You won't own the whole of Callaly Castle, but The Library House is a substantial wing which offers the chance to live like royalty at a fraction of the price — and without many of the ownership headaches.
Callaly Castle in the Vale of Whittingham was once the home of the aristocratic Clavering and Browne families and is set amongst some of the most picturesque Northumberland countryside.
The castle originates mostly from the 17th and 18th century, with the addition of a 14th century pele tower (a fortified house built in the north of the country, particularly along the English and Scottish Borders, to guard and warn against attack).
Luckily, under no threat of attack today, Callaly Castle has undergone vast changes, with the internal accommodation divided into wings by architect Kit Martin towards the end of the last century.
On the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £625,000 The Library House is a four bedroom home set within the north-eastern elevation of the property, composed of wonderful period features from both the Georgian and Victorian era.
The focal part of the property is undoubtedly the large drawing room (once the castle’s library room) with its Vermont Vigilant log burner, deep wood panelled period windows, large wood panelled roof light, and mezzanine dining area — an addition added by previous owners, which creates another dimension within the room and helps utilise the space to its full potential.
It wouldn’t do any harm to study the floor plan to try to get to grips with the internal accommodation which proves slightly higgledy-piggledy over the various floors and with numerous staircases.
The mezzanine floor leads off to the study, which in turn has a staircase which leads down to the kitchen/breakfast room. On the ground floor the reception hall gives way to three of the bedrooms, with the remaining bedroom (and only ensuite) located on the second floor.
Surrounding the castle are 35 acres of beautiful private gardens and grounds, including a croquet lawn, deer park, lakes and woodland walks. The landscape is spectacularly peaceful, with the well-maintained gardens accessible only to residents.
The Library House is currently on the market via Knight Frank at a guide price of £625,ooo — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.
Alnwick: What you need to know
Location: North of Newcastle (and its airport) by approximately 34 miles, just back from the Northumberland Coast AONB. East Coast Mainline rail services run from Alnmouth and Morpeth, providing links to Newcastle, Edinburgh and London.
Atmosphere: The popular market town is home to Alnwick Castle which has been used as the filming location for Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter movies, Transformers: The Last Knight and Downton Abbey, amongst others.
Things to do: There is plenty in the area to discover, from the varied landscape of the Northumberland Coast AONB and the Northumberland National Park which is home to many walks, climbs and trails. Nearby Holy Island can be accessed via boat for a day trip, famous Alnwick Castle is well worth visiting, as are The Alnwick Garden’s. Golfers can head to Alnmouth Golf Course, plus there are plenty of shops, galleries and restaurants to visit within the town.
Schools: Whittingham Church of England Primary School and St Michael’s Church of England Primary School are both rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, with Swansfield Park Primary School rated ‘outstanding’. The Duchess Community High School, King Edward VI School are both good secondary options.
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