Property

A medieval manor house said to be the oldest building in Manchester is up for sale

It's not about money, it's about preservation.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 26th May 2024

Baguley Hall, a striking medieval manor house and rich part of Manchester’s cultural heritage, is now up for sale and is said to be one of the region’s oldest buildings.

Historic Baguley Hall was built all the way back in the 1300s and nearly 900 years later, this majestic Manc structure is still standing and has now been put on the market in an effort to preserve its future for generations to come.

Featuring a great hall built from ‘unusual’ timber, tall mullioned windows that hark back to the centuries gone by and a renewed stone slate roof, it’s quite the landmark.

Once a manor house, then thought to have been turned into a farmhouse and now simply sat unused, you can practically see the history.

It’s after the family of the same name. (Credit: Colliers)

Put up for sale by property firm Colliers, they are now inviting offers for people to buy the freehold or start a lease on the 14th-century gem located not too far from Manchester Airport.

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With Historic England – the public body that helps maintain and celebrate some of the nation’s most beloved buildings and cultural sites – having recently completed a number of repairs, the hope is that Grade I-listed buildings won’t just be kept intact but given a whole new lease of life.

Situated on a two-acre plot in a popular residential area, it’s considered one of the finest halls in the North West, and plans to further revitalise the space with new functions have already been floated.

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There’s even talk of transforming the space into a food-based pub (with or without bedrooms), a boutique hotel, an events centre and various other possibilities open to interested parties.

It has a medieval north wing, remodelled in the 17th century, a 16th-century porch and an early 17th-century south wing.

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Will Tait, Associate Director in Colliers’ Licensed and Leisure team, who is handling the sale commented: “Baguley Hall is a fantastic opportunity to acquire a truly special historic building. We think it is well-suited, because of its layout and location, for various uses, including hospitality.

“Historic England is seeking to transfer the freehold or a long leasehold to a company that will restore and operate the building in a sympathetic way, in keeping with its grade I listing, and will enable the public to access it on at least an occasional basis.”

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Catherine Dewar, North West Regional Director at Historic England, added: “Baguley Hall is a South Manchester historic gem. Standing for nearly 900 years, it boasts the most incredible great hall with tall, mullioned windows and an unusual timber frame.

“We’re looking forward to working with Colliers to find prospective buyers or long-term tenants to find an exciting new use for this stunning site.” Here’s hoping someone will step in and carry on its legacy.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Colliers (supplied)

Property

The stunning £1.6m home with its own lake on the market in an unassuming Greater Manchester town

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A family home overlooking its own lake is currently on the market in Greater Manchester, and we can probably all agree it’s a real stunner.

The only thing is, you’ll just need the small matter of £1.6 million before you can call it yours.

It goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article won’t have £1.6 million just sitting in their bank account right now, and that properties of this stature are likely not the kind we’ll get to call home, so the next best thing we can do is just snoop around on good old Rightmove and have a nosey at all the jaw-dropping pictures instead.

Like us, if you’ve got no shame in admitting that one of your favourite internet pastimes is looking up houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never live, then let us introduce you to this gem over in Bolton.

We’re talking a beautifully-modern lake house that estate agents have called “truly unique” and “striking”, kind of a ‘gem’.

This is The Lake House.

The Lake House is currently on the market in an unassuming Greater Manchester town / Credit: Newton & Co

Described as being one of the Greater Manchester town’s “best kept secrets”, this four-bedroom detached residence is located in the suburb of Lostock – which is known for being one of the borough’s most affluent and sought-after neighbourhoods that’s conveniently close to a wide range of amenities, excellent local schools, and transport links across the region and beyond – and it has so much to offer prospective buyers.

Hidden in plain sight, but overlooking a Victorian formal pond of lake-size proportions, the property sits behind private gates amid its own expansive grounds at the end of what, you’d have to say, is a pretty run-of-the-mill residential street.

But this is far from being a run-of-the-mill house.

The four-bedroom detached family home is “truly unique” and packed with impressive features throughout / Credit: Newton & Co

The Lake House was actually built in 2010 in the garden of a traditional 1870s home, and back in the day, it was formerly owned by a local inventor who built a model railway in the gardens for local children to ride on.

