Two former churches and abandoned Church Stretton cottage among 10 Shropshire properties sold for £1.6m total
A run-down cottage in the south Shropshire hills and two former chapels were among ten properties which fetched more than £1.5 million at auction.
Auctioneers Halls had described the detached country cottage as a "unique opportunity in an idyllic location" ahead of an auction held in Shrewsbury on July 25.
The auctioneers added that the property offers "fantastic renovation and extension potential", subject to planning permission - and the new owners will certainly have a little bit of work to do.
They may well want to start by getting some glass in the window frames, and perhaps a few more tiles on the roof.
But the buyers can at least enjoy the fresh Shropshire air in the meantime, as well as the "breath-taking, far-reaching views over open Shropshire countryside," which extend from the Wrekin across to the Lawley and Caer Caradoc.
The cottage was listed with a guide price of around £200,000, but bidding raced away to a final price of £365,000 for the property, which comes with a handy 4.4 acres of land.
Also selling above its guide price was a former methodist chapel in Hinstock, near Market Drayton, which fetched £87,000 having been listed with a guide price at around £25,000.
The 19th-century former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel has "great potential for alternative uses", which is good news for the new purchasers, assuming they are not planning on re-opening the building for religious services.
The auctioneers suggest the property could become a residential dwelling, an Airbnb, offices, or a gym - subject to the necessary planning consents.
Disappointed bidders desperate to bag themselves a former chapel had a second bite in the auction though, with Knockin Heath's Methodist building also under the hammer.
The "substantial" building, in Knockin near Oswestry, was constructed in 1831 and enlarged about 25 years later and retains a few of its original features - including some unusual 'tiered box' pews, a timber pulpit with a stage, and some arched stained glass windows.
It sold for £79,000.
For those seeking a slightly more conventional renovation prospect, a four-bedroom, semi-detached house in Shrewsbury's smart Cherry Orchard residential suburb sold for £285,000.
Auctioneers Halls say the property on King Street has potential for "extensive renovation and improvement" - meaning it needs a little bit of work.
The pictures back that up, with a full renovation on the interior required for the very least.
If they can keep a lid on the budget however, the buyers may well have bagged themselves a bargain - with the average sale price in King Street currently just over £350,000 according to Zoopla.
Halls is now accepting entries for the next property and land auction which is set to be held at 3pm on Friday, September 26.
Further information is available online via the Halls website.
