A slice of literary history in the Lake District that inspired the poet William Wordsworth could be sold for as little as pound when it goes up for auction.
Running over the river that inspired one of the poet’s finest works, the Grade II-listed Calvert Bridge near Keswick and a strip of nearby woodland and riverbank is set to be snapped up at online auction next week.
The historic bridge is named after the 18th century poet’s old school friend William Calvert, and located in the heart of the Lake District over the River Greta. The river is the subject of Wordsworth's work 'To the River Greta, near Keswick'.
Both the bridge and a strip of woodland on Penrith Road will be up for grabs at the auction on December 11, which will be run by Manchester-based Landwood Property Auctions.
James Ashworth said: “This really is a classic auction plot. It’s really hard to put a reserve on this kind of lot, but as it is so unique we expect it to generate a huge amount of interest.
“The bonus of having no reserve is that we absolute certainty that this lot will go on the day. The highest bidder will succeed - whether that’s £1 or thousands of pounds we just don’t know. It will all depend on the level of interest.
“Although we have had other historic properties in Cumbria that have gained a lot of interest, it is very rare for us to have such a picturesque plot available, especially one with so much history attached to it.
“This really could be the ultimate gift for the person who has everything - their very own piece of the Lake District countryside!”
Landwood said the plots are a "literary enthusiast’s dream", and represent a "unique opportunity" for those who want to have a part of Keswick as their own.
Landwood said interest in the sale is expected to be high, with the plots attracting bidders from around the world having shown interest.
Mr Ashworth added: “The prospect of owning such an historic site, potentially for less than the average office secret santa budget, is sure to capture some imaginations at the very least.”
Based in Manchester, Landwood said the total value of UK property sold via online auction in 2018 was £236m.
