11 bedroom detached house for sale

Dating back to the late 16th century, Coupland Castle, with its crenelated tower, stands surrounded by mature gardens and woodland, with a range of versatile outbuildings. For the equestrian enthusiast, there are also stables and grazing land.

The Castle has been skilfully maintained and embellished over the years to provide striking accommodation that is elegant and grandiose, whilst showcasing its superb architectural details, and high ceilings that enhance the sense of light and space. In addition to the main house, there is ancillary accommodation in the form of a 3-bedroom cottage within the courtyard, and a 3-bedroom lodge.

Internally, the accommodation is arranged over four levels and offers immense flexibility. There are numerous generously proportioned reception rooms, including the beautifully presented dual aspect drawing room, library and the spacious dining room, all with large bay windows and wonderful period fireplaces. A variety of additional rooms provide excellent space for less formal relaxation and entertaining, including a sitting room, games room and play room.

The kitchen benefits from an adjoining breakfast room, both of which overlook an internal courtyard. The wine cellar is in two rooms, each with bins.

On the first floor, the accommodation in the Georgian portion of the house is laid out to provide a bay-windowed library, three bedrooms (two with en suite bathrooms) and a family bathroom, whilst the second floor is host to three further bedrooms and a WC. Located above bedroom 3 is a further room with potential for a variety of uses.
The Tower, with its 5ft thick stone walls and spiral stone staircase, is arranged to provide self-contained living space comprising a sitting room, kitchen/breakfast room, a utility, 4 bedrooms and two additional rooms. This element has been used as a separate dwelling and has been let to tenants.

Historical note
Coupland Castle boast a fascinating history, originating in the late 1580s with the Pele Tower being the last fortified building to be constructed on the Border. Before the tower was built, the Coupland lands belonged to Sir John de Coupland who captured the Scottish King at the Battle of Neville’s Cross in 1346.

The property has been extended over the centuries and the earliest part is the four-storey main tower, probably built towards the end of the 16th century, after the finding of a Border Commission in 1584. The smaller tower was probably built after the Union of England and Scotland (1603), when the threat from the border had subsided. An impressive fireplace in the sitting room within the tower, is engraved with ‘GW 1619 MW’, representing George and Mary Wallis, who owned the property at that time. A further interesting and unusual feature of the tower is the upper spiral staircase, which was designed for defence by a left-hand swordsman.

During the 18th century, a separate farmhouse was added to the south-west of the now L-shaped tower and the Wallis family sold Coupland in 1713 to Sir Chaloner Ogle RN. Ogle was famous for having defeated the pirate Batholomew Roberts, who during a brief career, captured around 456 ships. In 1806, Nathaniel Ogle conveyed the Castle and estate to Thomas Bates, and Matthew Culley was succeeded to the estate in 1820. In the 1820s, the late Georgian part of the current property was added and linked the tower to the farmhouse.

The Culley family sold Coupland in 1928 to the Weidner family, who in turn sold it to Sir Walter Aitchison in 1938. Sir Walter took an immense interest in the gardens and set about planting the impressive arboretum to the east of the house.
The Castle was sold in 1971 and twice again before the present owners purchased it in 1979.

Coupland Castle is located in a secluded yet very accessible setting, approximately four miles north of the pretty market town of Wooler, also known as the gateway to Glendale and the Cheviot Hills. The high street offers a selection of pubs, restaurants and cafés, as well as a gallery and specialist shops. The property’s close proximity to the A697 and A1 ensures that larger towns and the city centre of Newcastle are very accessible.

It is well located, especially for outdoor and country pursuits with some of the finest rivers and sporting estates nearby. The area is a great destination for visitors with The Cheviot Hills close at hand, and the North Northumberland National Park and Scottish Borders also close by. To the east sits the magnificent Northumberland coastline, now a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with its iconic castles, Holy Island and the Farne Islands.

The property is within easy reach of the East Coast Mainline at Berwick Railway Station and both Edinburgh and Newcastle International Airports.

Gardens and grounds
Coupland Castle is approached along a sweeping tree-lined driveway that culminates in a parking area to the front of the Castle, providing a delightful sense of arrival. The driveway forks at the top to enable a split of traffic types, i.e. domestic or to the stables. Set within 25 acres, the grounds are truly an outstanding feature of the property and create a wonderful setting. They comprise formal gardens, a kitchen garden, woodland, paddocks/grazing land, and an impressive arboretum, planted with an array of specimen trees, including a Pocket-Handkerchief tree from Indo China. In the spring, the arboretum comes alive with a sea of daffodils, snowdrops and bluebells.

Outbuildings
Adjacent to the castle lies a charming courtyard where access may be gained to a variety of outbuildings including a coach house with a studio and apple store above, a double garage, wash house, three stables and tack room, workshops, hay barn and store rooms. In addition to providing a sensational family home, Coupland Castle boasts two further dwellings: a 3-bedroom cottage and a 3-bedroom lodge. They have been successfully rented out and thereby offer income potential (further details available upon request).