Entire castle in Shetland goes on sale for £30,000 - but there’s a £12m catch
31 May 2023, 13:06 | Updated: 31 May 2023, 13:11
A historic castle in Shetland is being sold for just £30,000, but any prospective buyers will need many millions more to fix it up.
The dilapidated Brough Lodge on the island of Fetlar is on sale for a fraction of the price of a London flat.
The castle, which boasts 40 acres of land, walled gardens and folly towers, is 200 years old and in need of renovation that could cost up to £12m.
The building, which dates back to 1820, is being marketed at ‘philanthropic entrepreneurs’ who might want to turn it into a holiday retreat.
The Brough Lodge Trust has plans that would see the existing buildings restored, as well as the creation of 24 bedrooms and an on-site restaurant.
“The vision is simple but effective, Brough Lodge… will be transformed into a world-class retreat that will delight all who visit it,” the Brough Lodge Trust says on its website.
“Under the plans we have developed, the building’s historic character would be fully respected.”
Brough Lodge was built on the site of an earlier house by a merchant called Arthur Nicholson and inspired by architecture he had seen while travelling in France, Switzerland and Italy.
The category A listed building situated on the north-west end of Fetlar has been unoccupied since the 1980s when the last Lady Nicholson moved out.
Olive Borland, the last heir of the Nicholson family, transferred ownership of the estate in 2007 to the Brough Lodge Trust.
The trust said the castle’s location would make it the ideal place for yoga retreats.
