The Gart
Callander, Perthshire, Scotland
Thoughtfully crafted to elevate what matters most.
Welcome
Welcome to our home, and thank you for your interest in The Gart.
This lovingly restored Scottish baronial mansion is the private residence of Gary and Gemma Webb and our three daughters, Raven, Persia and Echo. We bought The Gart from the artist Stuart McAlpine Miller in 2022 and spent the following four years lovingly reworking the house into the beautiful mix of traditional, contemporary and undeniably quirky you see today. Not just the obvious décor either, but all the things you can’t see that have helped make The Gart warmer, safer and more efficient.
We’re sure you’ll agree that, despite its size, it’s a cosy, welcoming place to spend time with family, friends and colleagues. We sincerely hope you choose to stay in our beautiful home and that you love and care for it every bit as much as we do.
It was a big decision for us to open The Gart to guests but to have it sit empty whenever we’re away seemed almost insulting to the house. It might sound a little strange to say but the house seems to thrive on the noise and bustle of people. It welcomes it. For us this has always been a very happy house and we’re confident it will have the same feeling for you.
Where Luxury Meets The Highlands
The intimate and peaceful surroundings of The Gart provides the perfect location to explore not only Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park but also the spectacular Highlands of Scotland. Relax in the privacy of this beautiful setting, surrounded by stunning views and tranquil quiet. You will feel remote from the hectic pace of the world and yet we are less than an hours drive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The popular town of Callander, known as the gateway to the Highlands, is only a 15 minute walk away.
History Of The Gart
The building of The Gart took from 1833 to 1835 and was undertaken by the renowned architect William J Burns for Sir Houston Stewart. Sadly, in the late 1800’s, it was almost entirely destroyed by fire, only the main external walls remaining intact. It was then rebuilt in the baronial style you see today by new owner William Jacks and substantially enlarged. William Jacks would also serve briefly as a liberal MP. During the second world war the house was recommissioned as a convalescent hospital for injured Norwegian soldiers. In more recent years The Gart has been a hostel, a B&B, a gallery and a private family residence.
Relax
The Gart can accommodate up to 24 adults and children in 12 bedrooms. Our bedrooms are spacious and individual in style and most offer either stunning views towards the mountains or across our own beautiful, landscaped grounds where our resident deer and other wildlife can be seen on most days, including the increasingly rare red squirrel. All five main bedrooms on the first floor are en-suite, the Marilyn suite also having a separate lounge/closet. We have one twin room (Twilight) with two double beds and a connecting door to the adjacent suite (Autumn), a set up more suitable for those with smaller children perhaps. The bathrooms are all modern and stylish, including our beautiful copper bath in the large tower, part of the Autumn suite.
Play
The Gart sits majestically within its own 12 acres of land. We have our own private stretch of the River Teith running alongside the property and you can take gentle walks along the riverside or among our woodland and rare specimen trees. The peaceful tranquillity here cannot be overstated, life just seems to run at a slower pace. We’ve found it’s virtually impossible not to unwind amongst such stunning surroundings.
For those rainy days we have a cinema at the top of the tall turret that connects to your preferred streaming provider, plus we have a range of DVD’s for you to enjoy. In the games cupboard a selection of board games are available, plus the arcade Games Room on the second floor and the pool table in the lounge/bar on the ground floor, where you’ll also find an 85” TV. We also have TV’s in the main lounge, kitchen and a giant 96” TV in the lower ground floor lounge. When it stops raining, and it does at times, you can enjoy a game of giant chess on our outdoor chess board patio. There is ample outdoor furniture where you can sit and enjoy the quiet or just relax and admire the views of the mountains.
Motivate
If working out is your thing we have a well equipped gym on the lower ground floor, including a treadmill, rowing machine, power-plate, stepper and weights.
For the adventurous you will find a wide variety of activities just beyond the boundaries of The Gart. An afternoon of archery and clay pigeon shooting perhaps, or a sunset cruise on nearby Loch Lomond? How about a seaplane ride or a visit to a local distillery? There’s horse riding, tennis, golf, kayaking and so much more. Of course, if hiking is your thing, the Trossachs National Park is famous for its stunning beauty and is ripe for exploring. Not too far away you also have Doune Castle, one of the settings for Winterfell in the Game Of Thrones TV series and a fascinating place to visit. A little further away you will find Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument, a spectacular tower made to honour the legendary Scot warrior William Wallace.
The Gart is perfectly situated at the heart of it all and can either be your base to explore, or the house you just don’t want to leave. It’s entirely up to you.
There is one thing we should make clear though, and something we take very seriously. We are very passionate about animal rights and, as such, we do not allow any activity or behaviour that would harm or frighten the wildlife on our land, or in our river, so this includes fishing.
Bumps In The Night
It’s perfectly normal when you stay in old houses like The Gart to hear the odd creak and groan now and then, especially at night when things are quieter. It’s nearly two hundred years old after all. However, there have been occasional reports of activity a little more interesting than a creaky floorboard. For those of you that would like to know more, please read on.
Given its long history it’s probably not surprising to learn that a number of people have passed away in or around The Gart. One or two of those have been suspicious to say the least. Thankfully none of the reports of our ‘bumps in the night’ have even been unpleasant or hostile in any way. We’re not even sure they’re aware of us at all. But, on occasion, you might hear the sound of two young ladies talking happily to each other in a nearby room, or footsteps gently pacing the corridor. You might even hear the bedroom door handle rattle (but never open I hasten to add) or the sound of a distant music box playing. On the most rare of evenings you might even see a mysterious figure or two drift across a room, or down a hallway. Most people of course never see or hear a thing but, if you’re lucky, and you listen very carefully, you just might.
Thank You
