Our Favourite Traitors-Worthy Castles On The Market Right Now

Once upon a time, thoughts of living in a castle would conjure up images of princesses and dashing knights. But now, thanks to the TV phenomenom that is The Traitors, our castle dreams have become inspired by much more murderous fantasies. Whether you picture yourself plotting in a turret with your cloak and dagger, or running through the hallways in your best ballgown, here’s a round-up of our favourite castles on the market right now.

The Best Castles Currently On The Market

Kinloch Castle, Inner Hebrides, UK

Nestled on the Isle of Rum in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, this Edwardian estate retains many of its original features, from its ornate wood panelling and red sandstone facade to its stunning stained glass windows, broad stone staircase and arcaded verandas. Arranged over four floors, including a basement, the upper levels of the castle offer panoramic views of the island and sea.

With 20 bedrooms and seven reception rooms – plus a ballroom, library and orchestrion – this castle is certainly fit for a king. And fittingly, King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, paid a royal visit to the estate in 2006. Amidst its 18 acres of land, you can enjoy historic walled and ornamental gardens, plus formal terraces and woodland walks. Managed by NatureScot in partnership with the local community, the island is home to red deer and golden eagles. Completed around 1900, the interiors were once richly appointed with European hardwoods, imported marble, and exotic artefacts, while the grounds included a Japanese garden, bowling green, nine-hole golf course, and hothouses growing tropical fruit. Exotic animals – including hummingbirds, turtles, and (reportedly) alligators – were also introduced. Largely abandoned following WWI, while the castle has undergone partial restoration in recent decades it still requires significant refurbishment. 

Kinloch Castle is on the market for £750,000. Find out more at search.savills.com

Appleby Castle, Cumbria, UK

With only 20 inhabited Norman castles left in the UK, and most of these held by the royal family, chances to live out any Medieval era fantasies are slowly dwindling. Built around 1100, Appleby Castle is one of only three complete and intact Norman keeps remaining in the UK. Held by monarchs and nobles such as Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and Richard III, its distinguished lineage of owners include the likes of Lady Anne Clifford (who defied the king and parliament in order to restore the castle) and the father and step-brothers of George Washington. The Grade I listed estate, set within 25 acres of parkland, is comprised of the main castle, the round tower, a Norman keep, three cottages, a tennis court, a bee house, plus access to the River Eden where owners can enjoy fishing rights. Meanwhile, the castle itself offers 23 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, a home gym, hot tub, sauna, games room and a great hall. 

Appleby Castle will be offered for sale at auction on 30 October, with a current guide price of £5.5m. Find out more at knightfrank.co.uk

Gaillon, Normandy, France

Built between 1620 and 1627, this castle once served as the dwelling for a Benedictine abbey. Constructed during the same era as King Louis XIII’s hunting lodge (which eventually grew into the Palace of Versailles we know and love today) the property is a rare testimony to Versailles’ signature architectural style. Alongside its sharp symmetry and light-filled interiors, the castle boasts large reception rooms, a games room and pool. Having undergone a meticulous ‘by the book’ restoration since 2004 (overseen by the Architectes des Bâtiments de France as well as the Ministry of Culture), the castle remains true to its Le Grand Siècle style, representing the French spirit and its Art de Vivre. On top of its eye-catching facade, the castle’s most romantic draw is it wooded park and French and Italian style formal gardens, which promise water features, box hedges and a collection of antique statues. With a drive lined by lime trees, plus an orchard, fruit trees, forest and a stream meandering through, it is the perfect place to play Marie Antoinette for the day. Just minus the beheadings, of course.

Price upon request. Find out more at luxuryportfolio.com

Tawstock Castle, Devon, UK

A Grade II listed 18th century bailey castle, Tawstock Castle is set on a hilltop in the North Devon countryside, only a short journey from the coast. Offering 360 degree views of your domain (unfortunately only 8.4 acres, not as far as the eye can see), the traditional motte-and-bailey overlooks Taw Valley. Extended and restored, the castle combines historical integrity with modern convenience, so you enjoy castellated battlements and corniced ceilings in the comfort of warmth, wifi and running water. The reception room offers coffered ceilings, an ornate fireplace plus a round table worthy of King Arthur. And in case you need a space for plotting (be it murders, novels or graphs), the turret office is the perfect place from which to make a killing. Spiralling up the staircase, you will discover a roof terrace and further up, a look out tower from which you can keep an eye out for any incoming traitors.

