Every aspect of Gilford Castle Estate in Co Down is impressive. Standout features include 127 acres of top-class agricultural land, 63 acres of well-maintained woodland and the estate’s main residence, a 150-year-old castle.
The estate was put on the market last month and its sale is being managed by Belfast and Dublin-based agents Savills. It is available in one or five lots and asking price for the whole property is £2.3m (€2.6m).
Lot five is a 20-acre field which is currently in winter barley.
The estate is located beside Gilford village and has been owned by the Wright family since 1913. Northern Ireland’s longest river, the River Bann, runs through the farm and a traditional stone wall partially encloses the property. The total area extends to 207 acres when 17 acres of roads, yards, buildings and watercourses are included.
The farmland is free draining and the best quality alluvial soils are found closest to the River Bann. Potatoes, cereals and beet have been grown on the farm in recent years. At present, most of the land is laid out in grass with the exceptions being a 20-acre field in winter barley and a small area recently planted for wild bird cover.
A small area has recently been planted in for wild bird cover.
Layout
The farmland is laid out in large fields and a series of hardcore laneways and tracks give good access throughout the farm. The various lots of agricultural land on the estate are joined on to each other, although waterways and areas of woodland divide some blocks. There is access to each block from public roads which run at several points at the perimeter of the estate.
It is available in one or five lots and asking price for the whole property is £2.3m (€2.6m)
The farmland has been leased out to three local farmers in recent years and has been well managed. The largest proportion of the grassland is currently used for silage, with some grazing later in the season. Some of the land is environmentally designated as parkland and is in permanent grassland.
A series of hardcore laneways give good access throughout the farm.
Asides from a seven-bay round-roof shed used for storage, there are no modern farm buildings on the estate. There are several traditional stone outbuildings that adjoin the main residence, including a former farmyard, sawmill and kennels.
The farm is well fenced and there has been a lot of work in recent years with coppicing existing hedgerows and planting new ones. Most of this work was carried out through the Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS), however the scheme agreement ends this year.
NICMS also allowed for the various areas of woodland to be fenced off from the agricultural land. Mature deciduous trees dominate in most of the 63 acres of forest on the estate, although some conifer species, such as Scots Pine, are planted in places.
Woodlands have been well maintained throughout the estate and planting has continued to take place in recent years. The estate has been used for sporting activities, such as pheasant shoots, archery and fishing.
Woodland throughout the estate provides significant shelter.
Gilford Castle
Gilford Castle is a B1 listed building that is situated in a private setting in the middle of the estate. The building dates from circa 1865 and was constructed in the Scottish baronial style. It took the place of a previous dwelling that dated back to the 17th century.
The accommodation is predominantly laid out over two storeys and contains four reception rooms, a kitchen and six bedrooms. There is a pitched, slated roof that is arranged over various levels. The castle has a concealed basement and a three-storey bay to the front of the building.
Although renovated numerous times, many of the period features of the building have been retained. Decorative ceiling roses, marble and oak fireplaces, hardwood floors, feature columns and a stain glassed window are present.
There are two flats located in the tower, which is adjoined to the main residence. The first flat has two reception rooms, a kitchen and five bedrooms. There is a reception room, a kitchen and two bedrooms in the second flat, located within the tower.
There are two more flats situated in the stable yard beside the range of outbuildings. Both flats have a kitchen, reception room/area and a bedroom.
Five lots
With the property available in five lots, the main lot includes Gilford Castle, four flats, two courtyards, outbuildings and 135 acres of land (73 acres of agricultural land).
The second lot is a walled garden which extends to six acres and includes five acres of woodland. Lot three is 34 acres of land, of which 23 acres is agricultural land laid out in a single field. Lot four is a 12-acre field and one acre of woodland and lot five is 20 acres of agricultural land.
It is also noteworthy that 24 acres of land that lays between lots three and five is owned by a different party and is also currently on the market for sale with another auctioneer.
