Ardgowan House, Castle & Gardens

20/08/2024

Coming soon to Ardgowan: Cork & Dagger - a wine-fueled murder mystery adventure 💃🏼 🍷 🩸 💥

We are delighted to announce that the wonderful is returning to the house on Saturday 28th September with another tantalizing case of wines and a chilling mystery to solve. The story starts as a body is discovered in the Chateau Ardgowan cellars, and six possible suspects emerge from the shadows 👣 🌙

This event will be one not to miss - the perfect opportunity to dress to kill, channel your inner Poirot, and sample some to-die-for wines along the way. Delicious charcuterie boards and generous food pairings included 🍽️

Tickets are limited and available from the link in our bio or via 🗡️ 💀 🍷 🕵🏼‍♀️

🗓️ Saturday, September 28th
⏰ 5-8pm
📍 Ardgowan House, Inverkip PA16 0DW

Join us for "Cork & Dagger: A Grape Murder Mystery," where wine tasting and intrigue collide! As you sip on six carefully s...

09/07/2024

🍸Congratulations to the Ardgowan Distillery Team on their first Gin release from the newly installed copper pot stills at The Ardgowan Distillery - a beautifully crafted gin, flavoured with handpicked woodruff and gorse from the hills behind the Distillery. We love the branding and bottle design too, reminiscent of the glamour of 1950’s pleasure craft (and gin palaces) being both a nod to the shipbuilding heritage of this area and its present day incarnation as a cruise ship destination.

25/06/2024

🖼️ A lovely photo of a beautiful bride and groom who held their wedding at Ardgowan, soaking up the atmosphere in drawing room. Wedding days can be busy affairs so it’s important to ensure that you take the time to step back and enjoy those precious moments before they pass. This moment was captured by the talented

20/06/2024

We are delighted to share that our newly refurbished holiday cottage, the charmingly named Frost-Pocket, is now open for bookings! Frost-Pocket is a beautifully restored former gamekeeper’s cottage on the Ardgowan Estate, minutes away from the shores of the Clyde with its serene coastal walks and spectacular views across to Argyll.  

The cottage, which sleeps 4, is fully equipped with everything you could need as a home from home, featuring elegant interiors, quirky thoughtful details and cosy nooks inviting peace and relaxation. Ideally located for exploring the picturesque islands of Cumbrae, Bute and Arran - or for catching the ferry to Dunoon to enjoy the tranquil lochs, award-winning cuisine, and fascinating history of Argyll - Frost-Pocket is right on the gateway to the west of Scotland, yet only 40 minutes from Glasgow. 

Perfect for family holidays, romantic weekends away, or a convenient base to stay when visiting Ardgowan House for a wedding, supper club or other event - we are looking forward to being able to welcome our guests to discover all that this stunning, friendly and special corner of Scotland has to offer. 

To book and for more details, click on the Airbnb link in our profile or follow Frost-Pocket on instagram  

16/06/2024

📸 A beautiful photo of Ardgowan House taken last summer by the talented Chris Guthrie Scott

16/06/2024

If you’ve ever visited Ardgowan in May or early June, you may have glimpsed our glorious ring of azaleas in full bloom. This wonderful collection was nurtured from a few original seedlings that were gifted to the family by the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Every year their wonderful scent and cheerful colours continue to delight, lifting the spirits of people and pollinators alike. After such a mild, stormy winter followed by a soggy spring, this year’s flowering was brief, but all the more magical for it - a quiet invitation to slow down and take a moment to appreciate the beauty and resilience of nature’s cycles 🌺.

04/06/2024

🥃 Some wonderful photos of the Ardgowan Distillery taking shape. These photos are somewhat out of date as it’s hard to keep up with the progress that the Ardgowan Distillery Team and Muir Construction are making in building the project out - keep up the hard work! Photos courtesy of the

01/06/2024

What a beautiful first day of June! And with the summer sunshine finally upon us, we are delighted to announce a new venture: wine tastings at Ardgowan, in partnership with the dynamic and wonderful .

