The Tower, Keith Marischal

It’s impossible not to be awed by the distinctive Scots Baronial Keith Marischal House as you approach it via the private drive flanked by rhododendrons. Pulling up to the gravel sweep and turning circle in front of the sprawling mansion, you’ll spot the Tower, which forms the east wing and features a solid timber front door.

For all its imposing façade, Keith Marischal Tower is actually a warm, welcoming home with elegant interiors and sweeping views of the surrounding gardens and woodland from every room. The owners of the property have transformed the vaulted ground floor into a bright and homely country kitchen, which blends modern appliances and fitted cupboards with a rustic timber dining table and dresser dotted with charming blue and white crockery. Make your way through a thick arched wall to find an adjoining dining room with ample space for eight guests.

Ascending to the first floor by a spiral staircase, painted soft aqua to maximise the light, you discover a large, light-filled drawing room with dual aspect windows affording views across the grounds. A subtle palette of greens and blues echo the Tower’s lush setting while the towering ceilings and panelled walls add a fitting sense of grandeur.

Also located on the first floor are a large bathroom, and magnificent ensuite bedroom, which comes complete with a four-poster canopy bed, antique mahogany furniture and a window seat from which to admire the estate’s gardens.

Continuing up the spiral staircase to the second floor brings you to a second four-poster bedroom served by the large bathroom on the floor below, a spacious twin bedroom, a single bedroom and a separate bathroom and loo.

Every detail has been considered in the restoration of Keith Marischal Tower, retaining original features such as the fireplaces, large sash windows and internal timber shutters, while adding modern comforts such as contemporary bathrooms and a kitchen brimming with top-notch appliances. Beyond the comforts of the house, the estate boasts beautiful, south-facing enclosed gardens with views stretching all the way to the Lammermuir Hills, manicured lawns to the north and, just beyond a small pond towards the edge of the estate, the ruins of the Keith family’s 13^th-century chapel.