Extraordinary 125-year-old mansion on sale for just £288,000 – but there's an unusual catch

The Sun

13-05-2025

A 125-year-old Jacobean-style mansion is hitting the auction block for just £288,000.
The catch? Prospective buyers can only view it from a distance.
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Shire Hall, in Llangefni on the island of Anglesey, north Wales, was built in 1899 and sits overlooking the Afon Cefni river.
It was originally constructed of stone at a cost of £4,453, with an extension added in 1912.
Once used as office space, the building is now derelict following a serious fire, and is considered unsafe to enter.
It's set to be sold at auction between 20 and 22 May.
Viewings are restricted due to the building's dangerous condition, including a collapsed roof and major structural damage.
Paul Fosh Auctions, which is handling the sale, says the site has planning permission in place for six riverside apartments.
However, they note that a more extensive development could be possible, depending on future discussions with the local council.
Gemma Vaughan from the auction house said: 'The lot offers a most unusual and exciting opportunity for an investor/developer to acquire this historic building in the heart of Llangefni."
Shire Hall stands on Glanhwfa Road, about a mile from the A55 expressway, which links the island to the rest of north Wales and Cheshire.
Anglesey is well known for its coastal walks and sandy beaches, although Shire Hall itself is far from the seaside charm – with only ruins remaining of its former grandeur.
The sale includes Shire Hall, along with around 90 other lots, in an online auction hosted by Paul Fosh Auctions, starting at 12 noon and running from May 20 to 22.
Another property has left Brits scratching their heads – not because of its price, but also because no one's allowed inside.
Dubbed the ' mansion you can't go inside,' the eerie estate sits behind locked gates with no signs of life, yet manages to attract curious onlookers and conspiracy theories in equal measure.
Locals say the sprawling home has been sealed up for years, with perfectly manicured gardens but not a soul ever seen entering or leaving.
There's no for-sale sign, no public records of recent ownership changes, and absolutely no explanation as to why the doors remain firmly shut.
Despite the mystery, the mansion has become an unlikely tourist magnet, with visitors travelling miles just to snap a photo at the gates.
It may not be Britain's most expensive or oldest home, but it's certainly one of the strangest, and its secrecy only adds to the eerie fascination.
This comes as Britain's 'loneliest house' went on the market for £250,000, but it comes with a huge catch.
Meanwhile, viewers of Britain's Most Expensive Houses were left baffled by a rather unusual tactic used in a bid to sell a jaw-dropping £29m mansion.
Plus, the " UK's smallest house", measuring less than 2.5 metres wide, has hit the market for £200k – proving once again that when it comes to British property, size, access, and logic don't always apply.
Top ten most affordable places in England and Wales
THE affordability ratio is the average number of years of salary needed to buy a house.
A lower figure means the area is more affordable.
Here are the top ten most affordable places in England and Wales:
1. Blaenau Gwent (Wales): affordability ratio 3.75 - £130,000 average house price - £34,635 average wage
2. Burnley (NW England): 3.86 - £116,500 - £30,216
3. Blackpool (NW England): 3.92 - £133,000 - £33,918
4. Blackburn with Darwen (NW England): 4.06 - £143,500 - £35,310
5. Hull (Yorkshire/Humber): 4.09 - £135,000 - £33,024
6. County Durham (NE England): 4.14 - £130,000 - £31,365
7. Neath Port Talbot (Wales): 4.17 - £155,000 - £37,130
8. Sunderland (NE England): 4.25 - £140,000 - £32,923
9. Hartlepool (NE England): 4.25 - £140,000 - £32,947
10. Hyndburn (NW England): 4.29 - £130,000 - £30,272
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