Shropshire home fit for a queen on sale at under £1 million

Ludlow’s Castle Lodge is on the market with estate agents Balfours for £900,000.

The Grade II listed Elizabethan timber framed town house has a storied history and dates back to the 13th century, being rebuilt in 1580.

The interior of the building features some of the finest classic timber panels in the country, reputedly from Nonsuch Palace in Surrey – one of Henry VIII’s royal palaces.

It has an original four-poster bed, wooden floors, pendant plaster ceilings, stained glass and fireplaces, one of which is also thought to have been brought from one of Henry’s homes.

The building has a chapel, great hall, drawing room, court room, walled courtyard garden, and a door arch believed to date back to the 14th century.

Castle Lodge is famous for being the residence of Catherine of Aragon, who became the first wife of Henry VIII.

She was the mother of Mary I who later became Queen of England.

Catherine is said to have spent time at Castle Lodge from 1501 to 1502, with her first husband, Arthur, the Prince of Wales and Henry’s brother. Arthur died on April 2, 1502.

Henry and Catherine married in 1509 but the marriage was annulled in 1533 so he could marry Anne Boleyn, setting in motion a schism between England and the Catholic church.

The house has been home to other notable residents including Thomas Seckford, an official who served Elizabeth I.

It was also used for filming of a 1965 version of Moll Flanders.

Scott Kemsley, of Balfours, said the building is ‘completely unique’ and that its history is ‘endless’.

Mr Kemsley said heritage groups and a foreign investor had been looking to preserve the building and allow the public to access it. He added that the building would also have potential as an upmarket guest house or a restaurant.

The property listing for the building states: “Castle Lodge is one of Ludlow’s finest buildings.

“With its great heritage and authentic historical fittings, it is adjacent to the medieval castle on the corner of Castle Square.

“The three-storey structure is mainly built of stone on two floors, with the third being constructed of decorative black timber framing with white infill panels.

“The interior of this building has an abundance of beautifully carved timber panelling. The building dates from the 13th century and was rebuilt in 1580.

“The building is listed Grade II and has fine 16th to 19th century interior fittings (oak carvings, wall panels and doors), old stained glass and a lovely pendant plaster ceiling. The late 18th century railings outside are listed. The door arch is probably 14th century.”

Castle Lodge was bought and restored by Bill Pearson and his late wife Gwen in 1992, but was put on the market in 2015 for an undisclosed sum. The decision to sell the building came after Mr Pearson struggled to meet maintenance costs, despite opening it to the public as a visitor attraction.The 12-bedroom house was previously valued at £1.35 million in 2010 but is now marketed at £900,000.