A-listed Scottish castle 'set for £2 million restoration' after sale to new owner

AN A-listed Scottish castle which has been abandoned since 1745 has been bought by a new owner – who hopes to use its “striking” profile to help provide an economic boost for the local community.

Italian computer engineer Angelo Ovidi, who is based in North Wales, has purchased the 16th-century Baltersan Castle, outside Maybole in Ayrshire, for an undisclosed sum and hopes to renovate it – the cost of which has been estimated at £2 million.

Baltersan Castle is outside Maybole in Ayrshire (Image: Lindsays) Ovidi said: “This is a fantastic place and I am excited to become its custodian.

“Baltersan has so much history and I am sure we can use that as a brand to generate income through local produce to both protect the castle’s future and support the local community.

“It is not impossible for us to restore this property if everything goes to plan, although I am trying to keep my feet on the ground.

“Restoration can be done in different stages. The first is to make the castle stable, then fix the bigger problem. I am keen to work with Scottish specialists, including Scottish stonemasons, to do all of this.”

Angelo Ovidi has bought the ruined 16th-century castle (Image: Lindsays) The castle had been owned by Ayrshire local James Brown since 1992, when he began a decades-long effort to restore it. It was put on the market in 2017 for offers over £150,000, but did not sell.

Brown said he was “so pleased to have found a new custodian, someone who appreciates its history and can continue the work that we have started”.

“I do think this building is going to be saved. It will be restored,” he added.

“In many ways, it’s with a heavy heart that I have parted with the place. But I can feel Angelo’s commitment to restoring the building. He has exciting plans.”

Artist's impression of how a restored Baltersan Castle could look (Image: Lindsays) Ovidi is keen to speak to local food and drink producers about becoming part of the Baltersan brand, and has described the former owner as a “hero” for his work to preserve the landmark.

“James has done so much for this castle – an immense job,” he said. “Without his work, none of what I now hope to achieve would be possible.

“There is a lot of hard work to do. But I really do believe that we can do big things here. The history of the place can support a real business opportunity which, in turn, can support the restoration of Baltersan, which could be a fantastic venue for events.”

Nicholas Howie, an Ayrshire-raised corporate lawyer at Lindsays who advised the sellers, said: “Selling a castle like this is pretty special. Its physical state and historic worth make it very difficult to value financially, but I think we found a shared passion and meeting of minds with James and Angelo.

“The vision for restoration is an ambitious one – and clearly a lot needs to be done. But, with the right sort of finance behind it, this could turn out to be an incredibly rewarding investment if Baltersan can be brought back to life.

“For lots of reasons, we see people from all over the world who are interested in investing in landmarks like this. There is a real market out there for people keen to invest in a slice of Scottish history, whether that be to live there or for other reasons, sometimes involving links to their family’s past.

“It’s a fascinating area of the Scottish investment market.”