How to buy a castle in Scotland: Your guide to owning a piece of history

Scotland has an amazing wealth of historic buildings, including castles and other landmark properties. If owning a castle in Scotland has captured your imagination you might be wondering if there are any specific legal requirements for buying a Scottish castle as an Irish citizen. This guide looks at how to buy a castle in Scotland, including the potential costs.

To help make your dream of castle ownership in Scotland a reality, we’ll also touch on Wise large transfers as the smart way to send money from Ireland to the UK with the mid-market exchange rate, low costs and discounts for high value payments.

Send secure large
transfers with Wise 💷

Can Irish citizens buy a castle in Scotland?

Yes. Irish citizens can buy a property in Scotland - including a castle or other listed buildings - with the same rights as a UK citizen¹.

Bear in mind that while castle ownership in Scotland is legal, you will have a responsibility to follow any rules connected to the property - such as respecting its listed status if it’s a listed building. We’ll look at this, and what it means for the owners of historic properties in Scotland in a moment.

Current Scottish castle market overview

Buying a castle in Scotland may not be an option for everyone, but with so much rich heritage in Scotland, it’s no surprise to see that there are a number of agents dealing in castle sales, including specialist service Castleist.² Major estate agents like Savilles³ also market castles in Scotland, and popular magazines such as Country Life⁴ combine commentary and glamorous photos with castle sale details for potential buyers.

At the time of writing, Castleist has an astonishing 28 castle properties listed at locations throughout Scotland, from renovation projects starting at just 130,000 pounds, through to fully restored properties which are marketed for 5 million pounds or more.

Geographically, the spread of historic properties in Scotland is enormous - look for options in the Highlands and Islands, through to places in Edinburgh or Berwickshire just over the border from England.

Most castles for sale in Scotland also come with significant amounts of land, including woodland, gardens and more.

Scottish castles are usually listed buildings, which is shown on the property marketing information, and which makes a huge difference to how you can alter and use the building once you buy it.

Key things to consider before buying a castle in Scotland

When looking for a Scottish castle for sale you’ll find there’s a fair amount of variety in what’s available. This means you’ll need to think carefully about your objectives - are you looking for a project to return a property to its former glory, an investment, or a commercial opportunity for example.

Some things to think about if you’re considering Scottish property investment from Ireland include:

• Property location: You’ll find a mix of options including island castles and mainland properties, stretching more or less from the English border to the very furthest reaches of Scotland. If you’re looking for a place to live, or considering using the castle as a commercial venture, picking the right location is crucial.
• Property condition: Restored vs. restoration projects each have their own pros and cons, and will appeal to different buyers. Castles for renovation may cost relatively little, but restoration using traditional methods and materials can be very expensive.
• Property style: From medieval tower houses and baronial mansions through to the stuff of fairytales, there are many different types of castle available in Scotland. Again, the right option for you depends on personal preference and how you intend to use the property.
• Property usage: If you’re thinking about a castle for commercial opportunities - such as running a castle hotel or wedding venue - you’ll have different priorities compared to someone looking for a family home for the ages.

Weighing up all of these factors, as well as price, will help you narrow down your search - and as many castles in Scotland are sold without ever hitting the mainstream market, you may also decide that working with a specialist agent is helpful. An agent can guide your search and may unlock properties you won’t find on real estate websites.

Buying a castle in Scotland: Legal process and documentation

To buy a castle in Scotland as an Irish buyer the legal process and requirements are fairly similar to buying any Scottish property. However, the age, size and listed status of a castle may mean taking a bit more time to work through the purchase process.

As part of your offer on any purchase of property in Scotland you can expect to be asked for the following:

• Proof of identity for all purchasers, such as a passport or driving license
• Proof of address for all purchasers, such as bank statements or utility bills
• Proof of the source of your funds, such as bank statements showing your income, or a mortgage agreement from your bank.

If you intend to make an offer, the seller is usually obliged to give you a home report covering any known issues. However, given the age of the property in question, you’ll be advised to also get a structural survey and other checks, including looking at things like boundaries and rights of way through the land attached to the castle.

