One of Cumbria’s oldest estates is to go under the hammer at public auction in October.
The 140 acre Crofton Hall Estate, a mile from the village of Thursby, on the A595, is being divided into six lots and sold by Cumbria County Council on 21 October at The Courts in Carlisle.
Lot six includes the grand Grade II listed entrance archway, the former stable block and coach house.
The estate is located in an established agricultural stronghold and is just five miles from Wigton with good road links to Carlisle and west Cumbria.
Stunning Georgian architecture was clearly evident in the imposing manor hall, while the coach house, stables, and granary that remain on site today represent the most tangible link to the past in its local yellow and red sandstone.
The future of the Crofton Estate was irrevocably altered after its inclusion in the Land Settlement Scheme associated with the pre/post war periods and the hall was demolished, due to disrepair, in the late 1960s prior to it passing to the county council.
Today, the estate retains many of the features that have added to its prestige and prominence including a lake, walled garden, subterranean ice house and extensive woodland to complement the stables, farm, and entrance archway, and will no doubt provide opportunities for the successful purchasers to build successfully upon the past.
Cllr Gary Strong, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member responsible for property, said: "The Crofton Hall estate is a wonderful property and no doubt provides a rare opportunity and we are keen to see the site suitably developed to realise its full potential.
"It is a unique chance to buy a Cumbrian landmark and we want to achieve the best possible return on the sale to invest directly into frontline services that matter to the people of Cumbria."
The estate is currently owned by Cumbria County Council and is being sold by their property agents Capita Symonds Ltd, based at Kingmoor Park in Carlisle.
It is widely believed that the Crofton Hall Estate began life in the 13th century as the seat of Sir John Crofton before passing to his heir Margaret and subsequently, via marriage, to Sir Isold Brisco.
The period from early 16th to 17th century represented the social peak of the estate and of the Brisco family under the stewardship of Sir Wastel Brisco.
The details of the auction are as follows:
Lot one includes the three-bedroomed Crofton Hall Farmhouse with a range of outbuildings, former land settlement depot and agricultural land - a total of 25.5 acres.
Lot two is a large plot of agricultural land partly bounded by the River Wampool and extending to 19.8 ha/48.9 acres.
Lot three is just over 23 acres of agricultural land near Wigton Road that is useful for silage and stock grazing.
Lot four is split into two, the first being the 14 acre Crofton Lake and the second five acres of land immediately south of the lake providing excellent development potential.
Lot five is the prominent 19.5 acre Torkin Wood.
And finally lot six is the 9.2 acre Crofton Hall Estate complete with the entrance archway, former stable block, subterranean ice house and two historic methane gasometers, which are understood to have been central to illuminating the former hall but now redundant.
Both the stable block and ice house are Grade II listed. Also included are a walled garden, paddock, outbuildings and award-winning cheese farm.
The sale will take place in Committee Room 2 at The Courts, Carlisle on 21st October at 2:00pm.
ENDS
Media enquiries to Media Officer Chris Little on 01228 226334.