Terraced row of three cottages in leafy village with guide price of zero sell for remarkable price

A row of country cottages, which were on the market for absolutely nothing, have been sold for a surprising £40,000. The three cottages, located in a tranquil village, are the ultimate renovation project, having been vacant for several years.

Despite their dilapidated state, these former miners' buildings, nestled in a picturesque rural setting near the historic village of Machen in Caerphilly, had a reserve price of zero and could be purchased with a starting bid of just £100 at auction.

The cottages, known as the Wesley Buildings, have been partially reclaimed by nature and require extensive refurbishment.

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Gemma Vaughan, from Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions, said: "Interest in the cottages was red hot from the get go with bids piling in as soon as the online auction went live and carried on until the end. The fact that the properties had a £0 guide price added to the interest.

"The cottages are in such a state of disrepair that we weren't able to inspect them prior to the auction and they were accessible for any external viewings only on foot. This only added to the general mystique."

She added: "Wesley Buildings offers the new owner an opportunity to acquire a building which, we're told, was originally three cottages. It has a very interesting history. The vendor advised me that he bought the cottages back in 1979 when he arrived back from Saudi Arabia as a carpenter.

"He bought the property, his old family home, as he saw that it was up for sale. His great grandfather and mother were born there. His great grandfather worked in the tin mine in Machen.

"The cottages are now in an extremely dilapidated condition but could well present a blank canvas to a developer, subject to planning and the removal of a vast amount of undergrowth.

"The property, which can only be reached on foot as there is no vehicular access, is certainly a challenge."

The three cottages, which are spread over three floors, are as basic as they come and aren't even connected to any utilities, not even water. However they are in an awesome location, near Machen, a large village three miles east of Caerphilly and just up the road from Newport.

They are situated in the Caerphilly Borough within the historic boundaries of old Monmouthshire. It neighbours Bedwas and Trethomas, and forms a council ward in conjunction with these communities.

Lying on the Rhymney river the cottages look out over the towering presence of Mynydd Machen (Machen Mountain).

The cottages attracted 79 bids from 10 individual bidders before the lot was sold for £40,000.