The beautiful mansion 'Poundland built' that's on sale for almost £8million

A stunning mansion bought by the founder of Poundland has been put on the market for nearly £8 million. Ludstone Hall was purchased by the late Keith Smith, who founded his discount shop empire back in the 1990s with his son Steve.

Steve is now selling the sprawling, quirky estate, which is nestled within the picturesque Shropshire countryside in Claverley and sits on 177 acres. The 8,000 sq ft property, which is listed for £7.75 million, comes complete with a moat and even a museum dedicated to Poundland. The property is on the market with leading agency Fisher German.

It has nine bedrooms, estate offices and a modern leisure complex with an indoor pool, which includes a function room, bar and dining area. The manor house also comes with four bedrooms and separately comprises a 19th-century Coach House and two-bedroom lodge. See the latest Welsh homes as they come on the market, sign up to our newsletter here

Steve said he and his siblings were selling Ludstone Hall in the hope that another family would cherish this historic estate as they did. He said: "When my parents came back to the UK they wanted to find a home where they would never want to move from, and they certainly found that at Ludstone."

"My mum and dad really loved their time at the estate which can be seen in the amount of money they invested in the property it really is the home that Poundland built. One particular investment they made was installing the swimming pool. They wanted to have a big party for the millennium so had one with a retractable floor installed so that the room could also be used to host events."

"We'd also hold charity events and open up the museum to visitors and raise thousands of pounds for local good causes over the years. The property holds so much historic significance and has only had a handful of owners since it was built."

"We're now keen to see the property go to a new family who can make their memories here. While the Ludstone Hall Estate section of the museum will remain at the property, we'll also be donating all of the Poundland memorabilia to Poundland so that they can preserve the history of the company."

Keith initially ran a market stall and then founded Hooty's Cash and Carry business. When he sold the business and moved to Mallorca in 1990, Steve remained in the UK and he and his wife Tracy looked to launch a similar retail operation.

Inspired by his father's stories of the '10p box' on the market, he envisaged selling items for just £1 and, with a £50,000 loan from his father, Steve launched Poundland in 1990. The very first Poundland was opened in the Octagon Shopping Centre, in Burton Upon Trent, Staffs. , in December, 1990, and took more than £13,000 on its first day.

But it was the family's second store at the prestigious Meadowhall Shopping Centre, in Sheffield, which catapulted Poundland's success. It led to the company opening stores across England with great success. Steve sold Poundland for £50m in 2002.

His father Keith returned from Spain to the UK in 1997 and purchased Ludstone Hall for £2.5 million. The couple's love for the property led to extensive refurbishments, with the estate boasting a coach house, a two-bedroom lodge, and a unique museum.

The Ludstone section of the museum showcases historical documents and artefacts discovered on the estate, while the Poundland area provides a peek into the retailer's history, including the inspiration behind the brand and its journey from a single store to a nationwide chain with over 850 outlets across the UK.

Ludstone Hall has roots dating back to medieval times, but the current building was erected around 1607 by the Whitmore family on the original moated site. The Whitmores held onto the house for two and a half centuries before it was sold in 1867.

Keith, who passed away in 2022 following a brief fight with lung cancer, would often open the mansion and the 'Poundland museum' to fundraise for his local church and history group. Fisher German and Peter James Property estate agents will be handling the private treaty sale of the property.

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