Limited tickets are now available to join professional wine educator Lydia Gill on Saturday July 20th, for the first in a series of curated wine tasting experiences taking place at Ardgowan House: The Grand Tour- A European Summer in Wines ☀️

Experience a glorious Mediterranean summer via Lydia’s hand-picked selection of this season’s hottest wines from the continent, complemented by elegant grazing tables and deli treats. From the South of France to the lakes of Italy, learn about the provenance of each wine, basic wine etiquette, and best practices for food and wine pairing.

For more details and to book tickets, please see the link below. We expect this event to sell out quickly, so recommend early booking to avoid disappointment!🍷

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ardgowanhousecastleandgardens/1276773

28/04/2024

With the arrival of spring at last, and the daylight hours stretching ever later into the evening, it feels as though the elusive Scottish summer is finally right around the corner. And we are ready for it!

With the Ardgowan gardens springing back to life, on a clear night they offer the perfect setting for romance and celebration. Here are the lovely Natalie and Jake on their wedding night, taking a break from their fabulous party to savor a quiet moment together on the swing, masterfully captured by .

It is such a special honor to be forever part of the story of all the amazing couples who choose to get married here at Ardgowan. If you are planning your wedding and thinking about venues, we would love to meet you and show you some of the wonderful possibilities that this unique and beautiful location holds, and see if we might be right for your big day.

Roll on a summer of happiness in the Ardgowan gardens!

17/04/2024

Did you know that you can now enjoy a curated evening of incredible food and hospitality with your friends and family at Ardgowan House and gardens? Our brilliant and award-winning partners run year-round supper and summer clubs at Ardgowan - transforming its spaces into an elegant candle-lit restaurant experience, with beautiful floral displays, live music from talented local musicians, delicious cocktails, a rotating selection of fine wines, and impeccably presented plates of creative seasonal cooking by Chef Mike Paul. 

Through some amazing act of alchemy, manages to achieve the impossible, offering up menus that earn rave reviews from both gourmets and traditionalists alike. The number of repeat guests is testament to the extraordinary level of service; every detail of the evening is always imbued with such generosity, care, and heart. With an enormous waiting list and a well-earned cult following, tickets for each event date sell out almost as soon as they are released. 

For more information, follow or sign up to their mailing list via the website at www.theporchlight.co.uk. Wishing all April supper club goers a wonderful time this weekend!

15/04/2024

If you’ve ever ventured up into the hills above Greenock to explore the regional park, you’ll be familiar with the desolate beauty of these upland moors. Dotted with old stone farmsteads, this place looks as though a slice of the Highlands has just been airdropped into the middle of Renfrewshire. In fact, many of the outdoor scenes from the hit detective series were filmed on the Ardgowan Estate, which is encompassed by the Park’s boundaries.

Part of what makes this special landscape so distinctively Scottish, are its peatlands. The estate recently commissioned a survey of our peat, with support from Peatland Action, to better understand their condition, how we could improve it, and to learn more about the role that peat can play in combating climate change and safeguarding our common future.

Over one fifth of Scotland is peatlands - where the majority of the UK’s peat is found - and it turns out that this area of boggy ground has the potential to store more carbon that all of the forests in the UK, France, and Germany combined. Like a giant malfunctioning compost patch, peat in a healthy state just goes on accumulating and storing carbon indefinitely. When peat reaches a depth of 50cm, it is classified as “deep peat” - which takes around 500 years to form. The maximum depth found on our survey was a whopping 650cm - representing over 6000 years worth of quiet and clever work in these humble bogs.

We are now gearing up to start work on restoring areas of peat where it has been damaged, which (in addition to making it a more effective carbon store), should also help to prevent flooding in the valleys below.

To find out more about this amazing ecosystem and all it offers, we recommend the brilliant as well as the work of amazing artist , who makes beautiful garments inspired by Scotland’s landscapes, using natural dyes from peatland plants.

Photo credit .is

09/04/2024

What’s the single best thing about having a wedding? We’ve been hosting them now for over ten years - and without exception, every single one of our wonderful clients have had the same response: the joy of sharing it all with the people they love ❤️

There’s something particularly magical about a wedding morning - the glam squad, the pampering, the pep talks, the laughter, the fortifying drinks, the big reveal as the outfits go on. And the ultimate comfort of being surrounded by your favourite people, while preparing for one of the biggest days of your life.

