Ripley Castle on the market for £21mn

Sir Thomas and Lady Ingilby are selling Ripley Castle in Yorkshire, which has been in their family for 28 generations. It's the first time in 700 years that the castle, where the family's ancestors moved in the 1300s, has been put up for sale.

The castle sits on 445 acres of land and is Grade I listed, which is the rarest of historic designations for properties in the UK–just like the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. It has 3 reception rooms, 11 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, a number of attic storage rooms and a 2 bedroom caretaker's apartment.

“Almost every detail of the property and its surroundings is steeped in history, having been touched by numerous historical events, and the castle has played a role in many of them, from the Wars of the Roses to the time when James VI stayed here on his way to his coronation as James I of England,” the owner, Sir Thomas Ingilby, said in a statement. “These significant moments leap off the pages of history and are reflected in various elements throughout the castle.” Oliver Cromwell was also among the castle's visitors.

The castle has a Georgian reception hall, an inner hall, a map room, a game room, a bar, and drawing rooms with stunning views of the surrounding lakes and deer park.

Lady Emma Ingilby described their years at Ripley Castle as a privilege. "Some of the events we've hosted here have been incredibly moving. There are evenings when we walk around the gardens by the lake, and deer come down to drink while the scent of the flowers surrounds us. It feels like something out of a fairy tale," she said.

The castle also has a library that leads to the three-story Old Tower, the keep built around 1555. "The Tower Room features an oak floor which was originally part of the deck of The HMS Rose, an 18th century 20-gun frigate. The Knight’s Chamber is one of the most remarkable Tudor rooms in the country with original oak ceiling and wall panelling. The ceiling, a “Wagon Roof”, so called because it resembles a roof that would have covered horse drawn wagons, is one of only three to have survived,” says the listing with agency Carter Jonas in association with Christie's International Real Estate.

Ripley Castle Estate can be purchased as a whole or in 11 separate lots. "Not just a once-in-lifetime chance, but truly a once-in-a-700-year opportunity to purchase an estate that encompasses historical significance, architectural splendour and beauty," Mark Granger, of Carter Jonas has said.

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