Bridgnorth Elizabethan manor going for £275,000

An Elizabethan manor house in Shropshire is to go on the market this week for £275,000.

Bishop Percy's House, one of the oldest buildings in Bridgnorth, was one of the few properties to survive the great fire of Bridgnorth in 1646.

It was bought by James Rowley, of Alveley Estates in 2003, and plans were put forward to convert it into a mixture of apartments and houses.

But earlier this year planning permission to carry out the work expired.

Now the property in Cartway is to go back on the market through estate agents Berriman Eaton.

Partner Caroline Eaton said it could make an ideal family home, a pub or a business premises.

"Bishop Percy's House is one of the oldest in Bridgnorth and was built from oak posts and beams believed to have been salvaged from old ships," she said.

"It remains full of history with the original external walls in wonderful condition and even the original front door is still in use."

Mrs Eaton said she had met with English Heritage who described the building as a 'show-stopper of a house'.

She said: "It would be wonderful to see it brought back to its former glory.

"It is such a large property that it could be used in so many different ways.

"It would be wonderful to see the ground floor as a museum or tourism focal point so that people can see the wonderful woodwork and historic fireplace and the second and third floor could be residential.

It is believed the building was built in 1580 by wealthy shipping merchant Richard Forster.

In 1909 the house was brought by W H Foster of Apley Estates and records showed in the 1920s the former foundry building was used by the Bridgnorth Boy Scouts.

In the years prior to WW2 it was used as a soup kitchen and in 2003 the Bridgnorth Boys Club put it up for sale. It was then bought by a private developer.