An Italian engineer has spoken of his excitement after taking ownership at an Ayrshire castle which has stood empty since 1745.
Computer engineer Angelo Ovidi has bought Baltersan Castle, near Maybole, for an undisclosed fee and now plans an ambitious restoration of the castle and grounds.
Mr 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.”
Baltersan Castle is thought to have inspired architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, was visited by poets Robert Burns and John Keats, and a restoration plan was even pitched to the multi-millionaire investors on TV’s Dragons’ Den.
The 440-year-old landmark, near Maybole, now has a new Laird in Mr Ovidi, with its latest custodian picking up the baton from a man who dedicated more than 30 years to safeguarding the roofless ruin and attracting interest to revive it.
Mr Ovidi completed a deal to buy the site outright for an undisclosed amount, having previously been part of the small Lichtsome Hoose partnership led by retired sales professional James Brown.
He now wants to restore the Category A-listed castle – with hopes that it could become home to a music school and arts events venue funded at least, in part, by the launch of a food and drink brand trading on the striking image of Baltersan’s structure.
The acquisition is one that Nicholas Howie, an Ayrshire-raised corporate lawyer at Lindsays who advised the sellers, believes represents an appetite to invest in historic Scottish landmarks which capture the imagination.
Mr Ovidi, a self-employed consultant now based in North Wales, first became interested in Baltersan while looking at investment opportunities in 2018.
Speaking about his restoration plan he said: “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.”
The cost of full restoration has been estimated at up to £2m.
Mr Howie, a Glasgow-based Partner with independent Scottish legal firm Lindsays, was familiar with Baltersan, having spent his early life just 17 miles away in Troon, and advised Mr Brown on the sale.
He 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.”
In handing over ownership of Baltersan, Mr Brown presented Mr Ovidi with a “Crossraguel Penny”, part of a hoard discovered at nearby Crossraguel Abbey in about 1900, as well as a box of “earth, stone and grounds” from the land, as would have been the tradition in Ayrshire centuries ago.
Mr Brown, who lives in Ayr, fell in love with castles – and the idea of owning one – as a child and was first drawn to Baltersan after spotting it while travelling for work.
He bought the castle in 1992, starting a remarkable journey – and investment – to try and restore the site as a visitor attraction, securing planning permission for work as well as – at one point – securing a £500,000 offer from Historic Environment Scotland to support any works.
The global financial crash of 2008, however, shattered hopes of that plan – and the United States-based investment that lay behind turning it into reality – materialising.
“Baltersan’s architectural and historical value is exceptional. It’s a remarkable place,” the 78-year-old, who also met his wife Susi, a former editor of the Carrick Gazette, through his work on the castle.
“I am 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.”
Mr Brown, who has made international headlines through his work at the castle and made his pitch to the Dragons’ Den in 2015, 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.”
Mr Ovidi, who is keen to speak to local food and drink producers about becoming part of the Baltersan brand, 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.”
Mr Ovidi was represented in his legal work by Peter McNamara of Ayr legal firm, Lockharts Law.
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