Inside A Castle Home, Restored After 430 Years | WSJ Mansion

The Towie Barclay Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, once visited by the late Queen Mother, has all the features of a traditional castle like shot holes, gun loops and stone walls. The 2.7-acre castle grounds, also includes a walled garden, gardener's cottage and carriage rooms. But it’s also a family home that was purchased by a husband and wife for £4,000 in 1972.
Homeowner Karen Ellington opens up the castle doors to share the restoration journey from ruin to refuge.
Chapters:
0:00 Towie Barclay
1:32 Entry, kitchen and dining
2:48 The Great Hall
3:56 The library
4:54 The garden
6:39 Maintaining the castle
WSJ Mansion
Tour one-of-a-kind luxury homes and mansions, as homeowners and architects break down the amenities, rooms and design features that make these real estate marvels unique.
#RealEstate #Castle #WSJ

[@howardmckenna]

That castle couldn't have had better owners. Beautiful.

[@billhosko7723]

100% you are!

[@dima97]

Finally someone who keeps the beauty of these historic places and doesn't just paint the whole house white.

[@-OBELUS-]

...or gray.

[@dima97]

@@-OBELUS- seriously

[@geoffdundee]

@dima97 ......many historic places were originally painted pink or bright ochre yellow/orange.

[@dima97]

@@geoffdundee I'm talking about white or gray not orange or pink. Please learn to read

[@geoffdundee]

@@dima97 ......whites boring..............better with traditional colours like i mentioned previously.

[@infraredthomas]

I applaud the owners on their ingenuity, dedication and hard work that brought this building back from being lost. From the decor to exterior, they really considered what was appropriate for the house/castle and grounds - no garish upgrading/modern elements. And to think, most, if not all, of their work was done without followers on social media.

[@twisted_void]

Honestly. 1.26 mil is a lot of money but for a place like this, it is a steal. In London, for same amount you would get a spacious apartment. Here you get a mini castle in amazing condition.

[@forward_ever_ever2595]

Not to mention a healthy environment

[@pedrosaulmx]

Whats an Yearly estimated cost for a place like this... including a cleaning service. LOL

[@CommanderStarblaster]

Or not so spacious apartment depending on the part of London you're talking about.

[@kaibrunnenG]

LOL. 1.26mil is a bargain for the castle, guess house and the full huge garden. The only reason it's that low price because it's so far away from amenities have fun doing grocery when you are so far away. Probably more ideal for a vacation rental than a live in.

[@craigthescott5074]

I would have guessed a lot more for this work of art.

[@6ixConfessions]

I hope it's heritage listed. It would be a crime if the next owners were to destroy the integrity of such a glorious & faithfully restored beautiful old home.

[@bluelagoon1980]

I looked it up, it has an A listing (only 8% of such properties in Scotland are grade A). And they won an award for the restoration work in 1973, so they did it to a very high standard.

[@6ixConfessions]

@@bluelagoon1980 Good to know, thank you. It is a beautiful home by any standard.

[@mickhughes6327]

It's evident that a lot of blood, sweat, tears and love have gone into the renovation of this stunning home. A true credit to the owners' commitment and skills.

[@godfreyberry1599]

This family's commitment to preserving something quite special is of the highest order imaginable. Lives truly well lived.

[@elephantintheroom5678]

It's so refreshing to see a castle (or chateau) renovation that has eschewed modernisation in favour of period pieces of furniture, stoves etc, and art. I almost weep when I see some of them.

[@timothyj1966]

For sure... sometimes it's just Criminal! Was pleasantly surprised. This Family got it just right!

[@motoflyte]

I love it when real people restore something, working hard to do so.

[@peterbellini6102]

Beauty and commitment; a rare thing indeed. But oh those stone stairs! Hats off to the Ellingtons...

[@CallMeJAR1]

Man, those castles were built to last generations.

[@carltwidle9046]

Stunning castle. All the hard work has payed off. I hope it will be looked after in time and remain the beautiful building it is.

