Historic wing of Lancashire castle launches to market with £1m guide price
A £1m guide price has been put on a wing of a moated Lune Valley castle that has come to market.
The Viking at Thurland Castle, on the edge of the North West village of Tunstall, is being offered for sale by Savills.
Dating back to the 11th century, the Grade II-listed castle is believed to be one of the most historic residential properties in the UK.
It was originally built as a medieval manor house but was later fortified by a circular moat. Sir Thomas Tunstall was licenced to crenelate the castle in 1402 and it stayed in his family for three more generations until it was sold to Sir John Girlington in 1605.
In 1643, during the Civil War, Parliamentarian forces besieged the castle and several centuries later, work was carried out to convert the building into a country house, but in 1876 it was gutted by fire.
In 1879, following the fire, the owner commissioned Lancashire architects Paley and Austin to rebuild the property with interiors designed by Gillow & Co.
From 1885 until the early 20th century Thurland Castle was owned by a local coal mining family. It was bought by Lancashire Homes in 1999 which developed it into luxury properties between 2000 and 2005.
Today, the castle is set securely behind automatic gates and is approached along an impressive tree-lined driveway, over the moat bridge, through an archway with gas-fired flaming torches, and up to the main arrival courtyard. It is set within 10 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland with its own tennis court.
Spanning three floors, The Viking wing forms part of the main castle and is made up of four bedrooms, two reception rooms and three bathrooms.
In addition to the principal accommodation, there is a cinema room/library, a study, wine cellar and a cloakroom situated on the lower ground floor, which were the original dungeons.
Period features include vaulted ceilings, exposed oak beams, stained glass windows and stone walls. Medieval architecture is complemented by luxurious design and high quality fixtures and fittings including remote controlled heating with integral Bang and Olufsen sound systems in most rooms.
Sofia Da Silva, of the Savills residential sales team, said: “The Viking, which blends historic charm with modern luxury, is without a doubt one of the most exciting launches to the North West property market this year, and represents a rare opportunity to purchase part of a castle steeped in history.
“Nestled between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales National Park, it would be ideally suited to someone looking for a more tranquil way of life, with the added benefit of being on the edge of a thriving village and close to the popular market town of Kirby Lonsdale with its excellent shops and restaurants.”
Current owners, Rani Dablar and Paul Buckland, have lived at The Viking for six years.
They said: “We have loved living at The Viking. It has offered the best of living and space for the best of parties, of which we have had many.
“It is also perfect to work from home with exceptionally fast connectivity. We’re lucky to be situated in a great local village, and it’s so easy to jump in the car and travel to the Lakes at the drop of a hat. It’s a happy home and we are certain the next owners will make just as many happy memories here as we have.”
