Renovated Harlaw House

▼ Built in the 1840s, Harlaw has been extensively renovated and has all the comforts of modern living.

HARLAW HOUSE is home to what must be Britain’s most historic wash room.

This sprawling, luxury dwelling in the rich and rolling Aberdeenshire countryside has an en suite rest room located in a turret built to mark the medieval Battle of Harlaw.

And there are fantastic views across the site of the infamous battle of 1411.

Harlaw House, two miles from Inverurie, started life as a 1840s Manse. The tower was added in 1883 to mark the skirmish which saved Aberdeen from being sacked.

Today, it’s hard to imagine the bloody clash of claymores as the English-backed Highlander forces of the Lord of the Isles, Donald of Islay, were repelled by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar, and his Lowland army. Owner David Knowles, 56, who has lived in the house with his wife Murray, 55, for 20 years, tells in10: “There is an inscription above the door with all the details of the commemorative tower.

“The tower did puzzle us for a while. It wasn’t being used before we moved in and was just a series of small rooms.

“The walls weren’t sealed properly so it would get damp and freezing cold. It’s accessed off one of the bedrooms, so we decided to turn it into an en suite.”

The result is spectacular. A glass shower enclosure is a design dream against a rugged backdrop of exposed stone walls while a chic spiral stairway leads to an outdoor viewing area affording a 360 degree panorama.

The five-bedroom home, set in three stunning acres, also has a conservatory, cinema