[@I-Know-Best]

this video literally made me book a ticket to Aberdeen in September just to see this place

[@Dogasaurus]

Pack for cold & rain. It can be glorious at that time of year & the days are still amazingly long - you could read a newspaper in the garden at 10pm at my grandmother's house in August - but, to relocate & paraphrase the famous Twain observation, the longest winter many will ever experience is a summer in Scotland, never mind autumn. Winter ?! Fuhgeddaboutit...... My brother & I used to spit on the inside top windowpane at night so we'd know how cold it had been by how far down the spittle got before freezing.Looking at all that exposed stone & the vaulted ceiling at Towie Barclay makes me shiver, whether from sense memory or fear of the heating bill, I can't say. No wonder whisky translates as water of life. Just a poetic description of antifreeze.( And yes, I know that whisky doesn't actually keep you warm. Spare me your dreich Sassenach science.)

[@I-Know-Best]

@@Dogasaurus Im from SoCal so Im ready for some cooling winds to get away from this dry heat

[@Dogasaurus]

@@I-Know-Best I'm quite sure you'll experience some "cooling" winds off The North Sea or The Cairngorms...lol.. Also quite sure you'll be enchanted in spite of the weather.

[@kindlydude]

@@Dogasaurus 😉😆🤣 ...when did (Mark?) Twain's quote end and yours begin? That was quite a description of Scotland's weather!

[@Dogasaurus]

@@kindlydude Once experienced, never forgotten...lol...Not familiar with Shania's work, but I believe it was Mark who wrote that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. Witty, but not quite as evocative as the spit story, if I do say so myself.

[@channel.INSPIREDINSIGHT]

It's a very beautiful castle! It's nice to look at houses like this! *A real work of art*

[@Most_like_of_god]

ฉันชอบปราสาท ฉันชอบหิน ฉันชอบกระจก ฉันชอบสีสัน ฉันชอบเรื่องราว ฉันชอบความคลาสสิค ฉันชอบความยุ่งยากเพื่อให้ได้มาซึ่งผลงานศิลปะที่มีเรื่องราว ❤❤❤😊😊😊 ^ ^

[@mrs.anonymous6291]

This truly is one of the most beautiful, elegant, whimsical, enchanting, breathtaking re-models that I have ever seen!!!! Bravo to you and your family for not compromising the History nor the original woodwork, fireplaces, stair cases and moldings etc, etc ...

[@a.z.2707]

Sale agreed on 1.1m euro, what a bargain deal the new owner got. In Scotland 1m euro houses are not even close to what this castle offers

[@kindlydude]

Darn!! Has it been sold? ...I was counting on winning the lottery to buy it. 😜😉☺

[@cw7422]

What a fantastic thing to do. I went to a lot of castles in Scotland during my 7.5 years there when I was a Navy brat and a sailor myself. Great video.

[@HeyMJ.]

An incredible, historic property that’s move-in ready.. Beautiful!

[@janoginski5557]

It is a Tower House, not a Castle. Apologies for being pedantic. The asking price, if that is a fixed price is an absolute bargain. And what a lovely location.

[@dan49781]

What a dream.

[@incyphe]

Bless these wonderful folks

[@mgithaiga1]

I wish I quarantined in the Towie Barclay Castled during the COVID-19 pandemic

[@XxXenosxX]

Great work by the owners bringing that back to life

[@kv7654]

Wow! What a great price !!!

[@franklinstephen3268]

Hello how are you doing?

[@andrewsdrmike]

Beautiful

[@mesovogue]

Magnificent. I am so glad there are people who can preserve these places.

[@zapfanzapfan]

What a fantastic little castle!

[@cmvdoo]

Work of a lifetime, a lifetime of work. Big compliment with the achievement.

[@rethundralegna4138]

So beautiful. I hope the castle continues to be well-kept for the next humdreds of years and never let destructive modernization touch it.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Looking very nice...

[@sophiesacaben]

Magnificent!!! 👏

[@rickenbacker472]

Awesome house.

[@user-tt5xj5ib1e]

It's such a warm and inviting home, you can see all the work and love they put into the place :) 😃😍😃

[@tammywilliams2035]

Absolutely fantastic video. Loved it. Thank you

[@franklinstephen3268]

Hello Tammy, how’re you doing today?

[@JJ-er1ng]

Wish my HoA would allow me to renovate my place to be like this.

[@annaelisavettavonnedozza9607]

They truly put blood, sweat, & tears into that place. They love & respected it ❤❤❤

[@Holidaygal]

Marc Ellington’s music career was accelerating when he left Oregon US to avoid the draft. He recorded a series of solo albums and collaborated with Fairport Convention and The Byrds.

