12th Century Appleby Castle On Sale For £9.5 Million

The magnificent 12th century Appleby Castle in Cumbria has gone on sale for £9.5m.

The Grade 1 listed castle has witnessed significant episodes of British history & many of its original features are still intact.

The sites of Appleby Castle was a Roman fort or signal station.

The first Norman Motte and Bailey Castle dates from 1092, with the wooden keep converted to stone in around 1110.

The Keep is one of the few intact Norman Keeps in Great Britain, and at over 900 years old, is the oldest part of Appleby Castle.

Perched at the upper reaches of Boroughgate in Appleby, in the Eden Valley at the edge of the Lake District, is the Norman Appleby Castle, set among 25 acres of picturesque enclosed parkland.

One of the UK's most historic castles, the Grade I-listed building features sandstone walls beneath a pitched slate and lead roof.

The 12th-century motte and bailey castle also comes complete with a Norman keep, a 13th-century round tower, three cottages, offices, a tennis court and fishing rights on the River Eden at its foot.

With 22 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms, the historic castle has plenty of room for hosting parties or, as is currently the case, for paid accommodation.

The castle also features a 15th-century dining room with soaring ceilings, as well as a Great Hall from the same period; a second Great Hall dates back to the 12th century.

As well as its many period features, the main building also features plenty of modern amenities, including a gym, a hot tub and sauna room, a games room as well as plenty of store rooms.

Three external cottages form part of the walls of the inner bailey, two of which are two-bedroom, and all three of which feature open-plan living spaces, adding extra accommodation.

Owned by the Kings of England and Scotland, tucked in the breathtaking landscape of the Lake District Appleby Castle is a unique relic from medieval England.

History of the castle

Ranulf Le Meschin founded the castle at the beginning of the 12th century.

In about 1170 the square stone keep known as Caesar's Tower was built.

The castle was in royal hands when the Scottish king, William the Lion, invaded the Eden Valley in 1174 - the constable of the castle surrendered without a fight.

In 1264, it came into the possession of Roger de Clifford, through his marriage to Isabel de Vipont, one of the two daughters and co-heiress of Robert II de Vipont.

Appleby Castle remained for nearly 400 years in the ownership of the Clifford family, who were responsible for much restoration of the castle.

The north wall of house and the west part of the north wing with the round tower date from the 13th century.

Famously, King James I sttayed in the castle in 1617, between visits to Brougham Castle and Wharton Hall.

In the mid-17th century, Lady Anne Clifford made the castle her home.

The castle was bought by Christopher Nightingale in 1998. - and in 2009, Mrs. Sally Nightingale became the sole owner of Appleby Castle.

Sally Nightingale says she has fond memories of owning the castle, and is sad to be passing the keys on.

Speaking to ITV news, she said: "We have done quite a lot since I have been here. It has been a bit of labour of love to tell you the truth.

"I loved the idea of making a difference and you have a window of opportunity to do so while you are a custodian. With great privilege comes great responsibility.

“It is going to be a massive wrench to leave. I am terribly upset and feel very emotionally attached to the building but it is time now to hand over the keys."

In the grounds of the castle is Lady Anne's Beehouse, which was built by Lady Anne Clifford in the middle of the 17th century.

It is a square stone building in two storeys with a pyramid roof and a door on the lower level.

The upper level has a pointed arched window on each of three sides and a door on the fourth side.

Appleby Castle is situated at the foot of the Pennines in the county town of the ancient royal borough of Westmorland.

12 miles from junction 40 on the M6 and 28 miles from Scotch corner on the A1, Appleby is within an easy drive from Manchester or Newcastle.

It’s on the edge of the beautiful English Lake District with a vast array of activities on offer nearby.

With some of the best walking in the UK, Appleby Castle is the perfect retreat for rest and relaxation.

For keen golfers, Appleby Golf Course is over 100 years old with superb greens, often referred to as the Sunningdale of the North of England.

Other activities include fishing, horse riding falconry displays and much more, or for the more adventurous quad biking, paint-balling, gill scrambling or hot air ballooning.

If you’d like to make an offer, or find out more about the property, contact Sotheby's International Realty, Mayfair.

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