Yours for £1.15million... the Game of Thrones-style castle that A-lister Rose Leslie called home

By ANDY BEAVEN, NEWS AND FEATURE WRITER Published: 19:00, 1 August 2026 | Updated: 19:03, 1 August 2026 For fans of Game of Thrones, it may well be the ultimate dream house. Not only does Lickleyhead Castle boast a range of features which would blend perfectly into the TV fantasy – such as spiral staircases, stone fireplaces and suits of armour – it’s also the birthplace of one of the show’s main characters. Before the role of warrior Ygritte made her an international star, Scots actress Rose Leslie lived in the Aberdeenshire castle for the first ten years of her life. On the market for offers over £1,150,000 through Savills, it retains many of its original features, including wood panelling, stone walls and a spectacular Great Hall. Ms Leslie’s mother Candy previously said: ‘Rose was born there. It was a wonderful place to bring up children, lending itself to games of hide-and-seek and sardines using all the nooks and crannies.’ The middle child of five, her breakout role was as housemaid Gwen Dawson in Downton Abbey. Rose Leslie with her husband Kit Harington.  The couple met when filming Games of Thrones Picturesque Lickleyhead Castle, in in Aberdeenshire The castle's grand sitting room She then starred in three seasons of Game of Thrones, uttering one of the show’s most memorable lines: ‘You know nothing, Jon Snow.’ Her relationship with the Jon Snow character – played by English actor Kit Harington – sparked a real-life romance, and the couple married in 2018 in Aberdeenshire. Since the final Game of Thrones season aired in 2019, Ms Leslie, 39, has starred in a host of other films and TV shows, including the BBC police drama Vigil. Her family – which had owned Lickleyhead for centuries – sold the castle in 2019 for £650,000. It was later turned into a luxury holiday let and events venue. Set within 11 acres of gardens and woodland at Premnay, near Insch, the Grade A-listed building dates back to 1580. It boasts eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms, as well as a separate cottage.