Fresh to market: Shape your own future in a historic setting

Rowallan Castle Estate, near Kilmaurs in Ayrshire, is a rural retreat spanning 600 acres, with fantastic countryside views and a grand setting.

Homebuyers are being given the opportunity to create their own luxury custom-build property within the idyllic grounds, which feature two majestic castles, an award-winning restaurant and a Colin Montgomerie-designed nine-hole championship golf course.

The old castle, now an exclusive holiday rental, dates back to the 12th Century and was the ancestral home of the Mures and the Campbells. Indeed, it was the birthplace of Elizabeth Mure, second wife of King Robert II.

Custom build homes are available at Rowallan Castle Estate

The new castle, designed in a Baronial style by architect and designer Sir Robert Lorimer, and described as a masterpiece of the late-Victorian Arts and Crafts movement, is one of the region’s most prestigious wedding venues.

Rowallan Castle Estate and Manchester-headquartered Cherish Homes are behind the new £60-million development of 79 homes, the designs of which will prioritise sustainability, low energy costs and protecting the environment.

The developers promise that each home will be triple-glazed, highly insulated and will utilise ventilation and heat recovery systems to achieve 100 per cent airtightness.

So homeowners will benefit from significant savings on energy bills and those who install Tesla powerwalls and solar panels could even see a nil energy cost.

To the north of the estate, The Stable Field has 38 plots ranging in size from 0.1 to 0.2 acres, with prices starting at £170,000. There are five available on Fair View A and eight at Fair View C, sized between 0.2 and 0.56 acres, and prices for the fully serviced plots start at £250,000.

The five-step process to owning a bespoke home at Rowallan Castle Estate is simple. Once the plot has been selected, owners can choose from a range of house types by designer Dan Wood for Cherish Homes, to finalise plans and begin construction.

Typically, properties will be ready to move into within 12 weeks, each with a 20-year warranty.

Niall Campbell, owner of Rowallan Castle Estate, says: “We have had interest from those looking to downsize as well as upsize. We are offering across the board, so you can have a small house or a big house, a big or small garden – it has all types available.

“The nice thing about custom-build is that it becomes your own bespoke home. Things can chop and change, if you want a three-bed or four-bed or open-plan, you can design it. That’s the appeal.”

Niall adds: “East Ayrshire has some really lovely places and this is a hidden gem.

“It is in the countryside and surrounded by a picturesque landscape, while being close to Glasgow – it is only 25 minutes to the city centre.

“You go through the gates and into a different world with 1,000-year old yew trees, and the old castle goes back to 1120, which is really quite special.

“All the other buildings are rather magnificent. It was Sir Robert Lorimer’s first commission and a lot of the properties are from the turn of the last century. There are rivers running through the grounds, daffodils across the river banks and a lot of wildlife.”

For more information, visit www.rowallancastleestate.co.uk or telephone 0800-368 7618.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.