A SCOTTISH mansion linked to the most tragic British monarch of the 20th century is on the market for offers over £975,000.
Underwood House, in Craigie, Ayrshire, was visited in 1926 by the future Edward VIII – the man who a decade later abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
As the Prince of Wales, he took part in the Eglinton fox hunt and kept his horses at nearby Underwood House.
The category B-listed Georgian mansion still retains the equestrian facilities which were deemed good enough for royalty nearly 100 years ago.
The stunning 18th century country house was originally built for Captain John Kennedy following his purchase of the estate in 1785.
The house was badly damaged by a fire in 1862 and later restored and extended with double windows and other period features added.
Underwood House comes with three kitchens, ten bedrooms and eight bathrooms whilst the grand hallway features a timber fire surround and stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
The original paddocks used by Edward VIII date from the Victorian era and still stand today.
There are five loose boxes and a tack room a swell as two additional horse barns each with six stables. A horse walker is also located next to the stables.
The mansion also features a magnificent drawing room with parquet flooring whilst also situated on the ground floor is a library and formal dining room.
The house also boasts a study and another two storey conversion with five bedrooms and a games room.
A gated entrance leads to a tarmac road with a pond on one side whilst there are five separate garages to the side of the property.
The house is also close to the world-famous Royal Troon Golf Course which hosted the 2016 British Open.
Savills Director, Peter Gillespie comments: “Underwood House is an exquisite example of a Georgian country house and it is particularly apt that it should be launched on the market now, as it is just minutes from Royal Troon Golf Course.
“A further royal connection is a lovely mention by Pathe News in 1926 of a visit to Underwood by Edward VIII, then the Prince of Wales, who attended a meet of the Eglinton Fox Hounds and stabled horses at Underwood for the night.
“We expect plenty of interest from golf lovers and connoisseurs of splendid Georgian architecture alike, for what is an exceptional property.”
It is reported that Edward VIII arrived by train at the local Maybole train station in 1926 with his horses which were kept in the stables at Underwood before he collected them join the meet with the Eglinton Fox Hounds.
Edward VIII came to the throne in January 1936 following the death of George V but abdicated in December that year.
Simpson was divorced from her first husband and was seeking divorce from her second when Edward proposed marrying her.
The British government opposed the marriage and argued that a divorced woman with two ex-husbands was socially unnacceptable.
The marriage would also have caused problems for Edward in his role as the head of the Church of England who at the time opposed remarriage after divorce if the former partner was still alive.
Edward was succeeded by his younger brother, George VI, the father of the present Queen.
