Idyllic Scottish island boasting a six-bed lighthouse cottage with no neighbours seems the perfect place to escape the rat race as it hits market for £325k – but it’s hiding a chilling secret
Little Ross Island, off the coast of Dumfries and Galloway, gained national media attention in August 1960
WITH a quaint lighthouse cottage, no noisy neighbours and sea views for miles it seems the perfect place to escape the rat race.
Yet this Scottish island - now on sale for £325,000 - hides a chilling secret that will rock the core of even the hardiest souls.
The 29-acre estate gained national media attention in August 1960 when lighthouse keeper Hugh Clark was murdered on the island.
His body was only discovered when two visitors stopped at the island for a day trip.
Robert Dickson, a relief lighthouse keeper, was initially sentenced to death for the murder, but his punishment was later changed to life imprisonment.
The island is now on the market for £325,000 - around the same price as a two-bedroom flat in Edinburgh city centre.
The property listing includes a six bedroom, B-listed cottage and courtyard, though the lighthouse tower is not part of the deal.
The tower, designed by Alan Stevenson, was built in 1843 to close the gap between other lighthouses at the Mull of Galloway and Southerness and remained manned until the infamous murder over a century later.
It is now owned and managed by the Commissioners for Northern Lighthouses who make regular maintenance visits to the property throughout the year.
The listing also includes three B-listed, "ruinous" barns and is completely off-grid with power drawn from solar panels and a small wind turbine.
Potential owners will only be able to access the island via a private boat or helicopter.
David Corrie, senior associate at Castle Douglas property firm Galbraith said Little Ross, off the coast of Dumfries and Galloway, offered "fantastic development potential".
He said: "Back in the 1900s, the island was home to the head lighthouse keeper, underkeeper and their families, extending to 16 people, with a small dairy and piggery to provide subsistence for this family community.
"With a bit of TLC, the properties on the island could be turned into something truly stunning, with Little Ross Island once again being the perfect island retreat for future generations to enjoy.
"Private islands rarely come up for sale at an affordable price and particularly one with a habitable house and additional properties.
"Given the exciting prospect Little Ross Island presents, we expect a lot of interest from all over the UK as well as abroad."
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