Cumbrian auction withdrawal has silver lining

HOPES OF Wigton was forced to withdraw the main lot of 248-acre Kingside Hill and West Border at Abbeytown when it failed to reach its reserve on Aug 16.

Auctioneer Ian Ritchie said the house, buildings and 106 acres of land were bid to £580,000 but this was not enough for  vendor Edwin Harrison.

However, in the end, Mr Harrison was sufficiently pleased with the rest of the sale that he has decided to carry on living in the house and rent out the land and buildings.

“I was slightly dissappointed at first, but I’m pleased how it has turned out and, more importantly, so is the vendor,” said Mr Ritchie.

Lot 3, 12.90 acres of bare land was sold for £45,000 (£3488/acre), while another large house, buildings in need of renovation and 85 acres made £350,000.

Two smaller paddocks made well over £3000/acre and a36-acre block, which was withdrawn on the day, was sold subsequently for over £75,000.