An historic Welsh castle with countryside views might be many people's dream property purchase, but there is more to the sale of Bodelwyddan Castle than first appears.
The sprawling Grade II* Gothic revival-style castellated property near Rhyl, Denbighshire is thought to date back to in parts to 1460 before being extensively rebuilt and renovated since the 1830s.
The castle has a growing reputation as being a haunted property , having featured on the paranormal TV show Most Haunted in 2004, so a new owner of the building might be inheriting some of its oldest tenants too.
But if you're expecting the spooky castle to become your new home for offers in excess of £1m, there are a number of things to consider.
It's not the whole property complex that is on offer, just the main castle which amounts to approximately 15,817 square feet.
A substantial slice of the Victorian section of the site has been transformed into the four star Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel currently owned and run by Warner Leisure Hotels.
Due to a covenant placed on the sale of the property, the castle for sale cannot be converted into a hotel.
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The exact price of the property is unclear too, as the submission of bids of offers in excess of £1m are being invited by the estate agent.
The castle is a leasehold property and this is currently owned by the Bodelwyddan Castle Trust. Their proportion of the castle is run as a museum, gallery and visitor attraction.
However, since the announcement in 2017 that the Trust would be losing an annual £144,000 grant from Denbighshire County Council, the organisation has been forced to sell the property.
It is unclear when the museum and visitor attraction is to close its doors, but in February 2019 the Trust put the remaining 99 years of the 125 castle's lease on the market.
Alex Blanning senior surveyor at Lambert Smith Hampton, who are marketing the property, says: "[After the 99 years] the property would revert back to the council as they are the freeholder unless the purchaser negotiates with the council to extend the lease or buy the reversion, which has little value as the rent to the council is only a peppercorn [nominal amount]."
Since the company started marketing the castle Alex says they have received a good level of interest and are expecting more enquiries, as currently there has been no deadline set by the Trust for the submission of bids.
Alex continues: "We consider the castle could be developed into an alternative tourist attraction or be converted back into residential or educational use.
"The property may also be suitable as a wedding venue or as a conference centre. All of these have been mentioned as possibilities by parties making enquiries."
The three storey castle itself oozes period features including marble fireplaces, decorative arched ceilings and a grand, ornate staircase.
Business facilities include a customer cafe, a commercial kitchen, offices and ancillary staff accommodation.
Outside, the country house sits within about 55 acres of parkland which includes a children's play area and a replica WWI trenches exhibition which regularly hosts re-enactment events.
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Alex says: "The collections, including many fixtures and fittings, remain part of the Trust and will be removed once the sale has been completed; some items are currently on loan to the Trust from third parties and will be returned at an appropriate time.
"Some curtains and carpets could be included within a sale by way of a separate negotiation."
For further negotiation there is more property and land on offer, with a further two lots for sale.
Lot 2 is approximately 145 acres of extra agricultural and pasture land that, combined with the 55 acres of parkland, makes up the total 200 acre site.
Lot 3 is a separate two bedroom property called St Asaph Lodge.
According to the website britishlistedbuildings, the main mansion has been the home of Sir William Williams speaker of the House of Commons from 1634, as well as a family home, an army base during the First World War and a private school.
When the school, called Lowther College, closed in 1982 ownership of the unoccupied house was transferred to Clwyd County Council, now known as Denbighshire County Council.
If owning a huge slice of a historic Welsh castle sounds like an exciting proposition and you have more than £1m in the bank, Bodelwyddan Castle might be your perfect property.
Contact Alex Blanning on 0161 242 7998 or Colin Jennings on 0161 242 7075 at Lambert Smith Hampton for further information.