The legal process for buying a castle then requires you to submit an offer, either as a blind bid or in open negotiation with the seller. Here it can be helpful to have an agent advise you - as castles are a niche market, the opportunity for negotiation is likely to be higher than when buying a standard home.

Some properties are listed as ‘price on application’ or ‘offers above’ a fixed amount, for example, which both invite discussion about the final details of the agreed sale.

Restoration and renovation restrictions

If any renovations are needed in the castle your options are likely to be dictated by the listed status of the property.⁵

Properties are listed as Category A, B or C, and when you have a listed property there are very strict rules to follow around any renovations or alterations.

Category A: national or international significance
Category B: regional or local importance
Category C: local importance

Any changes or updates are likely to require planning permissions, and you may be obliged to use traditional methods and materials to renovate - which can be very expensive.

How much does it cost to buy a castle in Scotland? 💰

The cost of buying a castle in Scotland is enormously varied and depends on the location, condition, and size of the property, as well as other factors like land, required restorations and commercial potential.

At the time of writing, there are renovation properties which would require a staggering amount of work listed at only 130,000 GBP, through to large, well appointed and fully restored places at 5 million pounds or more.

As buying a castle is a pretty unique market, there’s not really an ‘average’ cost - you’ll need to invest time in research and work with knowledgeable agents to get a feel for the options based on your interests and budget.

Other purchase costs and fees

When preparing a budget to buy a castle in Scotland don’t forget fees outside the property amount including:

• Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT)⁶: LBTT is set according to property value. If your Scottish castle is on the market for over 750,000 GBP - as many are - you’ll find yourself paying the top rate of 12%⁷ on the cost above this level.
• Legal fees and survey costs: A survey will be essential for a property like a castle, and as this is a very specialist field you can expect this to cost a high amount. Legal fees are often based on the value of the property, and the complexity of the sale, so again are likely to be more expensive than buying a standard home⁸.
• Additional costs for restoration projects: If your new castle needs work you’ll have to budget for this. It’s good to know that Historic Environment Scotland⁹ can offer some grants and funding, as can local authorities and other bodies¹⁰, if you meet eligibility criteria.

Send secure large transfers to the UK with Wise

If you’re looking for a way to move large amounts of money, have a look at the Wise Account.

With Wise, you can send secure and trackable large amount transfers to 140+ countries worldwide with transparent fees and the mid-market exchange rates.

Have a look at the main benefits for using Wise to send large transfers:

• Dedicated support for large transfers
• Easy setup with no physical paperwork
• Upfront, transparent fees (with discounts available)
• Fully trackable transfers
• Two-factor authentication and real-time notifications.

Open your Wise Account
for free 🚀

The process of buying a castle in Scotland: Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Engage an agent and start your research

While there are specialist estate agencies and websites offering castles for sale, getting an agent to help is common, as many popular properties do not get advertised on open markets.

Step 2: Conduct viewings and get a home report

The owners of castles - like the owners of most other properties in Scotland - are likely to be obliged to give you a home report if you can demonstrate you’re a serious buyer. This can give initial indications into the condition of the property, but is not likely to substitute a formal structural survey.

Step 3: Make an offer - a blind bid, or a negotiated offer depending on the sale type

Here you can hand matters over to your solicitor who will 'note' your interest with the seller and then manage the negotiation process. The bidding process is not likely to be needed unless there are many people also interested in buying the property. Your agent can help guide you through this process.

Step 4: Missives and conveyancing

Next your solicitor will work though due diligence checks and the conveyancing process. This marks the point at which you can not pull out of the purchase without penalty. You’re likely to be asked to pay a deposit at this stage. Bear in mind that due diligence checks on a historic property are likely to be far more involved than on a standard building, and therefore take longer.

Step 5: Settlement and registration

On settlement day, you can finally complete the purchase and become the official owner of a castle in Scotland. You’ll need to pay all the outstanding purchase price, settle your taxes, and then you can get your keys.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 13th November, 2025