One of the most beautiful country houses in Scotland

Kinross 0.5 miles, Perth 17 miles, Edinburgh 27 miles, Glasgow 55 miles
 

Historical Note 
The estate on which Kinross House stands was originally owned by the Earls of Morton but in 1675 it was bought by Sir William Bruce, regarded as one of Scotland's most important architects. Kinross House is a classically elegant Palladian mansion, built by Sir William Bruce as his own house and is generally considered to be the most elegant and refined examples of his work. Kinross House represents one of the earliest of Scotland's country houses. 
 
Bruce was known as a gentleman architect, the younger son of a laird, Robert Bruce of Blairhall, an ancestor of the present Earl of Elgin and Kincardine. After being appointed "King's Surveyor and Architect" in 1671, Sir William Bruce was responsible for rebuilding Holyrood House in Edinburgh as well as for major works at Hopetoun House, Thirlestane and Balcaskie but Kinross House was to be his master piece. 
 
Having purchased the Kinross estate in 1675, Bruce did not start work on the house itself until 1685 and it was completed in 1693. However the interior design had still not been completed to Bruce's design by the time of his death in 1710. 
 
In 1777, Kinross House and the surrounding estate was purchased by George Graham, the great-great-great grandfather of the current owner. The house then passed down to the Montgomery family in 1819 when Sir James Montgomery married George Graham's granddaughter, Helen. Due to the fact that the Montgomery family had their preferred home at Stobo Castle in the Scottish Borders, Kinross House was not lived in 80 years and escaped with any remodelling that was commonplace with houses during the Victorian era. Therefore when Sir Basil Montgomery inherited the estate in 1902, he was determined to awake the sleeping beauty and set about a sensitive restoration of both house and gardens. 
 
Kinross House has been continually lived in as a family home by the Montgomerys since 1902.  
 
The Gardens and grounds 
The formal gardens at Kinross House are a superb and most attractive feature of the property. They rank as one of the finest formal gardens in Scotland.  
 
Screens of alder, hawthorn, holly, rowan and willow were planted, fruit trees were established and broad avenues of ash, elm, oak, lime and Scots pine were laid out in the policies. Although the gardens were left fallow during the Victorian era whilst the house was empty, Sir Basil Montgomery rejuvenated them in the early part of last century and they have been maintained to a very high standard to this day. 
 
The formal gardens of the main house consist of a network of beds and herbaceous plants and flowering shrubs. The perimeter of the garden is bounded by a high stone wall and features of the garden include topiary yew hedging, ornamental statues and a fountain as the central focus of the formal gardens.  
 
To the west of the house is a large area of lawn, part of which has been used as a cricket pitch. Beyond the formal gardens is a hard tennis court. 
 
Between the gardens and loch is a useful field of pasture which extends to about 22 acres. It is suited for grazings by horses or other livestock. Either side of the drive are a variety of mature trees providing amenity, privacy and shelter and to the North of the house is a further wood through which there is a lovely walk down to the loch known as the 'Dark Walk'. 
 
The Gate Lodges  
There are two gate lodges dating from 1902: 
" North Lodge - Sitting room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. 
" South Lodge - Sitting room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. 
 
 
Trout Fishing 
The buyer will be given the right to put two boats with outboard motors up to 6 horsepower on Loch Leven, to enable them to fish for Loch Leven's world renowned brown trout. Included is the site of the former boathouse (now demolished) beside Loch Leven. 
 
 
STABLE COURTYARD  
The stable courtyard is an attractive range of stone and slate buildings which are thought to have been built prior to the house in circa 1680 and are laid out in a square surrounding a courtyard, the centrepiece of which is a stone dovecot. The buildings incorporate four cottages, a flat and two barns, currently used for storage, on the north side of the square. 

 

 
Situation
Situation 
Kinross House is situated on the east side of the old market town of Kinross amongst wooded parkland and magnificent formal gardens. It is built on a slight rise taking full advantage of the stunning views overlooking the gardens to Loch Leven and the island castle where Mary Queen of Scots was famously held prisoner. 
 
Beyond the entrance gates the town of Kinross provides for all daily requirements, with a range of local shops, primary and secondary schooling and professional services. The city of Perth (17 miles) offers a wider range of shopping facilities, galleries, theatres, communication links and professional services. 
 
Kinross lies close to excellent communication links. The M90 motorway provides swift access to Perth and Edinburgh (27 miles) and the M80 to Glasgow (55 miles). Trains run regularly from Inverkeithing and Perth to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and London. Edinburgh International Airport is only 26 miles away and provides regular flights throughout the UK and to a range of international destinations. 
 
Kinross House is ideally situated to enjoy the beautiful countryside of Kinross-shire. There are a number of walks, cycle tracks and equestrian facilities available nearby. The area is renowned for its field sports, including roe deer stalking and pheasant shooting on nearby estates, and salmon fishing on the River Tay. Trout fishermen will know that Loch Leven was the foremost brown trout fishery in the world. For golfers there are courses at Kinross, Milnathort, Muckhart and the Championship courses at nearby Gleneagles and St Andrews.  
 
In addition to Dollar Academy private schools in the area include Beaconhurst, Glenalmond College, Strathallan, Kilgraston and Craigclowan, and a further selection of private schools in Edinburgh.