County land at auction

Seven parcels of Shropshire pasture and arable land are to go under the hammer at a collective property auction in Shrewsbury next week.

Leading auctioneers Halls are selling nearly 50 acres of land at Stonehouse Farm, Ruckley, Acton Burnell, near Shrewsbury, in two lots at the company's Welsh Bridge headquarters in Shrewsbury on May 21 at 6pm.

Located in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the land has good road frontage and comprises 41.17 acres of arable land and 8.4 acres of pasture with a wooded boundary. The pastureland has direct access on to a public bridleway.

Halls have issued a guide price of £5,000 an acre for the land, which is being sold on behalf of John Brisbourne, who has farmed locally for nearly 40 years.

Also going under the hammer is an 8.34-acre pasture field at Northwood, Whixall, near Whitchurch, which has road frontage and a pond. With a guide price of £35,000 to £40,000, the land is being sold on behalf of John Chidlow, whose family emigrated more than 30 years ago but retained ownership of he field.

Two parcels of pastureland at Habberley, Pontesbury, which are ideal for pony paddocks, are also on offer. Again with road frontage, one parcel of land extends to nearly two acres on the edge of the village and has a guide price of £10,000-£15,000. The other paddock, which extends to just over one acre, is in the village centre with a guide price of £10,000-£12,000.

The remaining pastureland on offer at the auction comprises two parcels at Brook House Lane, Melverley, Oswestry, extending to 10.60 acres and 1.84 acres, with guide prices of £25,000 and £5,000 respectively. Both lots are liable to flood and are being sold on behalf of the trustees of the late John Millward Thomas.

* Contact Halls' Welsh Bridge office in Shrewsbury on 01743 284777 for more information.