Heritage group denies wasting �2m

The government bought the hall, near Oundle, for �3m

English Heritage has rejected claims it wasted public money by putting a stately home up for sale with a guide price of �5m after spending �7m on it.

Heritage officials said Apethorpe Hall, in Northamptonshire, would have been left to rot had it not been rescued.

The government bought the hall near Oundle for �3m after a compulsory purchase order was served in the 1990s.

The Grade I-listed Jacobean hall, which dates back to 1470, then underwent a �4m programme of repairs.

Steeped in history, the hall has played host to Queen Elizabeth I, King James I and King Charles I.

'Stopped the rot'

English Heritage's development economics director, David Tomback, stressed that any new owner of the hall would be obliged to spend at least a further �3.8m to comply with an urgent works notice.

Asked for his view of claims that the proposed sale would "short-change" taxpayers, Mr Tomback said: "I would totally refute that because the fact is that this is one of the most important Grade I-listed buildings at risk in the country.

"Had English Heritage not stepped in and carried out these repairs, the nation would have lost one of its most important properties.

"The money we have spent stopped the rot."

Mr Tomback said the bill for repairs at Apethorpe, which have involved more than 150,000 man hours, was in fact money well spent given the "invaluable" heritage of the hall.

State Apartments

He will now have the job of vetting prospective purchasers of the property, who will have to guarantee public access.

Apethorpe boasts a suite of State Apartments originally based on those created by Sir Walter Mildmay for Queen Elizabeth I's visit in 1566.

Once a new owner for Apethorpe Hall is found, English Heritage will work closely with them to oversee the continuation of the substantial further repair work needed to return it to its original use as a private country house.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version