Tawstock Castle is on the market for £1.35m. Find out more at knightfrank.co.uk

Bellister Castle, Northumberland, UK

If, like me, you’re an avid National Trust fan, now’s your chance to become one with its parklands. Dating back to the 12th cetury, when the adjoining pele tower was first built, the castle itself came into being in the 17th century with later additions added over time. Spanning 4.5 acres of the 1,200 acre Northumberland National Trust protected parkland, this Grade I castle comes with its very own tower and two-bedroom lodge, as well as a range of other outbuildings. Moments from the South Tyne River, Bellister Castle sits close to many Roman landmarks, including Hadrian’s Wall and is believed to be built from the same stone as its more famous relation.

Bellister Castle is on the market for £2.5m. Find out more at knightfrank.co.uk

Couston Castle, Fife, UK

Riddled with a storied past, the lands on which Couston Castle sit were gifted to one Roger Frebern by King Wiliam the Lion’s illegitimate son, Robert de London. Eventually ascending to the heights of a fortified castle in the 16th century, at that time the castle was protected by a battery of artillery. Later, in the 17th century when James V granted a charter to James Logan of Couston, the castle was remodelled to a layout similar to its current form. At this time, other notable residents included Reverend Robert Blair, a professor at Glasgow University who resided at the castle after being banished from St Andrews for his covenanting views.

Falling into disrepair in the early 19th century, much of Couston Castle was dismantled in the 1840s for farm building materials. For over a century, only fragments remained, including a 17th-century doorway and stair base. That is, until the 1980s, when its fate turned. Businessman Alastair Harper bought the ruins and, alongside architect Ian Begg, rebuilt the castle using original stone from Otterston Loch and leftover rubble. And in case the history lesson didn’t entice you, today the castle promises a home office, gym suite, sauna and wet room.

Couston Castle is on the market for £2.65m. Find out more at knightfrank.co.uk

Can Draco, Ibiza, Spain

More Traitors meets White Lotus, this property on the coast of Ibiza was once dubbed ‘an enchanted castle’ by locals. Today, the original towered structure has been reborn into a sculptural retreat, tucked away in untouched woodlands and protected parkland which leads to hidden beaches. Far, far away from the island’s party crowds, the seven-bedroom villa overlooks the turquoise waters of Cala Xarraca, mirroring the contours of the land and sea. With its vaulted ceilings and circular turrets, Can Draco ticks all the castle must-haves. 

Reimagined by French artist Cyril de Commarque, the castle is described as a love letter to nature, seclusion, and artistry. Approaching the design as he would a work of art, he explains that: ‘The themes are the same as in my art. Ecology, progress and our relationship with nature. That is what my art is about and that is what this house is about. It has the same feeling.’ From bathtubs nestled in turreted nooks and showers carved directly into rock, to handcrafted carvings and a kitchen island that doubles as sculpture, every element has been designed with an artistic touch.

Living in the villa during its transformation so as to observe the rhythms of sun, wind and silence, Cyril insists that when people design houses they should stay there for a week or two: ‘Then you get to really know where the breeze comes from, where the early morning light hits – there are all fundamental considerations when designing a house.’ Most importantly, Cyril explains that this castle is a place where you don’t need your phone – ‘Everything is there. You can spend the day just contemplating. When you look out of the window, you don’t see another house. In Ibiza, this is almost non-existent.’

Can Draco is on the market for €17,500,000. Find out more at domusnova.com

Ayton Castle, Berwickshire, UK

Castles don’t come much more Traitors-esque than this; you can almost imagine Claudia Winkleman strutting up the drive in her cloak. Renowned as one of Scotland’s finest baronial-style buildings, Ayton Castle was designed by Scotland’s leading Gothic revival architect James Gillespie Graham. Built in the 19th century, the property boasts a five-storey great tower, corbelled eaves, crenelated parapets, crow-step gables and roll-moulded stone sills: basically, it’s seriously old school. In 1873, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn author Mark Twain made a visit, falling so deeply in love with the Bonnar & Carfae designed interiors, that he took the dining room fireplace mantle back home with him – which remains in his house museum in Hartford, Connecticut to this day. Adjoining the castle, is the formal terraced garden with sandstone retaining walls, gravel paths, box hedges and fountain, plus a 16th century dovecote, a railway and a subterranean ice-house.

Ayton Castle is on the market for £3.25m. Find out more at knightfrank.co.uk