£1 million price slash for Shropshire's 'Poundland Mansion' complete with swimming pool, squash court and museum

This captivating country house in Claverley near Bridgnorth has been the home of several notable families - but it's perhaps most famous for once being the home of Keith Smith, co-founder of the retail giant Poundland. 

Keith and his son Steve opened the very first Poundland in Burton upon Trent in December 1990, and it took more than £13,000 on its first day. Just 12 years later, the pair sold the chain to private equity firm Advent for £50m.

The moated Jacobean mansion was bought by Keith and his wife Maureen in 1997 for £2.5m when they returned to the country from Mallorca and the pair undertook extensive renovations.

Steve told agents Fisher German: “When my parents came back to the UK they wanted to find a home where they would never want to move from, and they certainly found that at Ludstone. My mum and dad really loved their time at the estate which can be seen in the amount of money they invested in the property – it really is the home that Poundland built.  

“One particular investment they made was installing the swimming pool. They wanted to have a big party for the millennium so had one with a retractable floor installed so that the room could also be used to host events. Living locally myself, I have some really happy memories of their time here. I used to bring dad the broken sweets we couldn’t sell, and he’d feed them to the cows that he kept on the grounds. The cows were sold to a supermarket chain that said that it was the sweetest meat they’d tasted.  

“We’d also hold charity events and open up the museum to visitors and raise thousands of pounds for local good causes over the years. The property holds so much historic significance and has only had a handful of owners since it was built. We’re now keen to see the property go to a new family who can make their memories here. While the Ludstone Hall Estate section of the museum will remain at the property, we’ll also be donating all of the Poundland memorabilia to Poundland so that they can preserve the history of the company.”

If the swimming pool with retractable floor doesn't sell it - there are also four grand reception rooms, nine bedrooms and seven-bathroom/shower rooms.

The estate’s grounds feature a coach house, a two-bedroom lodge, a squash court and a unique museum that features artefacts found on the estate and a glimpse into the history of Poundland.

The property, and 177 acres of grounds, went up for auction earlier this year with a guide price of £7,775,000. 

Recently, the historic home and around 9 acres have been listed for £5,750,000 - but last week the price dropped by a staggering £1 million.

The listing is available to view online at zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/68440313.