One of Cumbria’s oldest homes is on the market for £1 million.
Moresby Hall has been called one of the county’s most important buildings by English Heritage.
It has been run as a guest house by David and Jane Saxon for over 23 years. Now, the couple are retiring and have put the Grade I listed building up for sale with David Britton Estates.
The building has 13 bedrooms and sits in around two acres of grounds.
It features a sweeping staircase in the heart of the house, a stone spiral staircase believed to be part of an original pele tower built in 1275, high ceilings and ornate fireplaces.
It was owned by the Moresby family until Anne Weston sold it to a Cockermouth merchant William Fletcher.
The Fletcher family owned the hall for 250 years. The Fletchers remodelled the building’s facade around 1620 and according to visitcumbria.com, employed notable architects including Inigo Jones.
The hall ceased to be a manorial residence, fell into disrepair, and was used as a farmhouse for some years. In about 1910, it was restored and re-emerged as a small manor house until 1955.
High Duty Alloys owned the hall for over 40 years and used it for corporate hospitality. Mr and Mrs Saxon bought it in 1999.
It has Visit Britain 5 star Gold Award rating and Moresby Hall is currently operating as an established 13-bedroom country house, accommodating up to 30 guests for bed and breakfast.
It has an established mix of tourism and corporate trade and until recently, the De Millom restaurant operated successfully as a fine dining restaurant.
