Escape from the country: High running costs force families into selling stately homes in Wales and Scotland

It is not an easy decision to sell a family inheritance that has been passed down for 450 years. Richard Davies-Cooke (61), the owner of Gwysaney Hall, north Wales, is making the difficult decision to sell the property. The Jacobean structure dates back to 1603 and its front door is thought to have been damaged during the English Civil War. The mansion, along with 26 acres of grounds and cottages, is up for sale at a price guide of GBP2.5m. Although it has been a heavy burden on my mind, I felt it unfair to leave the building to him. It was better to ensure a future for him, and my grandson. The mansion is large and expensive to heat. It was first put on the market in 2018. A buyer was interested in making the home a five-star hotel. The pandemic thwarted this idea. Gwysaney Hall, north Wales’ interiors are up for sale at GBP2.5million / SavillsDaviesCooke plans to move to another property on this estate so that he can continue to live in his ancestral home. It is a historic building, but you need to keep moving forward and look ahead. It’s vital that Gwysaney Hall has an end. “Davies Cooke’s woes will be well-known to a new generation in France, who are moving to the cities to escape the heat. Many UK owners have lost their homes due to the difficulty of maintaining and upkeep. Savills sold the Brechin Castle in north-east Scotland for GBP3million / SavillsIn Scotland. Lord and Lady Dalhousie put the castle up for sale in 2019 due to its high upkeep costs. The main castle, which has 8 reception rooms, 16 bedrooms, and 10 bathrooms, is up for sale for GBP3million. The estates have a deficit of approximately GBP250,000 in a good year and a deficit as high as GBP350,000 in a bad one. Lord Dalhousie said that it was impossible to keep spending this much money year after year. “There are more people who want to sell nice houses than you might realize. “The grounds of Brechin Castle, Angus, Scotland. Savills has marketed the property for GBP3million / Savills. However, other stately home owners continue to persevere. Savills has sold the property for GBP3 million / Savills. However, other stately home owners are continuing to persevere. Entrepreneurs are now looking for ways to diversify, such as holding music festivals and turning abandoned farm buildings into locations for weddings and film productions. The fairytale European chateaux and manors, as well as farmhouses, are available for sale for less money than a London apartment. At the moment, inflation is high. These costs can be increased by planning restrictions that may limit the growth of new businesses. It is frustrating that local planning officers often refuse permission to owners to install double gazing in listed buildings because they are required to bring historic buildings into 21st-century society. Others are trying to find cheaper ways of running the buildings. In a bid to reduce its GBP7 million operational costs, Yorkshire’s Castle Howard began using renewable energy by installing a heat pump in its lake to serve power to the property, as well as a wood chop biomass system.Lincolnshire’s Grimsthorpe Castle, a Grade I listed country house with gardens and parkland, has been owned by the de Eresby family since 1516. The trust that manages the estate submitted a planning request last month to allow the addition of solar panels to the castle’s roof and air source heat pumps. The 59 panels would be connected to the electricity supply for the entire castle. This will reduce electricity consumption and the castle’s running expenses. The planning application stated that the panels would be connected to the electricity supply for the entire castle. This will reduce electricity consumption and protect the charitable trust from future increases in electricity costs. In the next five years, the trust plans to add 20 heat pumps to its portfolio.