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Castle for Sale in England: Caverswall Castle

castle for sale in england

Caverswall Castle

Staffordshire, England
Asking Price: £3 000 000

Dating back to the 13th century, Caverswall Castle comes with a moat and a dungeon.

castle for sale in england

This English Castle was built on the site of an Anglo-Saxon Manor in 1275 by Sir William de Caverswall, who had previously served as the Sheriff of Staffordshire and Shropshire. The Castle remained in the de Caerswall family until 1398 when it passed into the hands of the Montgomeries. In the early 17th century the castle was rebuilt by Matthew Cradock a merchant turned country gentleman. He restored and adapted much of the medieval work. In 1643 during the war between King Charles and his Parliament, the Castle became a stronghold and garrison for the Parliamentary Army.

By the early 19th century the castle was serving as a nunnery for a small group of Benedictine nuns. It has since gone through a series of owners, the latest being property developer Robin MacDonald, who bought it eight years ago for £1.7 million and has since spent £1 million renovating it.

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“When I bought it, it was a shell,” he told The Times. “It had been a long time since anyone with money had owned it, so it was in a state of neglect. I originally came across it on Rightmove. I was looking for a nice home in the country to retire to — not that that happened — and this moated castle popped up. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, it’s a castle.’ ”

MacDonald ran into issues with local planning committees for hosting weddings and other events at the castle. He believes that local officials would be more willing to allow the property to be used as a hotel.

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The main castle is close to 20,000 square feet in size and includes 18 bedrooms, 9 reception rooms, 13 bathrooms and a dungeon. There are also three converted turret cottages — self-contained living quarters with bedrooms and lounges. The entire property is 20 acres in size and includes a pond and garden. MacDonald reinstated the moat in 2007 — it had been drained in 1860 — and it is now fed by natural spring water.

caverswall castle

The estate agency, Strutt and Parker, explains, “The main part of the castle in all its grandeur remains intact and has been lovingly and carefully restored to an exceptionally high standard by the current vendor who also went to great lengths to reinstate the impressive moat.

“The house is primarily sandstone and is three storeys with an extensive basement. The windows are large, many leaded with stained glass insets and enjoying far reaching views over the grounds with lakes and woodlands. The stunning interior is mainly Jacobean with original oak paneling in many rooms and large carved sandstone fireplaces with decorative carved screens over. The library also boasts a Wedgewood ceiling. A fine oak staircase with carved mythical figures on each turn connects the three floors with a door at the top opening to the roof.”

Click here to download a PDF brochure of this castle

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