Home of explorer James Augustus Grant on sale for Â£380k

The charming C listed property, lies in secluded natural woodland on the outskirts of northern town of Nairn in the Scottish Highlands.

The grand five-bedroom house, which was until recently a family home, has been described by the estate agent as “an unusual for the area.”

Built not long after the Battle of Culloden which took place 12 miles away, the house once belonged to famous Scottish explorer James Augustus Grant.

Grant, who was born in Nairn in 1827, lived in the house for “many years in the late 19th century”.

The explorer, along with Englishman John Speke, helped discovered the source of the Nile river in 1862.

Before Grant became an explorer, he served as a soldier in India during the Sikh Wars and the Indian rebellion of 1857.

It was during his years as a soldier that he met John Speke, who invited him to join the expedition to find the source of Africa’s most famous river.

After a gruelling journey, Grant and Speke’s team found an outlet coming from Lake Victoria which was deemed to be the origin of the Nile river.

Current owner of the house, Johnnie Graham, has said it is a “head over heart” decision to sell his childhood home.

He said: “I came to own the house after my father, Nigel Graham, passed away last year, he bought it in the 1950’s after leaving the army and moving north.

“He was the Provost of Nairn and he was also a Highland regional councillor.”

Johnnie, who lives in the south of England, works in London for the Institute of Cancer Research and has said he can no longer to keep his family house.

“I work down in London so it’s not practical for me to keep the house. It’s a head over heart decision.

“I grew up in the house and have many fond memories of it, it would be nice to keep it. I hope whoever buys it will look after it, I think it is a lovely place and area.

“It’s only a 10 minute walk from the centre of Nairn and you would hardly know it was there, it fits all ones needs.”

Kevin Maley, of Strutt and Parker estate agents, who are selling the property said: “It’s a pretty unusual house for the area, you don’t normally see many of these buildings around Nairn. You wouldn’t even know it was there since it’s pretty far off the beaten path but it’s been attracting a lot of attention.

“It is a grade C listed building and although that used to send people running a mile before the restrictions aren’t as much as they used to be.

“It’s quite an unusual package, along with the house there 55 acres of land although it can be sold as individual plots.”

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