I'm in a mood for some serious renovation porn today and I've found a Scottish castle, an English mansion and a Welsh island to show you.
Breachacha Castle (above) on the Hebridean Isle of Coll was built in 1750 for the chief of the Clan Maclean. It is brim-full of history, surrounded by gorgeous views, and sits above one of Coll's sandy beaches.
The current owners bought it in 2006 and have spent the past 10 years securing the building and working with conservationists on immediate restoration work. They're now having to sell (that's got to be a wrench, just look at this view...) and presumably hoping the buyers will continue to care for and restore this gorgeous chunk of Scottish history.
The Georgian castle is about the right size as castles go (yes, I do believe there is a 'good' castle size), which means lots of space and rooms, but so many that you need to wander the corridors with a pocket full of bread crumbs.
On the market through Bell Ingram at offers over £450k (yes, that does say £450k..). More here and here, and have a look at the pdf brochure here.
This next house was sent to me by reader Danny who, in describing Sharpecliffe Hall, gave a pretty good outline of what my property porn picks are about: "a dream I'd love to pick up and turn around...so many possibilities, but also so much potential to become a money pit!"
Sharpecliffe is Grade II* and mostly 17th century (sorry, forget to mention Breachacha is category A listed). It's just outside the Staffordshire Moorlands village of Ipstones.
As well as the seven bedrooms, five reception rooms hall, you get a two-bedroom cottage, outbuildings, barn and around 77 acres.
And finally that island.
Reader John spotted this on Country Life and sent it to me. It's to lease rather than buy, but for a damn reasonable £500 a month on a 20 year lease. For that you get an island in the Dwyrd Estuary with views across to Portmerion, and a farmhouse to renovate.
The house has two reception rooms, kitchen and bathroom downstairs and one bedroom and ensuite upstairs. There are also a couple of outbuilding, one stonebuilt.
The island is an un-bridged tidal island, you can walk or drive to it at low tide or sail to it at other times. There are possibilities for developing tourism or building a business from the island's 17 or so acres. The Country Life story that John emailed me explains it all pretty well.
Ynys Giftan is the market through Strutt & Parker, details here.