• Wigmore Castle comes with 30 acres of land, including a moat and jousting field
• Sale includes permission to convert a workshop into a two-bed house

Property hunters are being given the chance to live like a king – or queen – after a castle that is almost 1,000 years old went on the market for £500,000.

Wigmore Castle in Herefordshire sits on a huge 29.84-acre plot and has been labelled as one of the UK’s ‘most remarkable ruins’ by English Heritage.

Potential lords and ladies will be able to snap up the 956-year-old fortress as well as its sprawling grounds, which boast a moat and, of course, a jousting field, for the price of an average UK detached house.

There is one catch that buyers of a typical standalone house won’t have to contend with, however: the grounds must be open to the public, as English Heritage maintains a right of way for a pathway to the castle.

By law, any property under the guardianship of the Secretary of State must be open to the public – meaning locals and tourists have access to the grounds.

But the small sacrifice of letting locals explore what is in essence your garden is a small price to pay in exchange for bragging rights on a Grade I-listed castle, which still sports the remains of several turrets and key walls.

Planning considerations have also been taken care of – permission has already been secured to convert a workshop into a two-bedroom house, if the draughty ruins of the castle aren’t ideal sleeping quarters.

And the castle itself is conveniently close to the village of Wigmore, which has two pub/restaurants, a community shop, a mobile post office service, primary and secondary schools and an active village hall.

The town of Ludlow, about eight miles away, sits directly on the Manchester to Cardiff railway line, and is a stone’s throw from the A49 for travel elsewhere. 

Much of the castle is overgrown, and is kept as ‘managed wilderness’, but has become home to a range of rare plants and wildlife.

Estate agents Sunderlands describe the castle as a ‘unique and rare opportunity’ to own a piece of English history.

The agency said on its listing for the sale: ‘A unique and rare opportunity to acquire the historic Grade I Listed Wigmore Castle and grounds with a planning consent to convert an existing workshop into a two bedroomed dwelling.

‘The property extends in total to about 29.84 acres (12.07 hectares).

‘The Castle boasts a rich history and was a major centre of power for over 500 years hosting several kings and queens.’

They added: ‘Wigmore now has an overgrown appearance that once characterised many ruined sites.

‘English Heritage describes the remains of the castle as ‘among the most remarkable ruins in England.’

Wigmore castle was founded in 1067 by William Fitz Osbern, the Earl of Hereford and has close ties to William the Conqueror.

The castle was once the stronghold of the infamous Mortimer family who held it from about 1075 to 1425 when it was passed to the royal family.

It was widely used throughout history by a variety of kings and queens before being dismantled by parliament forces during the Civil War to prevent its use.

It also has links to the War of the Roses because it was inherited by Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, who returned to Wigmore in 1455 to gather a large army for the battle of St Albans against Henry VI’s forces.

When conserving the site in the 1990s, English Heritage deliberately retained its wildness, as the castle had become home to rare and unusual species including lesser horseshoe bats.

The asking price is exactly £500,000 – just above the average house price for a detached home in England of £480,620, according to official Land Registry data.