Monboddo CastleFordoun, By Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, AB30 1JT

Monboddo Castle is a very fine, fully restored castle dating from 1635. It really is a most imposing yet easily manageable house, which retains many of its original features including turrets, crow stepped gables, gun loops and shot holes. Since 2009 an ambitious programme of further improvements and renovations has been undertaken. A new oak staircase, together with oak flooring in the drawing room and first floor landing, was fitted, as was French limestone flooring through most of the ground floor. There is under floor heating at ground floor level and in the bathrooms. A bespoke dining kitchen was fitted, and all the bathrooms were completely refurbished. Where necessary the castle was replumbed and a new boiler and water tanks were installed. The ground floor was rewired and CAT5 cable system installed. Wood burning stoves were installed in the drawing room and sitting room. As recently as 2022 the roof was overhauled and much of the interior has been repainted, with some new carpeting also being fitted. As such the castle is in excellent condition and beautifully presented and is ideal for both splendid entertaining and for modern family living.

The castle is approached by a hedge lined gravel driveway which leads to a gravelled parking and turning area. The castle is built of stone and harled with a slate roof and there are two date stones, bearing the date of 1635.

A wooden front door opens to a fine hallway with a display alcove with cupboard below, and the oak staircase with an under-stair storage cupboard. The inner hall has a wooden entrance door to the garden and a stone spiral staircase to the first and second floors, while the lovely sitting room has an open fireplace with mantel housing a wood burning stove, as well as a wall mounted Sony TV, two wall lights and window seats with cupboards below. The adjacent, fully fitted and spacious Alec Wood kitchen/dining room has oak wall and floor units, granite work surfaces, Mercury range cooker with two ovens, five burners and grill, overmantel with extractor hood, fitted Bosch oven/microwave and dishwasher, twin porcelain sinks and Leiber American style fridge freezer. There is a wooden dresser, window seats and a central island unit which has oak work tops and a circular stainless steel preparation sink. A cloakroom has a WC and washbasin, while the utility room has a Siemens washing machine, twin sinks, clothes pulley and links to the boiler room with fitted shelves, coat hooks and a Worcester oil fired boiler.

The spectacular oak staircase leads to the first floor landing with oak flooring and a display alcove with cupboard below. The study/bedroom one has a shelved alcove and a hanging and shelved wardrobe. The magnificent drawing room has oak flooring, a large open fireplace with limestone mantel and surround with a wood burning stove, as well as two walk in alcoves (one with fitted shelves and cupboard), fitted bookcase, display alcove with cupboard below and a door to the spiral staircase. The principal bedroom has a fitted hanging and shelved wardrobe and an en suite with a tiled shower cubicle, vanity unit with marbled surround, washbasin, WC and Amtico flooring.

The spiral staircase continues up to the second floor landing with a shelved cupboard. Bedrooms three and four both have a hanging and shelved wardrobe, and a turret with a shot hole, with bedroom four also having an en suite with washbasin, WC and Amtico flooring. The family bathroom has limestone tiling, corner spa bath, shower cubicle, washbasin and WC. Bedroom five has fitted storage cupboards, display shelves and a wooden staircase to a mezzanine level which overlooks the bedroom and has access to useful floored roof space.

There is a harled garage block with a slate roof, crow stepped gables and a triple garage (6.46 m x 9.23 m) with up and over doors, concrete floor, water, power and light; together with two former stables now used as stores (3.78 m x 3.19 m and 3.16 m x 3.79 m) with concrete floor and stable doors, and a further store (2.48 m x 6.54 m) with concrete floor and plumbed for washing machine. Behind the garage block are two oil tanks. In front is a wooden dog kennel and run.

Within the garden at Monboddo are some very fine trees, including a sequoia (giant redwood) which is believed to have been planted in about 1850. This has been supplemented by more recent plantings, including some good specimen rhododendrons. The garden is mainly enclosed by new fencing and hedges.

Adjacent to the castle is a sunken paved patio, which is an ideal and sheltered seating area.

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