[@kindlydude]

I miss the old fashioned hippie anti-war liberals ...who were actually anti-war. There's no organized opposition to the current neo-con/neo-lib fiasco (a handful worth of Vietnams ...several hundreds of thousands of needless dead) ...happening now. 🤨😒🙄🤕😢

[@Spock_Rogers]

​@@kindlydudeChris Hedges, Code Pink, Noam Chomsky and others are still fighting. The whole country has shifted to the pro-war right wing, but there are still people fighting. We can't give up. 🕊️

[@DanaDakota]

Magnificent ❤️👑

[@agyozdowski1382]

wow beautiful

[@mJ-sm4ss]

I would love to win mega millions or Powerball and move right outta the USA! This place would be perfect!

[@joshhoffman1975]

What a incredible legacy Ms Ellington and her hard work, wonderful eye and taste have left! The timber ceiling are wonderful, but I like the dining room the best! 🎉❤😃

[@TheBTG88]

That ‘timber’ ceiling is actually sandstone.

[@kindlydude]

@@TheBTG88 Perhaps he meant in the library ...but my favorite room (we only saw the kitchen, library, a smallish bedroom and the Great Hall) ...was the Great Hall with its vaulted sandstone ceiling. I wish they had said exactly how old the castle was ...or perhaps I missed it.

[@camfrancisco]

Spectacular

[@carmenslee6234]

What a wonderful building.

[@wvusciguy]

She deserves every penny

[@PhD777]

Absolutely beautiful home! A gorgeous fortified manor/tower house! Ya'll should be very proud to have and to have restored such a piece of history! Wonderful!

[@olgabolesny4673]

Love this castle, well done🌹🌹🌹

[@Catcrazy333]

Now enjoy the fruits of your labor .. .Just Lovely ‼️

[@8ballphil150]

the home is magnificent .

[@williamwaits]

Not a bad price

[@Adrian_Conradie]

Wow! Beautiful 😍 👌🏻

[@user-pu7vk5wx2v]

Good to see a couple who truly care about the home they have, a great lesson for those who make the stupendous mistake of trying to modernise a Castle. They are called "Castle's" for very good and obvious reasons.

[@dyinteriors]

I adore this home! Just fabulous!

[@caraboska]

May their husband and father rest in peace, and may God bless his memory...

[@foreverteuk]

Nuuuuu don't sell :( So much memories

[@keithss67]

Wonderful

[@Novilicious]

Hope the new owners will take care of it as beautifully as the old owners have

[@TKOin2life]

The perfect castle. I love it.

[@tonics7121]

Magnificent. What vision the two of you had. A gift, certainly.

[@sanyun1257]

Wowowowow😊

[@deniseroe5891]

This is a fantasy of mine. It is beautiful! Would love to be able to take a old Manor home and restore it. Congratulations on a beautiful castle.

[@johnklinekurtz]

Hard to pick a favorite part of the great job, but I like the Ceiling Trusses in the Carriage Room a lot!!!

[@monicagaitor6751]

Please sell it to someine who LOVES it! ❤ It is beautiful..

[@boomsuga]

$1.26 mill that’s a decent price for a castle. That’s an average home price in Toronto

[@KellyBurnett138]

IKR!

[@puddysue]

You have done a spectacular job! Thank you for restoring such a stupendous place!!!!!!

[@EleyReiHer]

I love that they handle the treasure with special care! It is impossible to do every part of the preservation by the owner but voila - boy would it ever be lovelier than this! The setting of the garden compliments the whole look

[@fernandsimard4112]

This is beautiful... Bravo.... That castle couldn't have had better owners. Beautiful.Beautiful and beautiful.... Thanks....

[@thelongdarkteatimeofthesou4497]

Tbh... they did such a good job with this. Hope the next owners respect the place just as much.

[@joe-vl3nd]

Beautiful 👍🇬🇧

[@carolweaver3269]

Spectacular Castle and have to say, you both have done a splendid job restoring it and it is sad your family could not continue on holding on to this lovely castle! Wish I had this money, as it is not really asking too much I do not feel, and if you wanted to stay on and enjoy all your days here, but with others taking over the work and the part of taking care of it all, You love this castle and have worked hard with your husband and positive you miss him and it is hard, but even if you lived in one of the smaller areas that visitors would use normally would maybe something that would be of interest and you would desire to know you wer home and able to spend many more years here and help the owners if they have questions? Some people would maybe write a book, as so many do. It takes so much money an time of course and people need to realize this when they buy it as they will want to be sure to keep it up properly and it is interesting what more they will think to do, as one would want to keep most all of it quite the same. But truly with a castle there is always more needing to be done. Ther is a thing now called " Work a ways', and people who are, in between jobs, or they would like to. exchange work for living with a room and bathroom and to eat, would work for you. But they would need very good vetting of course.

