A STUNNING mansion that once belonged to the personal doctor to Queen Victoria has been put on the market for £850,000.
Elegant Ellon Castle was owned by Sir James Reid who tended to the monarch during the final 20 years of her life, and became her close friend.
Dating back to 1700, the lavish seven bedroom B-listed home in Ellon, Aberdeenshire comes with three and a half acres of secluded land a gated driveway.
Sir James, who was born in Ellon in 1849, also served as the private physician to King Edward VII and then King George V. Sir James performed his Royal duties until his death in 1923.
Studying medicine in Aberdeen, Sir James was regarded as one of the best doctors of his decade and went on to practice medicine in London before leaving to continue his studies in Germany.
It was upon his return to Ellon and his fathers practice in 1881 that he had an interview with the Queen at Balmoral who required a live-in physician proficient in German.
At the age of 31 Sir James, from humble origins, was catapulted into a position of the huge importance and responsibility.
When not with the Queen in London, the royal doctor lived at sprawling Ellon Castle which features double French doors leading out into the walled gardens surrounding the house.
Marketing agents for the sale, Galbraith, suggest the Queen visited Sir James when she was staying at Balmoral.
They state: “Of particular note is the ‘Victorian’ ladies terrace which we understood was a favourite of Queen Victoria.”
Their brochure adds: ” Ellon Castle is a beautiful category B listed Mansion House set within secluded private grounds of approx. 3.5 acres.
“As one would expect, this home is accessed through the listed gate piers and up the tree lined drive way. The grounds enjoy a combination of rolling lawns, path ways, carefully tended shrubs & plants and a large west facing paved patio area.
“The coach house stands within the grounds and is adjacent to the main house. It has a separate private entrance and the accommodation includes; entrance hall, spacious lounge on open plan with the kitchen area, full sized double bedroom with built in wardrobes, rear hall with walk in cupboard and finally a bathroom with bath and shower attachments.”
Following his death the physician’s grandson, along with his wife Michaela Reid, inherited Ellon Castle.
During a cleaning spree at the mansion one day, Michaela stumbled up a large box containing 40 small pocket diaries documenting Sir James’s life during his time working for his royal patients.
His incredible accounts were latterly turned into a biography Ask Sir James, written by Michaela.
Sir James’ private diaries revealed his friendship with Queen Victoria where she would confide in him on a variety of topics from her hatred of Gladstone, and her son Alfred’s drunkenness.
When she was approached with various queries her reply as often as not was `Ask Sir James’.
It has also been suggested that Sir James disapproved of the Queen’s closeness to her Indian servant, Abdul Karim. Their friendship was the subject of the recent movie, Victoria & Abdul, starring Dame Judi Dench.
Leading up to her death January 1901, Sir James made copious notes of during her final last days and hours and also of the two days succeeding her death.
Incredibly, the notes revealed that despite 20 years of looking after the Queen, he had never seen her in bed until her last illness shortly before she died.
