Shropshire Star

An historic manor house in Shropshire will appear on the small screen today in the final of Channel 4’s Grand Designs competition.

Bletchley Manor, near Market Drayton, won the viewers’ vote in the category of best restoration on Tuesday’s live show, and will feature in tonight’s final on Channel 4 at 9pm.

The manor is a Grade II-listed building believed to date back to the mid-17th century and has been restored by Nigel Daly and Brian Vowels, costing about £350,000.

It has taken the pair about 18 months to bring the building, which is now on the market with a guide price of £825,000, back to its former glory.

A spokesman for Savills, which is selling the property, said: “In September 2003 Nigel and Brian saw it for what it was, a genuine small and historic manor house.

“Describing it as ‘pretty grim and very sad’ they stripped it right back to the timber frame and restored it.”