Lance Holmquist, a 44‑year‑old sea‑captain from Key Largo, Florida, paid £3.9 million to buy Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland, Scotland, on March 12, 2024. The purchase follows a three‑year search that saw the couple tour the Highlands and Ireland before spotting the 1907‑built fortress.
Carbisdale earned the nickname “Castle of Spite” when Mary Caroline, Dowager Duchess of Sutherland, had it erected to snub her late husband’s relatives. The story lives on in the castle’s blank clock face that points away from the Sutherland estate.
Thorntons’ Inverness team handled the legal work, while friend David Walton holds a 10 % ownership stake. The Holmquists plan to open the castle for short‑term stays in September, then transform it into a boutique hotel.
Local farmer John MacLeod welcomed the move, saying tourists will bring business to the area. Holmquist will keep running his charter business in Florida, and he joked that the Scottish weather might finally give him a chance to wear a jumper.
The first leases are slated to begin in September, after the castle undergoes necessary repairs and restoration work.