5 days ago
Stay at one of Monzie Castle's cottages for a fairytale escape
'When I met David, I had no idea about any of this,' Alexandra Crichton says, gesturing to the oak-panelled hallway of Monzie Castle. We're on a personal tour of the castle, which is offered to all guests of Monzie's self-catering accommodation. 'He referred to it as a 'family farm' in Scotland,' she adds.
It wasn't entirely a lie. Monzie still has a working farm on the estate, alongside a working joinery, hydroelectric station, old schoolhouse and a chapel. 'One of his friends gave me the name Monzie, I googled it, and it turned out it was a 4,500-acre estate.'
It's like the storyline from a Hallmark film; Alexandra, a girl from a semi-detached council house in Wales, marries a Scottish clan chief and is thrown into a world where false walls lead to servants' staircases and ancestors are immortalised in oil paintings. The fairytale wavers at redecorating the hall, which requires consultation with a paint historian and permission from Historic Scotland.
Monzie's original L-shaped house dates back to the 17th century, when it was built for the Graham family. Above the doorway the coat of arms of the Campbells is a reminder of the castle's role as a clan seat for more than two centuries and the handful of crumbling stone cottages across the estate nod to Monzie's former life as a weaving village.
The Crichtons purchased the estate in the 19th century, restored the main building from a devastating fire and have held the clan seat ever since. Now Alexandra and David Crichton are breathing new life into each dilapidated stone cottage and former working building, creating self-catering accommodation powered purely by the onsite hydroelectric station and refitted using the onsite joinery.
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We stay at Gardener's Cottage. Tucked behind the castle, the 1874 grey-stone cottage is framed with wisteria, its garden is awash with colour thanks to early summer bloom. Shaggie Burn babbles just beyond the doorstep and the only neighbours are curious sheep, bleating in the field next door. Days can be filled with wanders along the dirt track to the abandoned folly, which looks like a child's drawing of a castle with arrow-slit windows and crenulated turrets. We splash in river fords and creak open the wooden door at the back of the cottage to the beautiful gardens of Monzie Castle itself. Stepping through the wooden door to the shaded lily pond makes me feel like Mary Lennox from The Secret Garden. Beyond the estate, Gleneagles is a short drive away if you fancy a game of golf and Crieff is ten minutes away by car.
The kitchen at Gardener's Cottage is a dream to cook in with its state-of-the-art induction range cooker, huge breakfasting table and oodles of prep space. There's a boot room for muddy hiking shoes and bike storage. While the name suggests cosiness and close quarters, the interior feels surprisingly grand. The light-filled living room is a delight in summer, but the wood-burner (which is always set up for guests to use) must be a coorie treat in winter. Both bedrooms are huge, with sprawling king-size beds; Burlington fittings in the family bathroom, ensuite and downstairs loo add a touch of class.
Monzie's accommodations each have their own charm. Gardener's Cottage is all about breakfast at the picnic table on the lawn, enjoying the buzz of bees and chirp of birds in the lush surroundings. The view from the private hot tub defines Brae Cottage, perched on a hilltop. Burnside Cottage is about hunkering down by the wood-burner inside. The Gatehouse is a picture of history with its twisting stone staircase and turret bedrooms. Big groups can be housed in the five-bedroomed Millhouse, which is also let out as individual rooms with a shared kitchen.
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One thing all Monzie's properties have in common is fabulous decor. Vintage furniture has been rescued from the castle's loft, with paintings under cover for years now on display in beautifully appointed living rooms and bedrooms. 'It's been a real labour of love,' Alexandra says. 'And we've got big plans for the old schoolhouse and chapel.'
Alexandra's labour has paid off. Monzie's cottages are not just a handful of self-catering units primed for Airbnbers — each one has a storied past. Alexandra and David have created a collection of cottages fit for a fairytale escape and I was more than happy to live my best Hallmark life for a Pope was a guest of Monzie Estate ( where two nights' self-catering for four at Gardener's Cottage costs from £480
