A historic castle which has been owned by the same family for centuries has just gone on the market. With US President Donald Trump and popstar Taylor Swift both apparently interested in buying, there could be stiff competition to buy Ripley Castle near Harrogate. The castle has been home of the Ingilby family since the 14th century – but Sir Thomas and Lady Ingilby have now listed the huge estate for £21million.

If it sells for that price, it could become the most expensive property ever sold in the UK outside of London. The castle has a fair bit of history attached to it, having played a vital part in Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot in 1605. Nine of the 11 known conspirators were close relations to the Ingilby family, and a BBC drama about the plot, Gunpowder, was filmed there in 2017. You don’t just get Ripley Castle for your millions, although the Grade I listed building with three reception rooms, 11 bedrooms, and six bathrooms offer plenty of space.

The estate includes 445 acres of land, a lake, a pub, a helipad, a car park and a village shop. Also featuring a cricket pitch, hotel, tea room, gift shop and wedding venue, the estate has been split into nine lots which could be bought individually or together, the BBC reports. The castle and its estate were gifted to Sir Thomas Ingilby in the 1300s, after allegedly saving the King from being gored by a wild boar on a hunting expedition.

Sir Thomas explained why they decided to sell up: ‘There are days when we are very positive about it, there are other days when we are sad for what we will miss. ‘I’ve been looking after the place for over 50 years, so this has been my whole life. ‘I don’t want to be carried out of here feet first, I’ve got things I want to do. ‘We’ve left it in the best state possible and safeguarded the heritage for future generations.’.

Sir Thomas inherited the estate when he turned 18, and since marrying wife Emma in the 1980s they’ve worked through a lengthy to-do list to bring the castle up to standard. That includes replacing the majority of the roof – and the family have spent about £2.5million on renovations in the last five years, the Mirror reports, making Ripley Castle far more pricey than your average fixer-upper. Lady Ingilby said: ‘I hope the new owner does appreciate the history, because the history of the Ingilbys is the history of England.

‘But nothing stands still, they must do what they like with it, as long as they just love it and take care of it. ‘Someone else can have the experience, because it has been a privilege, such a privilege, to be able to live here.’. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Man held over death of ‘Lady of the Hills’ who was found in stream 20 years ago.