Hey everyone, the festive season is at our doorsteps again so I hope you're all wrapped up cosy and warm, and will join me as I head on over to Staffordshire to look at an 18th Century historic property that is in need of considerable TLC, but in return it offers excellent potential for a wide range of buyers. This beauty is for auction with SDL Auctions Birmingham on 12th December.

This one is definitely not a project property for the faint of heart though. While the main residence is largely liveable in it's currently dated condition, also included are two wings to the rear of the property that have suffered from severe deterioration. Given that this is a Grade II Listed property, those derelict wings will need to be protected, preserved, and in due course be restored to their former glory.

Firstly, this six bedroom property is stunning both inside and out. Yes, it's needing significant restoration throughout, but even so it's still one of the most beautiful properties I've seen in a very long time. The amount of original features on show here is mind blowing. Often I will see lovely properties that have gradually lost a lot of their original features and character as time has passed and successive owners have modernised parts and/or removed features that are disliked or no longer required/appreciated the way they once would have been. That is not the case here though, and it makes for a wonderful atmosphere.

Ok, lets check out that main Manor House a little more closely now... approached via a sweeping driveway I find the exterior of this property to be simply mesmerising. Every inch of this building has been beautifully designed, and I absolutely adore the small columns either side of the front door and that little circular window to the top floor. This Manor has perfectly understated grandeur throughout. I can think of no better way to put it than that :)

My first impressions of the interior are just as I was expecting to see in a property of its age and type, with fabby high ceilings throughout that give a great sense of expanse and spaciousness to the property. I am also loving the wonderful sash windows, and in particular am fond of the windows with an arched top. If you're anything like me, and you also love love love a gorgeous feature fireplace... well you'll swiftly find yourself feeling thoroughly spoiled with this property. WOW! That's all that really needs said about the fireplaces here. They truly are a work of art, with each presenting its own character and quirks that in turn give each room a unique look and feel.

There's one more particularly spectacular feature needing highlighted inside this property too... and that's the small cinema on the second floor! Yes, you read that right, there is a little cinema with projector room and small box office inside the Manor House itself. Ok, so it's very much a piece of history as opposed to what you think of when someone mentions a cinema these days, but I think that adds to the magic of this property. It is like a time warp to step through the front door and see all of the original features of this property intact and maintained reasonably well. While those wings to the rear are so deteriorated as to be presently dangerous, it's clear to see where the spending of maintenance and improvement funds have been focused within the main home. There looks to be a lot of noticeable spots needing improvement throughout, but it's clear that the main areas for living in are best maintained, while less used areas such as the cinema could do with more significant work being done to restore them.

Right, before I get into anything else, I've noticed this property has one of my very favourite things (which is also a rarity to find)... One of the rooms (above left), that I suspect may be a bedroom, has a sneakily hidden door in the wall! Ok, so it's unlikely to lead to anything more exciting than a dressing room, storage cupboard or something similar, but regardless of that it's a curiosity, a great talking point, and very fun quirk to discover :-)

Lastly I had best mention the 1.5 acres of land the property resides within. While it is normal for a property of this scale and period to come with far larger grounds that spread our as far as the eye can see in all directions, this particular historic property is no longer as secluded as it would once have been. It's unfortunate that a lot of the original grounds have been sold off across the years, but that's not necessarily a bad thing to everyone. There's still enough there for maintaining some privacy from the surrounding area, and not everyone wants a garden so big as to require staff to help maintain it!

The price on this property is understandably lower than you might expect due to funds being required to then actually restore and maintain this lovely Manor House with it's damaged wings, and it's possible that those costs could potentially be rather high in the long run. But there's definitely a bit of a silver lining with this particular property though. An agreement is in place that will see some contribution into the restoration of the wings from completion of a development that has been approved to be built on grounds that would previously have been part of the Manor House. However I'd advise anyone considering bidding on this one to take a little time in advance for looking into documentation of those details prior to the auction itself on 12th December so as to fully understand what you are undertaking.

There's definitely something quite special about this property, and while the work needed is considerable, I reckon it could easily be a labour of love to renovate a property with so much character and atmosphere. In fact my very first thought on seeing the images of this property is that it would make an incredible movie set for something historic(after restoring) or for a creepy film(in current condition). Likewise, my next thought was that there is scope for some kind of small B&B type setup once restored. Another thought that crossed my mind was that the restoration of the wings as well could in turn lead to this property having potential for something like a wedding/small event venue. It really does have a lot of possible outcomes.

In an ideal world I'd love to see someone with a big budget and a passion for restoration come along and snap up a property like this at auction with the intent to proceed with restoring it for use as a family home again. Realistically... I'll just be happy to see this one getting the TLC that it so greatly wants and needs, and to see the property have new life breathed into it so that it will have a bright and beautiful future in the years ahead. This one is well worth the effort :-)