Live like a royal: sprawling 70-room Caverswall Castle is listed for sale with moat, dungeon and quirky 'holiday lets' in the turrets

Caverswall Castle has been thoughtfully restored and now boasts luxury modern touches alongside gorgeous period features — from four poster beds to statement carved fireplaces.
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Jess Denham13 September 2017

One of the UK's last habitable castles with a moat has hit the market for the first time in over a decade, giving history buffs the chance to live like Saxon royalty.

Caverswall Castle in the Staffordshire Moorlands is on the market for £5million, but for this you will get 70 rooms covering nearly 20,000 sq ft, including 18 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, nine reception rooms, a library, a billiard room, a chapel and an abundance of period features.

The imposing Grade I-listed property was built from sandstone in the 13th century. It recently underwent major restoration to modernise it with luxury touches fit for a modern family while lovingly retaining its historic Jacobean, Georgian and Victorian interiors.

Less than two hours from London, the castle comes with planning permission for conversion into a wellbeing retreat centre. Although it could also make a gorgeous hotel, spa or wedding venue.

A picturesque bridge and Tudor archway, flanked by an octagonal gatehouse, opens into the bailey.

Inside, gloriously grand bedrooms have majestic titles - the Princess Suite, Regal Suite, Knave’s Suite and King’s Suite to name a handful - with six located in three self-contained converted turrets. Each with their own living quarters, they could make perfect holiday lets.

There are original oak-panelled walls and statement carved fireplaces in many rooms, while the library has a decorative Wedgwood ceiling put in by the Wedgwood pottery family when they lived here in the 1880s. Show-stopping four poster beds, an awesome suit of medieval armour and a glamorous 1890 bath all come with the castle.

Master of masters: these intricately-carved four-poster beds come with the castle

Outside, there is a converted gatehouse, an orangery, a workshop and an old dungeon (currently covered over for the safety of children living in the castle). The lakes have been restocked with trout for fishing and 20 acres of grounds are home to an array of wildlife including nightingales and woodpeckers that can often be spotted from the vast roof terrace.

Caverswall Castle’s first known owner was a Saxon lord named Ernulf de Hesling. It passed to Sir William de Caverswall after the conquest who, in 1275, created a moat from the two tributaries of the River Blythe that rise on its site. The castle fell into disrepair but was re-worked into the formal manor house that stands today by a wealthy merchant in the early 17th century. He kept the tower, walls and turrets, turning them into garden pavilions.

The castle survived being garrisoned in the English civil war and was decommissioned under Oliver Cromwell. One mid-nineteenth century owner, Sir Percival Radcliffe, filled in the moat and in 1891, a Mr W E Bowers built a new wing called the Moathouse.

Grand entrance: entry to the castle is across the moat and through an arched gateway

Current owner, property developer Robin Macdonald, describes Caverswall Castle as a "real trophy property". He has lived there for eleven years and reinstated the moat but is now after a fresh challenge.

"It's time to hand on the baton to someone else," he said. "The timing feels right to move on to other things and give someone new the opportunity to enjoy the castle. I've spent a fortune repairing, renovating and restoring the property and it's now ready for someone to move straight into as I'm including the amazing historic antique furniture, tapestries and contents with the sale.

"The castle has been on the market previously, but this wasn't the full castle and land - which is now being offered as a total package. It's a fantastic and rare opportunity to purchase a true historic moated castle that's steeped in history - one of only around a dozen habitable moated castles in England."

House hunters on the look out for a business opportunity could have great fun transforming Caverswall Castle into a spa retreat, while a decision is expected shortly on a further application to allow the property to be used for unrestricted guest accommodation, conferences and as a film set.

Richard Moxon, commercial partner at Pennycuick Collins chartered surveyors who are marketing the property along with Paul Carr estate agents, describes the castle as a “rare and remarkable opportunity for any investor”.

Since it went on the market at the end of the July, there have been several enquiries from companies who already own fine hotels and country houses around the UK, as well as from private individuals, some overseas.

The local amenities of Caverswall village, including a shop, two schools and an active village hall, are reached by a quiet country lane. There is a plethora of golf courses nearby and the Peak District is within easy reach for hiking.

The castle is just three miles from the A50 with its access onto the M6 and M1, while the mainline rail station at Stoke on Trent, ceramics capital of the world, is only seven miles away. Regular direct train services run to London Euston, taking just under one-and-a-half hours, making this countryside pile a tempting option for commuters longing to escape the city.