Here's a question for all the bookworms out there: what could be more dreamy than owning 30 rooms filled top to bottom with books? That's right, nothing.
For the last two decades, a guy called Richard Axe has got to live out that dream in the Yorkshire Dales. Back in 2003, he turned a former hostel in the village of Aysgarth into a magnificent library, housing a collection of 120,000 rare volumes (one of the largest of its kind in the country).
‘There is nowhere else in the UK quite like this and I am proud to have created such an environment,’ he told the Yorkshire Post. Now, due to declining health, he's ready to pass it on.
The estate up for sale includes the main five-storey building, which dates back to 1878, a two-bed cottage to live in, a sculpture garden and, of course, the books. And if you have a spare £1.5 million lying around, it could all be yours.
But just to be clear — the library is a business. The buyer would be expected to keep it running, with 35,000 books on the first floor up for sale. Don't worry, the other four floors of books are pretty much all yours.
Axe added: ‘Living here has given me the peace and space to develop my business and to take enormous pleasure from the beauty of my surroundings; and of course, to create my special garden.
‘But I can no longer carry on and am looking for a buyer with the interest and passion to take forward this unique endeavour. Should that person wish it, I would be more than happy, when possible, to act as mentor and guide.’
Read more about the sale and see photos here.
Properties of your dreams
Beyond brown bungalows and uniform new builds, there are some gorgeous houses around the UK. On the market recently there was this historic English country house (which is linked to two kings) going on the market, this £19 million English country estate, this massive Scottish castle and this slightly smaller Welsh fortress.
Did you see that a Yorkshire Dales edition of Monopoly has been released?
Plus: The UK’s biggest pub chain could soon go bust.
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