The place names alone around Castle Tar are enough to grab the attention: the house itself is in the village of Ballintuim; Blacklunans and Enochdhu are a little to the north, while beyond them sit Finegand and Spittal of Glenshee. To the east is Balintore and Kirkton of Glenisla, while to the south and east lie Briege of Cally, Logierait and Grandtully. Poring over the map of this beautiful part of Perthshire is like reading some Tolkien-inspired fan fiction.
It’s not hard to see how the ancient Scots who coined these romantic names were inspired by the dramatic landscape around them, a beautiful landscape of forests, glens, fields and rivers. And in the middle of it lies this pretty period house, on the market at £450,000, that has been substantially extended by its current owners.
Given the name ‘Castle Tar’ it’s something of a surprise to find that the house is not large on the inside. Indeed, it used to be far smaller: originally named 'Bishop's Cottage', and used by the Bishop of Brechin as a summer retreat, the house has been extended twice by the current owners, who have had it in the family for over half a century.
The work done has retained the charming original character of the house and turned this into a home which is enormously spacious for a three-bedroom home at over 2,500 sq ft.
The reception rooms comprise a large dining kitchen with utility room and larder off to one side. There's a huge drawing room with french windows opening on to the gardens, and a comfortable study with its own entrance.
Two of the there bedrooms are on the ground floor, while the third is a master suite which truly lives up to the name: it occupies the entire first floor, has an ensuite bathroom and a dressing room alone which measures roughly 15'x11'.
Outside, the owners have created a colourful plantsman’s garden, which is well stocked with specimen shrubs, trees, perennial plants and spring bulbs.
There’s also a greenhouse and a further 12 acres of fields ideal for grazing.
Castle Tar is for sale via Galbraith at £450,000 — see more details and pictures.
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.
Kinloch Rannoch: A loch-side village with all the Highland essentials – plus its very own Harry Potter station
Tessa Waugh visits Dunalastair Hotel Suites in Perthshire, a Highland hotel that's had a very modern makeover.
Britain's 100 best Railway Stations: Simon Jenkins on the gateways to our railways
-
'That’s the real recipe for creating emotion': Birley Bakery's Vincent Zanardi's consuming passionsVincent Zanardi reveals the present from his grandfather that he'd never sell and his most memorable meal.
-
The Business Class product that spawned a generation of knock-offs: What it’s like to fly in Qatar Airways’ Qsuite cabinQatar Airways’ Qsuite cabin has been setting the standard for Business Class travel since it was introduced in 2017.
-
Hidden excellence in a £7.5 million north London homeBehind the traditional façades of Provost Road, you will find something very special.
-
Sip tea and laugh at your neighbours in this seaside Norfolk home with a watchtowerOn Cliff Hill in Gorleston, one home is taller than all the others. It could be yours.
-
A Grecian masterpiece that might be one of the nation's finest homes comes up for sale in KentGrade I-listed Holwood House sits in 40 acres of private parkland just 15 miles from central London. It is spectacular.
-
Some of the finest landscapes in the North of England with a 12-bedroom home attachedUpper House in Derbyshire shows why the Kinder landscape was worth fighting for.
-
Could Gruber's Antiques from Paddington 2 be your new Notting Hill home?It was the home of Mr Gruber and his antiques in the film, but in the real world, Alice's Antiques could be yours.
-
What should 1.5 million new homes look like?The King's recent visit to Nansledan with the Prime Minister gives us a clue as to Labour's plans, but what are the benefits of traditional architecture? And can they solve a housing crisis?
-
Welcome to the modern party barn, where disco balls are 'non-negotiable'A party barn is the ultimate good-time utopia, devoid of the toil of a home gym or the practicalities of a home office. Modern efforts are a world away from the draughty, hay-bales-and-a-hi-fi set-up of yesteryear.
-
Five beautiful homes, from a barn conversion to an island treasure, as seen in Country LifeOur pick of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in recent days include a wonderful thatched home in Devon and a charming red-brick house with gardens that run down to the water's edge.
