Mansion with 32 rooms that once housed key Hitler ally goes up for sale

31 January 2024 , 10:13

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The manor house in Milltown, Cornwall previously went on fire (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd nort)

A mansion with 32 rooms that once housed a key Hitler ally has gone on sale at just £800,000.

It was once used to hold Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess, in 1942 when in military service ahead of the D-Day invasion. The Nazi leader's henchman had been captured earlier in the war, after making a bizarre unauthorised solo flight to the UK in what was believed to be a hare-brained bid to seek a ceasefire.

The property was also host to the Queen Mother in 1967 and is close to the Duchy of Cornwall. The property should be worth more than £2.5million, but it was severely damaged in 2019 by fire and potential buyers will need to repair some of that damage

The owners hope it will be sold to someone who will bring it back to its former glory. It also has 15 acres of grounds and has been a location for German films based on author Rosamunde Pilchers' novels. There was once a 6th century summer palace on the site which is thought to have been owned by King Mark of Cornwall.

The mansion was once used to detain Hitler’s henchman Rudolf Hess (North News & Pictures Ltd nort)

The manor house hosted the Queen Mother in 1967 and is steeped in history (North News & Pictures Ltd nort)

It has 12,500sqft, 32 rooms some with period features and includes a Victorian greenhouse. The mansion grounds are also home to wildlife including red squirrels, wild deer and a rare red wood sequoia tree. Sellers say the property has the potential to be made into a family home, or turned into a spa hotel, retreat, care home or wedding venue.

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Close to Lostwithiel Station it has a local school and shops and within five hours of the London. The property advert reads: "A rare opportunity to purchase a castle set in the most exquisite site in the heart of South Cornwall. The Grade II Listed early Victorian Country Mansion has an illustrious history. Built by the Foster banking family around the 1800c."

New owners of the 32-room property will have their work cut out as the property was severely damaged by fire in 2019 (North News & Pictures Ltd nort)

The property is to be auctioned through SDL auctions on February 29. It had been feared the 18th century building would collapse when a huge fire ripped through it on December 21, 2019. In total, 71 firefighters helped to tackle the blaze which spread from the first floor to the second floor. Nine hours after the fire was first reported, the emergency response was scaled down.

CornwallLive reported emergency services were first alerted to the incident just before 9am by a neighbour, with no-one inside the 18 Century manor house at the time as the family who live there were away elsewhere.

Graeme Murray