American buys 700-year-old Scottish castle

A 14th-century Scottish castle, recently auctioned on the internet, has been sold to an unknown American buyer for about £8m.

A 14th-century Scottish castle, recently auctioned on the internet, has been sold to an unknown American buyer for about £8m.

The new owner of Lee Castle in Lanark, South Lanarkshire, has also secured a baronet's title and 261 acres of land.

Re/Max Clydesdale, the estate agents, declined to confirm the selling price or say who the new owner was. But it is thought that the castle was sold for less than the £8.5m fixed price advertised in the US.

The Hollywood actor John Travolta had been linked with the castle but the buyer, who has a family connection with Scotland, is not believed to be famous.

Last November the 30,000sq ft castle prompted a bidding frenzy when it was put up for sale on its official website, www.leecastle.com. It attracted more than two million hits but the auction ultimately fell through because of bogus bidders.

The 700-year-old castle comes fully furnished with all its historic and antique contents and heirlooms. It also has two lodge houses, a banqueting hall, a grand ballroom, 14 bedrooms and a heated swimming pool.

The new owner will become 35th Baron of Lee, after a proclamation by the Lord Lyon King of Arms in Edinburgh. The barony even comes with its own 25-member band, the Pipes and Drums of the Barony of Lee.

The original lands of Lee were granted to William Locard in about 1272 and lay between Lanark and Carluke on the north side of the Clyde.

The castle website's only reference to the sale is simply: "Best wishes to the 35th Baron of Lee."