An “idyllic” Shropshire sporting estate – the most expensive to be put on the market for more than a decade – has today been put up for sale for £5.5 million.

View the picture gallery below.

The Marrington Estate, which lies between Chirbury and Church Stoke, takes up 995 acres.

It is made up of four farms, three farmhouses and three farm yards each with traditional and modern farm buildings. There are also two cottages on the estate.

It has been put on the market with joint agents Balfours Property Professionals and Knight Frank.

Tim Main, of Balfours, said: “The sale of Marrington provides a very rare opportunity to purchase an excellent agricultural estate in beautiful Shropshire countryside, with the added benefit of a superb shoot.

“It is a known fact that the amount of land coming on to the market has fallen year on year for the past 20 years.” He said for the investor, agricultural land still represents significant tax advantages both in terms of capital investment and through inheritance tax relief.

Mr Main added: “For anyone wishing to indulge in country sports, Marrington Dingle is a key landscape feature running through the estate.

“It is well-known for the presentation of exceptionally high birds from a deep naturally wooded valley with the River Camlad flowing through.

“In addition the river is a place of complete solitude and benefits from double bank trout fishing with many pools.

“Undeniably the Dingle is a most tranquil and unspoilt area, it is home to a huge variety of flora and fauna, which is quite idyllic.”