Tuesday, June 22 2004 A major heritage site in the heart of Shropshire has come up for sale. The 'Wrekin', a 1300ft hill that commands incredible views over the county , has come on the market for around £500,000. The site extends to about 126 acres overlooking the Shropshire and Cheshire plains to the North, and forms the beginning of the rolling South Shropshire countryside. The Wrekin is recorded as an Ancient Woodland Site in the Shropshire Inventory of Ancient Woodlands and is home to a diverse array of animal and plant life. JRR Tolkien spent much of his youth in the area, and many believe this Middle England countryside was a source of inspiration for 'Middle Earth', the mythical setting for Tolkien's masterpiece 'The Lord of the Rings'. Over the years the beautiful and enigmatic hill has inspired local tales of giants, mermaids and the devil , and some also suspect that the folklore surrounding the Wrekin may have inspired the book's characters. FPD Savills, the estate agent, has been instructed to sell the Wrekin on behalf of Peter Holt, who recently inherited the Orleton Estate from his late father Vesey Holt. Part of the Wrekin has been in the Holt family for over 200 years. Savills is asking for offers in excess of £500,000 for this historic, and beautiful site. FPD Savills
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'No Yorkshire dale, no Scottish moor, no view from Westminster Bridge can match it': Charles Quest-Ritson on The Itchen Valley, his personal piece of heavenCharles Quest-Ritson lavishes praise on the Itchen Valley, a part of Britain that's so charming and unspoilt as to restore your faith in the world.
