For sale: Substantial chunk of Northumberland
One of the most beautiful views in north-east England is about to hit the market with agents Strutt & Parker and Savills.
Dunstan Steads’ 428 arable acres (pictured) roll gently towards the North Sea cliffs along a lonely stretch of the rugged Northumbrian coast near Craster, where the skyline is dominated by the stark outline of the ruined 14th-century Dunstanburgh Castle.
This highly productive farm is being offered by the joint agents along with the equally beautiful Thirston West Farm, near Morpeth, as part of a sale of three farm properties from the Duke of Northumberland’s estate.
The third sale is 1600 acres, previously in three separate blocks, but offered for sale as Warkworth Farms. This includes one large steading with farmhouse and two cottages, with about 1100 acres farmed in-hand. The remainder is let on tenancies until 2009-10.
Strutt & Parker’s Claire Mallen said these farms had been historical investment purchases for the estate, and were now being divested. “It offers an exciting opportunity for someone, in an otherwise dry market for farms for sale in this area. There’s been nothing like this in the last six years, and certainly nothing like this on the open market in the last 10-15 years.”
These farms were most likely to be bought by a farming buyer, and she expected a significant amount of Danish interest, she added.
The Northumberland market for land and farms had suddenly caught light, Miss Mallen said. “In the last 18 months we will have sold or will be marketing 1.3% of the land area in Northumberland.”
Dunstan Steads is guided at £3.1m and, as well as productive soils and dramatic, haunting landscapes, includes a general purpose steel-framed farm building. It also has good road access.
Thirston West is guided at £3.5m and has 16,000sq ft of modern farm buildings, 21 acres of woodland with shooting rights and 305m of salmon fishing on the river Coquet.
Warkworth Farms has a guide price of £9.75m and includes four modern, large-scale farm buildings.
“It’s a unique opportunity for both local and national investors to acquire a part of Northumberland not normally available,” Miss Mallen said.
Farm for sale Northumberland.