A gate lodge, a telecommunications mask and a 98kW hydro-electric turbine are present in Gilford estate but are not included in the sale of the property. C.L
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Every aspect of Gilford Castle Estate in Co Down is impressive. Standout features include 127 acres of top-class agricultural land, 63 acres of well-maintained woodland and the estate’s main residence, a 150-year-old castle.
The estate was put on the market last month and its sale is being managed by Belfast and Dublin-based agents Savills. It is available in one or five lots and asking price for the whole property is £2.3m (€2.6m).
Lot five is a 20-acre field which is currently in winter barley.
The estate is located beside Gilford village and has been owned by the Wright family since 1913. Northern Ireland’s longest river, the River Bann, runs through the farm and a traditional stone wall partially encloses the property. The total area extends to 207 acres when 17 acres of roads, yards, buildings and watercourses are included.
The farmland is free draining and the best quality alluvial soils are found closest to the River Bann. Potatoes, cereals and beet have been grown on the farm in recent years. At present, most of the land is laid out in grass with the exceptions being a 20-acre field in winter barley and a small area recently planted for wild bird cover.
A small area has recently been planted in for wild bird cover.
Layout
The farmland is laid out in large fields and a series of hardcore laneways and tracks give good access throughout the farm. The various lots of agricultural land on the estate are joined on to each other, although waterways and areas of woodland divide some blocks. There is access to each block from public roads which run at several points at the perimeter of the estate.
It is available in one or five lots and asking price for the whole property is £2.3m (€2.6m)
The farmland has been leased out to three local farmers in recent years and has been well managed. The largest proportion of the grassland is currently used for silage, with some grazing later in the season. Some of the land is environmentally designated as parkland and is in permanent grassland.
A series of hardcore laneways give good access throughout the farm.
Asides from a seven-bay round-roof shed used for storage, there are no modern farm buildings on the estate. There are several traditional stone outbuildings that adjoin the main residence, including a former farmyard, sawmill and kennels.
The farm is well fenced and there has been a lot of work in recent years with coppicing existing hedgerows and planting new ones. Most of this work was carried out through the Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS), however the scheme agreement ends this year.
NICMS also allowed for the various areas of woodland to be fenced off from the agricultural land. Mature deciduous trees dominate in most of the 63 acres of forest on the estate, although some conifer species, such as Scots Pine, are planted in places.
Woodlands have been well maintained throughout the estate and planting has continued to take place in recent years. The estate has been used for sporting activities, such as pheasant shoots, archery and fishing.
Woodland throughout the estate provides significant shelter.
Gilford Castle
Gilford Castle is a B1 listed building that is situated in a private setting in the middle of the estate. The building dates from circa 1865 and was constructed in the Scottish baronial style. It took the place of a previous dwelling that dated back to the 17th century.
The accommodation is predominantly laid out over two storeys and contains four reception rooms, a kitchen and six bedrooms. There is a pitched, slated roof that is arranged over various levels. The castle has a concealed basement and a three-storey bay to the front of the building.
Although renovated numerous times, many of the period features of the building have been retained. Decorative ceiling roses, marble and oak fireplaces, hardwood floors, feature columns and a stain glassed window are present.
There are two flats located in the tower, which is adjoined to the main residence. The first flat has two reception rooms, a kitchen and five bedrooms. There is a reception room, a kitchen and two bedrooms in the second flat, located within the tower.
There are two more flats situated in the stable yard beside the range of outbuildings. Both flats have a kitchen, reception room/area and a bedroom.
Five lots
With the property available in five lots, the main lot includes Gilford Castle, four flats, two courtyards, outbuildings and 135 acres of land (73 acres of agricultural land).
The second lot is a walled garden which extends to six acres and includes five acres of woodland. Lot three is 34 acres of land, of which 23 acres is agricultural land laid out in a single field. Lot four is a 12-acre field and one acre of woodland and lot five is 20 acres of agricultural land.
It is also noteworthy that 24 acres of land that lays between lots three and five is owned by a different party and is also currently on the market for sale with another auctioneer.
A gate lodge, a telecommunications mask and a 98kW hydro-electric turbine are present in Gilford estate but are not included in the sale of the property. C.L
Read more
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