It's almost become commonplace to see country properties on the market today which include holiday cottages to bring in a bit of rental income. But if you've grander ambitions than putting a couple of places on AirBnB, grander options are out there. And they don't come grander than this: a Georgian castle that's been converted into a hotel.
Grade II-listed Willersley Castle is an 18th century mansion in the Derbyshire Dales and 'at the very gateway to the Peak District National Park', according to the £4 million listing with Dewitt's. That, of course, is estate agent code for 'just outside the National Park' — but that's probably no bad thing for those thinking of any updates that this grade II-listed building might need.
Willersley Castle was originally built in 1786 for the industrialist Sir Richard Arkwright, and is on the route of the UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Arkwright was a central figure in the Industrial Revolution, the man credited with the invention of the water-powered cotton mill — and with it, the world's first factories. Quite how much of the invention came from his own head, and how much was adapted from the ideas of others, is a subject of some historical debate. What is not in doubt is that, for better or for worse, he helped usher in the new world of automation that we all live in. His fortune at the time of his death in 1792 is estimated to have been over £200 million in 2020 terms.
A fire in 1791 meant that Arkwright didn't live to see Willersley completed, but his heirs saw the project through and it became the Arkwright family seat until it became an auxiliary hospital during the First World War. The family never returned, instead selling the estate which eventually became a Christian Guild hotel.
The castle still operates as a hotel, with some 30,000sq ft of living space over three floors, as well as further accommodation in the mews house and gate house. As the pictures show, it could perhaps do with some updating, particularly if the new owner wished to take the place upmarket. Certainly the building itself — with features such as a glorious glass cupola — would happily take grander fittings and fixtures.
Externally, the property sits in some 65 acres of Derbyshire countryside, which includes grass tennis courts, a swimming pool and gym area, as well as fishing rights on the River Derwent, which flows through the bottom of the valley below.
It could continue to be used as a hotel, capable of hosting 86 guests between the main house and the mews, but the agents note that it could easily be returned to private usage.
Willersley Castle is for sale via Dewitt's at £4 million — see more details and pictures.
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
Furs class travel: The hotels, superyacht designers and airlines setting new standards for pet-friendly travelThere’s no longer any need to leave your favourite four-legged friend behind when you go on holiday.
-
Jilly's Cooper's first book in the Country Life Quiz of the Day, October 8 2025Test your general knowledge with today's quiz.
-
A home for sale in one of the most celebrated artists' enclaves in London, where David Hockney sketched and Isadora Duncan dancedThis apartment in Pembroke Studios doesn't prompt the lament 'if these walls could talk' so much as 'if these walls could dance, sing and paint.'
-
A gorgeous country estate that comes with a lifestyle business, a 17th-century ice house and some of the best fishing rights in BritainDolhaidd Mansion and its 25 idyllic acres are on the market for the first time since the end of the last century. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
20 country homes for sale, from Somerset to Scotland, as seen in Country LifeA charming cottage in a village in Surrey at under £600,000 and a seven bedroom mansion north of the border for not much more than that make our round-up of the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life this week.
-
Splendid isolation overlooking one of Britain's tiniest towns, with a Thomas the Tank Engine-style railwayIn the hills away to the east of Welshpool you'll find Mount House, on the outskirts of the town of Llanfair Caereinion. Penny Churchill investigates.
-
Farmhouse kitchens done right at these five beautiful country houses across BritainA country house with a farmhouse kitchen is the archetype of the bucolic dream in Britain. Arabella Youens picks out five on the market right now that have wonderful examples.
-
Ella Fitzgerald's Cote d'Azur suite is now a magnificent apartment in the Art Deco hotel where Churchill, Coco Chanel and Hemingway once lived the high lifeIt's almost 50 years since the iconic Hotel Le Provençal in Cap d'Antibes closed its doors, but it's now been transformed into a wonderful Riviera residence. Anna White looks inside.
-
A Norman Keep and castle for sale in the rolling hills of the Lake District, which was once owned by Richard IIAppleby Castle has hosted battle re-enactments, falconry displays, offers 22 bedrooms and is up for auction.
-
This country estate is peaceful, spacious and elegant... just please don't ask us how to pronounce itIn the heart of Wales's beautiful Irfon Valley, The Cefnllysgwynne Estate is seeking a new owner.
