Large arable unit a rarity in Shropshire

The Muckleton Hall estate near Shawbury, Shropshire, is one of the largest arable holdings to come to the open market in this area for several years.

It has almost 267ha (660 acres) of mainly grade 2 land which is currently down to winter wheat and winter oilseed rape, although the main farm is a former dairy holding.

The estate is made up of two main holdings, both with modern adaptable buildings, plus accommodation land. It is being sold by private treaty for the executors of Joe Sankey, the last of three well-known farming brothers.

Muckleton Hall Farm has been farmed by the Sankey family since 1943 and has a nine-bedroom, three-storey Georgian house with a large courtyard of traditional period buildings. It includes 131ha (324 acres) of land with modern pig and cattle housing, milking parlour and grain storage. The land is ring fenced and has irrigation.

Pool House Farm, with a four-bedroom Victorian house is part of the estate and adjoins Muckleton. Pool House has a large range of modern buildings including farrowing sheds, loose housing, general purpose farm buildings, machinery sheds and dutch barn.

“Good commercial farms of this size are rare and this is already attracting an enormous amount of interest, this one will go to a farmer,” said Bob Oakes of joint agent Barbers Rural

Barbers and Roger Parry Partners are looking for more than £5m (£7575/acre) for the estate as a whole, although it has also been lotted into seven parcels. Muckleton is in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone but the land is not currently in any environmental stewardship schemes. Single farm payment entitlements are available by separate negotiation and there is a 50% development clawback clause which runs for 30 years.

(Roger Parry & Partners 01743 791 336; Barbers Rural Consultancy 01630 692 500)