ONE of Scotland’s oldest properties – which once housed the disembodied heart of Robert the Bruce – has come on the market for £1.65m.
The Craig house and estate, near Montrose, Angus is a stunning six bedroom castle, dating back to the late 13th century.
As well as stunning features and sprawling grounds, the impressive property has had an array of famous visitors and stars in various stories woven into the fabric of Scottish history.
Those who have previously stayed at the property include Mary Queen of Scots and James Stuart, the Old Pretender.
Scottish knight Sir James Douglas also spent his last night in Scotland at the castle in 1330, protecting the heart of Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots.
When on his deathbed, Bruce is said to have asked his friend Douglas to guard his heart and present it at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
Legend has it that Sir James set sail to mainland Europe from Berwick-upon-Tweed with Bruce’s heart round his neck in a casket.
Douglas never managed to deliver the heart to Jerusalem, as he was killed in battle at Teba, Spain.
Later inhabitants of the property include Hercules Ross – an anti-slavery campaigner in the 18th century.
As well as boasting an extensive list of former inhabitants, the home’s interior is also significant.
The castle’s drawing room was originally painted in the Scottish renaissance, in the sixteenth century.
The original ceiling was destroyed in a fire but fragments located during restoration work are on show in the National Museum of Scotland, bearing the date of 1529.
The current drawing room ceiling is a recreation of the original, painted by well-known American artist Richard Jordan.
The castle is situated within extensive grounds and gardens, 130 feet above the Montrose Basin.
The property also contains a number of vaulted rooms, one being the former wine cellar of Sir David Wood, Chancellor and Comptroller to King James V.
As well as six bedrooms, it also hosts seven receptions rooms and two separate two-bedroom cottages.
The castle has been adapted for the modern homeowner and now includes a space advertised as a potential “yoga room” by the agent, Savills.
A spokeswoman for Savills, the agents for the property, said: “Craig House is one of the oldest properties in Scotland with a fascinating and diverse history as well as having been continuously occupied throughout its existence with records dating from the 13th century.”
