One of the North-east's most historic properties has been put up for sale with a price tag of over £1.2million.
Cairness House, near Fraserburgh, has been described by Country Life as “Scotland’s most important Greek Revival house”, and part of the property dates back to 1781.
Knight Frank has been appointed to sell the landmark home, which has 10 bedrooms, nine bathrooms, seven reception rooms, and is set in 16 acres of land.
Designed by James Playfair in the last years of his life, the country mansion was inspired by the celebrated Scottish architect’s Grand Tours of France and Italy.
With its lunette arches, Doric columns and spectacular semi-circular range of rear outbuildings, The Times describes it as his defining work.
“It is sort of a piece of art,” comments Tom Stewart-Moore from selling agents Knight Frank, “it feels like it belongs in a museum.”
The Egyptian Room is the earliest surviving of its type in the world, and contains a number of hieroglyphic symbols .
The library is an Etruscan room, its colours copied from ancient painted terracotta vases. There is wonderful original plasterwork throughout.
James Playfair’s design is highly unusual and contains elements unique in British architecture. It is believed that at the core of the present house sits the earlier structure from 1781-2 by Robert Burn – essentially the central five bays of the main block – which Playfair remodelled and enlarged a decade later.
Playfair’s remodelling entailed the addition of two bookend wings, the flanking pavilions, the hemicycle at the rear of the house, and the ice house in the centre of the courtyard.
To view more pictures of the house, or to arrange a viewing, click here.