Mansion on market for £4m

One of the most significant country mansions in the Shropshire area has come onto the market with a price tag of £4 million.Patshull Hall, on the county border with Staffordshire, near Shifnal, is a Grade I-listed property with 60 rooms and sits in 50 acres of land. The property is also one of the region's most successful restoration projects and has become a popular venue for weddings.

The hall has been painstakingly restored by owner Tim Reynolds over a seven-year period.

The estate, which lies seven miles from Wolverhampton near Pattingham, was bought by Mr Reynolds, an interior designer, for £1.25 million in 1999.

It was in a shocking state after being left virtually untouched since its use as a hospital and had planning permission in place to be transformed into 27 homes.

But 55-year-old Mr Reynolds restored it to its former glory, resurrecting many of its original features.

Tony Morris-Eyton, of Telford-based selling agents Savills, said its £4 million asking price represented good value for the house.

"We wanted to pitch it at a good price," he said.

"It is being sold as either a private house or as a wedding venue and we have had to put all enquiries about weddings on hold while the house is on the market."

All weddings already booked will be honoured until the property is sold.

The property overlooks its mature Capability Brown landscaped gardens and grounds.

It was built about 1780 by James Gibbs, one of Britain's most influential architects of the Georgian era.

The accommodation includes "grand hall, saloon, ballroom, dining room, library, drawing room, music room and guest suites".

The stately home was originally home to the Astley family and was later owned by the Earls of Dartmouth until 1958 when it became the property of the Crown.

It came second in the conservation section of the Georgian Group Architectural Awards in 2004 due to its restoration.

* For details about the property, call Savills on (01952) 239500.

By Henry Carpenter