Historic Woolley Hall returns to market with £1.3m guide price
Almost a year after a previous sale of the property fell through, the grade two*-listed Jacobean country house is curently being auctioned by BTG Eddisons on behalf of Wakefield Council.
The building, which dates from 1635, is being auctioned online today and tomorrow, 24 and 25 August.
The 18-acre site near Woolley, close to the M1 and Wakefield, includes the main house, former stable buildings, a walled garden, private tennis court, and two gate lodges.
The main hall provides around 33,000 sq ft of space, with a further 15,000 sq ft in the former stables.
Wakefield Council took ownership of Woolley Hall in 1947 and subsequently operated it as a conference and wedding venue. The property was previously a residential college and, before that, the home of the Wentworth family.
The council had considered restoring the building and developing it as a wedding venue and spa before deciding to sell the site. A previous sale fell through in September last year.
Subject to planning and listed building consent, BTG Eddisons said the property could have potential for a range of future uses, including a hotel or wedding and events venue, leisure or spa destination, residential conversion, or mixed-use development.
Woolley Hall was built in the early 17th century and was later extended, including with work by architect Jeffry Wyatville, who also worked on extensions to Windsor Castle and Chatsworth House, around the turn of the 19th century.
Will Thompson, director at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions, said: “Any future plans will of course need to take account of the hall’s grade two* listing and its historic significance but there’s tremendous scope for any number of imaginative new uses for this unique building and grounds…
“The property is going to auction at a time when Wakefield is building a fantastic reputation for itself as a destination for the cultural and the creative industries.
“The district is home to the major creative and live entertainment facility Production Park, as well, of course, as the world-renowned Hepworth Wakefield and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
“The city really is on the map these days as a visitor destination, which makes Woolley Hall an even more attractive prospect for investment and development.”