Estate agents say the property is so “unique”, in fact, that the current owners have even been approached by filmmakers in their time, who were eager to capture the location on the big screen.

As well as boasting several light and spacious reception rooms, a bespoke kitchen kitted-out with a range of modern fixtures, appliances, and a stunning AGA, four large bedrooms, and both family bathrooms and en-suites, the property also has countless other impressive hand-crafted features to its name behind the grand front doors.

Just a couple of these features include timber spiral staircases, some snazzy modern lighting fixtures throughout, a truly jaw-dropping coved glass ceiling feature, and a master bedroom with its own luxury dressing room.

It’ll set you back a whopping £1.6 million to call it yours / Credit: Newton & Co

The star of the show, though, has to be the elevated terrace that wraps around three sides of the property, making it the perfect place to relax all year round.

And, of course, the outside of the property is just as impressive as the inside… in fact, you could argue even more impressive, as the formal surrounding gardens not only include the lake and all its little quirks, like a range of different bridges, boating houses, and a clocktower, but they’ve also been maintained to the highest of standards, making them a massive credit to the current owners.

The property also comes with a large double garage in its grounds – which houses its own workshop, a large office, and a bathroom – and there’s also the potential to create a separate annexe too.

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The Lake House is currently on the market with Bolton-based independent estate agents, Newton & Co, for a whopping £1.6 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.

Or you could just take the cheaper route instead and have a nosey at the Rightmove link here.

Featured Image – Newton & Co

Property

Plans approved to transform historic Grade II-listed Manchester building into £6m ‘innovation hub’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Plans to turn a Grade II-listed building in Manchester city centre into a £6 million “innovation hub” have been given the green light.

Manchester City Council has approved “transformational plans” for the historic 117-119 Portland Street building in the heart of the city centre, and the ambitious £6 million project will now see the Grade II-listed building become the so-called “gateway” into Manchester’s innovation district, the Oxford Road Corridor.

Part of Bruntwood SciTech’s collection of refurbished Victorian warehouses, this new workspace is expected to be a “central hub” for collaboration, wellness, and events.

Developers want to make it a “vibrant social community” for all the businesses within the building.

The 35,000 sq ft building will be refurbished into a multi-let workspace that provides a mixture of offices for up to 80 people – with each offering a range of flexible options for companies working in the creative, tech, and media sectors.

Nine fully-fitted workspaces will be created in total, each being equipped with kitchens, meeting rooms, and breakout areas.

The innovation hub will retain many of its original features that pay homage to its rich history.

Dating all the way back to 1886, the building was formerly home to Schill Seebohm & Co shipping merchants, which used it as a warehouse to showcase, sell, and ship its Manchester-made textiles, and now it’s set to become another inspiring space for businesses to grow and thrive.

Plans have been approved to transform a historic Manchester building into £6m ‘innovation hub’ / Credit: Bruntwood SciTech

State-of-the-art shared facilities and amenities will also be incorporated into the new-look building as part of a “reimagining” of the ground and lower ground floors areas – including breakout spaces and lounge areas, an on-site gym, boutique gym-quality shower and changing facilities, and an auditorium for events.

Developers will also be improving the historic building’s sustainability credentials in a bid to bring it into the “modern age”.

Richard Roper, who is the Associate Director and Asset Management for Bruntwood SciTech, said the approval of these plans marks the next “exciting phase” in the partnership’s vision to “enhance and improve” workspaces across Manchester city centre.

Developers want to make the Grade II-listed building a “vibrant social community” for all / Credit: Bruntwood SciTech

“Our cluster of buildings on Portland Street are uniquely positioned to become the connecting junction between the Oxford Road Corridor and our city centre innovation hubs, further supporting businesses to access a city-wide innovation ecosystem,” he added.

“This cornerstone of the city has been lacking investment into creating workspaces that galvanise collaboration, creativity, and ingenuity, and offer like-minded communities to connect with.

“We hope to deliver that at 117 Portland Street.”

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Work to transform 117-119 Portland Street is anticipated to get underway from spring 2025.

Featured Image – Bruntwood SciTech

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