Barrister buys 'haunted' Carbisdale Castle

A historic Highland country house has been bought by an international barrister after it was put up for sale for the third time in six years.

New owner Samantha Kane said she plans to refurbish Carbisdale Castle and invest in the local economy.

The 20-bedroom, B-listed early 20th Century cliff-top property was on the market for offers over £1.2m.

Over the years, it has been a war-time sanctuary for members of the Norwegian royal family and a youth hostel.

The property near Ardgay in Sutherland was originally built for Mary Caroline, the Duchess of Sutherland.

At the time she was embroiled in bitter a feud with her in-laws - which led to it being dubbed the "Castle of Spite".

The castle is also said to be haunted by a ghost called Betty.

In her job, Ms Kane specialises in cross-border litigation, high net worth divorce cases, clients working within the creative industry and dispute resolution.

She is also a football management and investment expert.

Her plans for Carbisdale include supporting organic farming in the area and working with local charities in wildlife conservation and preserving the property's woodlands.

She said: "I was drawn to the castle's splendour, as well as its impressive historical background, and I felt a sense of kinship with its original occupant the Duchess of Sutherland, whose story I find fascinating.

"My vision is to breathe new life into Carbisdale and ensure that its incredible historical value can coexist alongside new contributions to the prosperity of the local area."

Carbisdale became known as the Castle of Spite because of its original resident's bitter dispute with her husband's family.

Mary Caroline was the second wife of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, the third Duke of Sutherland.

The duchess, the widow of an army officer who had been killed in a hunting accident, was not well-liked by the duke's family.

When the duke later died in 1893, the duchess' inheritance was contested by her stepson. She was even jailed for six weeks in London's Holloway Prison after being accused of destroying documents linked to the will.

The dispute was eventually settled, with the Duke of Sutherland's family agreeing to build the duchess a new home - provided it was outside the boundaries of the duke's Sutherland Estate.

The duchess selected a hillside plot close to - and visible from - the estate.

Its clock tower only has three faces, with the side facing Sutherland Estate blank because it was said the duchess did not want to give her former in-laws the time of day.

During World War Two, when Carbisdale was under different ownership, King Haakon VII of Norway and Crown Prince Olav were given sanctuary at the castle during the Nazi occupation of Norway.

An agreement was also signed at Carbisdale that required Russian troops, who had captured Norwegian villages while fighting German soldiers, to withdraw from Norway at the end of the war.

For about 60 years from 1945, the property was run as a youth hostel.

Carbisdale's ghost Betty was said to be well-known among people who stayed at the hostel.

The Scottish Youth Hostels Association even dubbed one of the top-floor bedrooms as the "spook room" because of claims it was haunted.

Betty was said to appear dressed in white in various parts of the property.