We are delighted to offer our clients the opportunity to start their mornings at Ardgowan, alongside their nearest and dearest. Sharing the intimacy of getting ready in the beauty and elegance of Lady Shaw Stewart’s private bedroom suite, bridal parties can truly relax and enjoy these special moments together before the celebrations begin. Our bridal prep upgrade includes ample fizz, a full continental breakfast, and bar service, with our experienced and welcoming staff on hand to help with any last minute needs.

If you are currently planning your wedding and looking at venues, we would love to hear from you. Pictured here is the stunning Becca, having a ball on her wedding morning in our beautiful Maxwell bedroom. Photo by the always incredible

06/04/2024

Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, 7th Baronet, whose rather solemn portrait hangs in the hall at Ardgowan House, does not at first glance look like an obvious romantic hero. However this low-key Romeo was perhaps most notable not for his career in parliament or his service to the army - but for his incredible devotion to his wife, Octavia. Rather touchingly, Michael was obsessed with commissioning buildings in the shape of octagons, in tribute to his beloved spouse. Ardgowan Estate today is still peppered with the remains of his grand gestures: the enormous octagonal walled garden, and also an octagonal-shaped dairy - which has to be up there in the list of the most eccentric love tokens ever conceived.

Probably then, Sir Michael would not have minded in the least at being upstaged by a beautiful woman - as he was recently, in this incredibly glamorous photoshoot we hosted at the house under the direction of pro . Pictured in fabulous couture is the lovely , shot by Tabitha herself, with lighting by

statelyhome

04/04/2024

🥃 Meanwhile at Bankfoot farm, construction of the Ardgowan Distillery is underway… things are shaping up!
Photo courtesy of

03/04/2024

Wedding season is again upon us! And here at Ardgowan, we are lucky enough to be hosting some truly lovely couples to tie the knot in style. 

If you are getting married this summer - we wish you a joyful and unforgettable celebration as you start your lives together.

If you are recently engaged and looking for a venue that offers intimate weddings with elegance, fun, and all the beauty and privacy of a stately home, we would love to show you what we have to offer here at Ardgowan.

We are now accepting bookings for next year and beyond, with limited slots available. 

For today’s inspiration, here is this handsome line-up, captured by the wonderful , enjoying some fortifying drinks in our treasure-filled library before their groomsmen’s duties at the stunning wedding of Haley & Billy.

23/07/2023

After many years in the making, it was incredibly exciting to visit the open day yesterday and see the amazing transformation in progress at what was previously the home farm here on Ardgowan Estate. Over 2000 people visited to sample the award-winning blends created by whisky maker Max McFarlane, enjoy the entertainment and delicious food and drinks, and share a glimpse into the creative and sustainable ways that new life is being breathed into the site’s lovely old bones. Huge congratulations to the Distillery’s hard working team and for putting together such a fantastic event 👏 🥃 💯

Photos courtesy of Ardgowan Distillery.

20/07/2023

There’s something especially beautiful about a vow renewal - taking the time, amid this busy, whirling world, to celebrate the achievement of love that endures. This past weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting the fabulous and her lovely & dapper husband to renew their vows. Ardgowan is a house that was built for glamour and fun, and our team had such a joyful time bringing Marysol’s creative vision to life. From custom heritage cocktails to Scottish wildflower arrangements by , a sumptuous feast of local produce by , flourishing of the ceremonial cake sword, a full pipe salute and of course *that* show-stopping bespoke tartan gown - this was a day that combined an honouring of the couple’s Scottish roots with a dazzling sprinkling of Miami stardust ✨ 💕 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Congratulations Marysol and Steve, wishing you many happy years to come!

Photo credits: 1) 2) & 4) 3) & 5) 🙏🏽

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13/07/2023

🥃 ARDGOWAN DISTILLERY OPEN DAY
📅 NEXT SATURDAY 22/7/23 (12-5pm)
📍BANKFOOT FARM (PA16 0DT)
▪️Live music
▪️Food & drink
▪️Face painting
▪️prize competitions
▪️whisky tastings
▪️bottle signings
▪️Gin distillery tours
▪️Cask pre sales
▪️Membership programmes
▪️ A free shuttle bus from Inverkip Station, gourock Station and Inverkip Hotel