gallery, period fireplaces, and stained glass windows.
The property listing describes it as a "Baronial Castle built in the mid-19th century for James Templeton, a textile manufacturer and designed by the renowned architect Alexander Greek Thomson, with later alterations and additions by John Honeyman and William Leiper."
Any potential buyer will need deep pockets to upgrade the castle to modern standards.
The brochure notes that the property and the attached cottage "require extensive upgrading and refurbishment."
The property boosts a wealth of original features.
This unique bathtub-shower combination is just one of the many eye-catching features of the castle's 6 bedrooms and "multiple" bathrooms.
The castle is considered an architectural gem.
One of the reasons Knockderry castle is a listed building is, according to estate agents Strutt & Parker, "largely on account of the exceptional Leiperian interior, which is considered one of the finest domestic interiors of its style in Scotland.
Principally, the architectural importance of the building lies in the 1896 additions by William Leiper for John Templeton, the carpet manufacturer from Glasgow who was by then the owner."
The castle overlooks a stunning sea loch on Scotland's rugged west coast.
The castle, built in the 1850s and set above Loch Long, is being marketed for offers over £1.25m (nearly $1.5m) by the estate agents Strutt & Parker.
The view is supplemented by "attractive gardens with mature trees, a terraced area immediately adjacent to the castle," the brochure details.
A fairytale castle to escape the hustle and bustle of Victorian cities.
The castle sits on Scotland's west coast, known for its rugged beauty in the Argyll & Bute region, 16 miles away from the town of Helensburgh, 49 miles from the city of Glasgow, and 93 miles from Edinburgh.
In the 19th century, the area was the favorite summer retreat for the families of wealthy merchants, shipowners, and industrialists.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement