Stunning Ardchullarie Lodge has been the home of the rich – and sometimes the famous – since its construction in 1910.
When Scots pop star Jim Kerr first clapped eyes on the property in 1990 he was smitten. The decision by the Simple Minds frontman to buy the lodge for a rumoured £250,000 was a ‘no brainer’.
The chart-topping singer used the dwelling for 10 years as a haven in which to compose and record.
With a proud history and spectacular views over Loch Lubnaig in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, it’s little wonder the star found this Category B-listed home at the Gateway to the Highlands so inspiring.
Built near Callander by Colonel Archibald Stirling of Keir – father of Colonel David Stirling, the founder of the SAS – it is also said to have been the site of a farmhouse where the African explorer, James Bruce of Kinnaird, wrote his account in 1768 of his journey to the source of the Blue Nile.
The Millenium saw Kerr put the house back on the market at more than £600,000 but it is said to still hold a special place in his heart.
The performer is reported to have said on selling: “Ardchullarie Lodge is truly special and I consider myself privileged to have spent much of the past decade in this wonderful house.”
Today, Ardchullarie is being sold through Savills for more than twice that amount at £1.3 million.
And in addition to its illustrious history, it has much to offer.
Nestled in 42 acres and designed by Stewart and Paterson of Glasgow, the building is particularly characterised by its Scots Renaissance detailing. The main house has wing walls to the side which link to the former stable block, creating an enclosed courtyard.
Beautifully presented and modernised to a high standard, this is a home that exudes character and charm.
The front door sits under a striking stone coat of arms depicting two wolfhounds standing over a shield bearing the Stirling family motto, ‘Gang Forward’.
Once inside, original features abound. With parquet flooring, working window shutters, timber panelling and Jacobean revival plaster work, Ardchullarie is an architectural delight.
On the ground floor there are four striking reception rooms, a study and a conservatory with loch views. There is also a stylish, modern fitted kitchen, butler’s pantry, utility room and cloakroom.
The home’s seven spacious bedrooms are on the first floor along with a dressing room and three bathrooms.
Across the courtyard, the former stables now provide a games room, three extra bedrooms, two bathrooms, an office and a chapel.
The property comes with a two-bedroom guest or staff cottage, set well apart from the lodge and an excellent range of outbuildings including kennels and a garage and boathouse.
The lodge and its lands are a country-lover’s dream.
With mature gardens and woodland, low-hill ground and lochside paddocks, this property boasts just over a mile of frontage to the
four-mile long loch with bankside fishing rights.
And at just 21 miles from Stirling, it’s a short hop to the historical heart of Scotland. Stirling Castle was the seat of the kings of Scotland in the Middle Ages and its town was the pivotal centre of the nation’s history.
It witnessed both William Wallace’s defeat of the English at the Battle of Stirling
Bridge in 1297 and Robert the Bruce’s victory at nearby Bannockburn in 1314.
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