[@DonAl9114]

What a wonderful place to be. Let’s hope the right new owner moves in and preserves these beautiful buildings. 😊😊

[@veronicaroach3667]

Oh wow - selling this will be such a wrench for this lady - I hope the next buyer will include her in their plans - let her visit if she wants to - be kind- she has done so much for this building & history in general, it's a wonderful life's work ! I wish i could buy it myself, it is a beautiful place ! I like it a lot becasuse it is such a reasonable size, so many ancient places like this are huge beyond belief & must be very uncomfotable to live in really & almost nobody can afford servants as in days of yore !

[@kindlydude]

Assuming she is staying in Scotland (if both daughters still live there she probably will) ...if I had the money I;d rent it out as a b& b and hire her to greet the guests and book them into their rooms and give her the choice of which room or cottage to live in. One would need a cook/chef, gardener/maintenance man, and cleaning lady for laundry, etc. to make a go of it.

[@auro1986]

wsj stays here when visiting scottland

[@KellyBurnett138]

For the lovely weather and the highest murder rate per capita in Europe…

[@aa-xg3ct]

@@KellyBurnett138 LOL...England and Wales 11.7 and Scotland 9.5 per million.

[@themiddlepath8685]

It's feels like living in a museum

[@wardmacleod3765]

WELL DONE

[@claiborneeastjr4129]

I must say your restorative skills are beyond awesome. This castle is absolutely awesome in all respects, and I really admire (and envy) your work, time, labor, skills, devotion, and patience in restoring this magnificent castle. What an architectural masterpiece. You should be so proud of your accomplishments.

[@cathyreardon8979]

Very sorry about the loss of your husband,father. 😔. Beautiful castle.❤ God Bless. Cathy, Ohio,U.S.A. 🇺🇲

[@lisaburke6331]

what a beautiful, imaginative place to grow up🥰

[@undertheyarrowbear]

I love the castles meant for giants and how there is extra floors to the castle buried beneath the earth from the last mud flood reset. Just amazing. Our smaller sized people definitely didn't build these with the tech we had with our horses and buggies 🤣🤣🤣

[@yrokelyod3471]

Amazing restoration job. If I had the money, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[@davidwayne9982]

It's GORGEOUS--- as long as it's warm in winter and cool in summer- it's PERFECT!!! I'd love to have one like that over here somewhere..

[@_PJW_]

Glorious. What a triumph!

[@steffan1830]

Beautiful. What a labor of love

[@victorortiz193]

Omg the arches in the hall, beautiful...

[@egoaanton9854]

Very cozy castle to bad that i don't have the money to buy it. Hopefully it will find people that are willing to love it and dedicate they're time to mentain it.

[@Revfar10]

Just beautiful!

[@brintonsdad]

Amazing, what a wonderful family.

[@dilshaddealwis6543]

What a wonderful restoration that can be carried on for generations. Absolutely wonderful labour of love. I pray the new owners will care for it the way you have and be the custodians of this magnificent home.

[@cloisterene]

Thank you so much for preserving this estate with all the love you put into it, and for sharing its enchanting beauty with us.

[@spinnetti]

Dang... What a dream! If I thought I could keep it up myself, I'd love to buy something like that.

[@paulpowell4871]

Blessings to you and your family. what a great couple and life you had.

[@fionasaunders7646]

Very tastefully done and a enormous credit to you and your late husband, though I am sad that your leaving it. All the very best to you and your family.

[@Prinlu739]

Stunning!!

[@alliedavidson4175]

Oooooooooooo, chills up my spine. I want this place!

[@Kim.E347]

What a beautiful job you did restoring it and making it into a perfect home! ❤

[@bruceklassen8261]

Breathtaking

[@Stardusted1]

Oh thank you! This is wonderful, I feel like I belong there! Love it!!❤

[@warninghamburg]

What a wonderful house. So much history.

[@laurac8659]

Absolutely amazing ❤

[@Huvvuv]

This castle is beautiful. Thanks for the look inside