According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a castle is both 'a large, typically medieval, fortified building', and 'a magnificent and imposing old mansion'. Two contrasting definitions – so which is it?

Castles have evolved considerably over the centuries. Primarily built to defend and protect, they developed from the Norman wooden motte-and-bailey castles (‘motte’, meaning mound, and ‘bailey’, enclosure) to square or rectangular towers of stone surrounded by high walls. Round towers came next, along with multiple walls for optimum protection. Later, L-shaped castles were built, followed by sophisticated Z-shaped examples.

By the mid-1800s, the romanticised view of the castle meant that many were snapped up as private homes and became domesticated, redesigned in the Georgian or Victorian style. Also around this time, imitations of the 'fairytale’ castle began to emerge, with buildings across Scotland in particular adorned with Scottish Baronial-style turrets. To further confuse things, many home owners re-named their country houses 'castles' in line with the trend.

There can be no denying that those original castles were not built to suit the modern lifestyle. Doorways and windows were smaller, spiral staircases were narrower, and living space was compartmentalised rather than interconnecting or open-plan as is the fashion today. And it's not just a question of remodelling: as with any listed building, there are restrictions on how castles can be converted.

Nevertheless, the demand to live in a unique piece of history remains strong. Of the limited number of original castles remaining in Scotland, around 10 are sold each year. Turreted country mansions are equally desirable.

Clearly, the mystery and intrigue of a Scottish castle – however it's defined – continues to attract those who long to live the romantic dream.