Thirteen bedroom Lake District mansion for sale for just £535,000
In London, £535,000 will buy you a tiny 254 square foot studio flat in Rupert Street in Bloomsbury; in the Lake District National Park, for the same sum you could own a vast Victorian mansion with 12 acres of land.
Described as being in need of “alteration and moderation” by selling agents Purple Diamond, Harecroft Hall at Gosforth in the Western Lake District was “previously used as a private school and is now ready to begin a new chapter in its history as a family home or a possible commercial venture”.
The building was built in 1881 and amazingly despite having no doubt having become somewhat shabby during its tenure as an education centre retains Arts & Crafts features including William Morris wallpaper and William Morgan tiles. In addition, there is a coach house, grass tennis court, formal gardens, woodland and a wild flower meadow and a separate walled garden may be purchased by separate negotiation.
A planning application to turn Harecroft Hall into a hotel was submitted and then withdrawn in 2011 and subsequently the property was placed on the market first in 2012. It appears not to have sold in the time since so consequently any buyer must no doubt have been scared off by the undoubtedly vast sums that will need to be sunk into renovations. The fact that the house has 13 bedrooms, also, might make this 19th century giant seem unlucky for some.
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Far too cheap! Must be a catch somewhere!
It needs vast amounts of renovation and there is supposedly a cottage that is not included (having looked at old sales brochures). Such detail and the square footage are not mentioned in the current marketing material.
Don’t tell me your troubles; I’ve got troubles of my own
Send in the wrecking ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s no doubt full of dry rot and about to collapse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You’d need millions to fix this place and its not even beautiful or well located!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it is quite possibly one of the most beautiful bargains you’ve featured. If I had the cash I’d buy it.
It may be a beautiful bargain (and who knows until one obtains a proper inspection?) but is certainly not a beautiful house. I almost bought a “bargain” 17th century chateaux, and it WAS beautiful. The slate roof caved in, crashing down through two floors a day prior to purchase.
More rubbish from the Melbourne Imbecile. Rod, you are an utter clown. It possibly has one of the best locations in England sited as it is in the Lake District. We try to avoid, in this country, destroying our heritage, though I suppose your country has no heritage of any value so your ignorance is forgiveable
You are quite right. Rod is bang off the mark with this stupid comment. Heritage should not be destroyed.
Thank you Matthew
It looks as if it needs really sympathetic restoration to maintain that lovely Arts and Crafts interior.
I
I despair at the idiocy of Rod Jones. His ignorant, ill-informed, unfunny comments are more irritating than his juvenile overuse of exclamation marks. Sat in front of his computer in Melbourne, out of touch with the real world, he attempts to make comments that betray his stupid and ignorance. His insensitivity bemuses me. He has no knowledge of what obtains in the United Kingdom. He truly is a cretin.
Let’s face reality. I hope someone restores it but there are many reasons why it has been on the market for so long despite being so cheap on a square footage basis:
1) It needs a fortune spent on it.
2) It has some good interior featues, but it is nowhere close to being a tip-top example of a Victorian country house.
3) It isn’t really in a prime location. It is right on the edge of the Lake District, closer to the Sellafield nuclear plant than any actual lake.
4) The number of local people who can afford to buy, renovate and live in such a house must be infitesimal
5) Despite its popularity with middle class English people the Lake District really isn’t fashionable among the rich any more, either British or foreign.
6) To buy this house you’ve got to want to live a rural lifestyle in a remote corner of rural England, but people who want that and can afford to buy, renovate and live in this house will probably be after a house with more land.
It is too small to be viable as a country house hotel. The country house hotel sector is struggling and to pay they need 30 plus bedrooms and a modern spa. Furthermore this property would not be able to compete effectively with hotels in the heart of the Lakes unless it had a Michelin starred restaurant or some other USP.
Subdivision seems to be the most likely fate for the house, but it will be a struggle to make that pay too.
point 5 is the most compelling reason being there
What a sensible analysis. Thank you Mr Arlington
I am glad everyone disliked Rod’s comment as much as me. That is my old school he is talking about, and some of my best childhood memories come from within those walls.
Sadly, as I have heard, the property has been bought, but will be demolished, although there is no concrete news asides that it is sold.
As for 13 bedrooms making it unlucky? When I was there, there were 5 dormitories and 5 staff bedrooms. Many of the bedrooms were studies/ multi purpose rooms, including one that was actually the art room! So, marketing it with 13 bedrooms was maybe not the best idea.