One of Bristol’s landmark buildings has been sold for what is thought to be a record figure in Bristol of more than £2 million.
Mortimer House in Clifton went under the hammer last week and was bought by a Bristol businessman who wishes to remain anonymous.
Auctioneers Hollis Morgan know what the new owner intends to do with the Grade II listed property, but remain tight-lipped.
The property, set back from Clifton Down Road, has been undergoing refurbishment through 2013/14 and is restored to a “shell”, but planning permission exists to create a eight-bedroom luxury home.
Ollie Hollis explained the house had created considerable interest and the successful buyer had to see off several rivals. “Bearing in mind it had been on the market for about a year and a half, we had 32 interested parties look at the legal pack and on the night there were three bidders.
“One chap, who is local, wanted to convert it to flats, and it doesn’t have planning permission for flats so that would be a gamble, and there was also a London-based consortium interested, but they kept their cards close to their chest so I’m unsure as to what they would have done with it.
“In the end it was bought by a Bristol-based businessman, who has varied business interests. I do know what he wants to do with it, but I’m not in a position to speak on his behalf.”
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Having done a bit of investigation, Mr Hollis believes Mortimer House is the most expensive house ever auctioned in Bristol – having sold for £2.1m.
He said: “We can’t find a record of a higher-value property selling at auction in Bristol. Bidding started at £1.7m and the guide price was £2m+.”
Built in 1820, the mansion covers 9,800 sq ft inside and sits in 0.6 acres of landscaped gardens, including a semi-circular driveway and plenty of parking space, plus out-buildings.
It has several past lives, including as a maternity hospital and a care home, but was promoted as an exclusive residence. It provided, said Hollis Morgan’s marketing material, the “opportunity to create probably the finest family home in Bristol” with “one of the largest gardens in Clifton Village”.
Planning permission allows for a media room, wine cellar, gym and store on the lower ground floor, with a kitchen/dining room and five reception rooms immediately above. Two upper storeys encompass eight en suite bedrooms.
Mortimer House is the second stand-out property that Hollis Morgan has sold at auction this year, the other highlight being the Gothic-style “castle” Chilton Priory, in Chilton Polden, Somerset, pictured below. It went for £1,010,000 to a businessman who wants to turn it into a healing centre, which would suit its position next to the South West’s “alternative” capital, Glastonbury.
Mr Hollis went on: “It was bought in the 1980s by one of the richest men in England. He bought it on a whim and never lived in it – it was empty for 35 years and it looked like it had been empty for 35 years, but it had some amazing touches.
“This year it was bought by a businessman who wants to turn it into a crystal healing centre. So the guy in the hemp T-shirt out-bid all the guys in pinstripe suits!”
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