A Grade I-listed 15th-century country house with a long history of celebrity guests has been placed on the market for £18 million.
Stapleford Park in Leicestershire most recently operated as a wedding venue, hosting the 2011 marriage of footballer Peter Crouch and model Abbey Clancy.
However, the 48-bedroom mansion, set in 54 acres of grounds, closed abruptly in October 2024 after citing “adverse trading conditions”. Several wedding bookings were cancelled at short notice.
The estate has also welcomed an extraordinary list of VIP guests. Michael Jackson was invited to the 25th birthday celebrations of Prince Abdul Azim of Brunei, held at the Leicestershire property in May 2007. Former monarchs George VI and Edward VIII were among its royal visitors.
During its years as a luxury hotel, Stapleford Park hosted stars including Lionel Richie, David Beckham, Will Smith, Elizabeth Hurley, Mariah Carey and Naomi Campbell.
Guns N’ Roses stayed at the estate during the 2018 Download Festival, while its grounds featured in an episode of The Avengers, helped by the miniature railway running through the parkland.
The historic country house is being marketed by Strutt & Parker and includes a seven-room spa and wellness centre, four tennis courts and an indoor swimming pool.
Mark Rimell, director of Strutt & Parker’s national country house department, said: ‘Stapleford Park is one of the most important houses in Leicestershire, in the heart of England, with a rich and varied history woven into this commanding building.
Grade I-listed Stapleford Park in Leicestershire has been listed for £18 million. The property was most recently a wedding venue and hosted Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy’s wedding in 2011
The country house, marketed by Strutt & Parker, features a seven-room spa and wellness centre, four tennis courts and an indoor pool
Strutt & Parker said the property offers ‘the blueprint … to revive a country house hotel business, or create an exclusive country members club’
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Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy celebrated their wedding at Stapleford Park in 2011
‘In more recent years the house has been run as a hotel and wedding venue, while now the opportunity presents itself for someone to take stewardship of the house and compact estate.
‘While the blueprint is here to revive a country house hotel business, or create an exclusive country members club complete with spa, treatment rooms and restaurants, it’s not beyond the scope of possibility to restore the house to a private dwelling should there be the appetite.
‘Stapleford Park is available to purchase “lock, stock, and barrel” so one could be up and running very quickly’.
The Domesday Book records a house on the Stapleford Park site dating back to the 11th century.
The broader Stapleford Park Estate remained in the hands of the Sherard family for nearly 500 years. Stapleford Park House began as two separate manors before they were reunited in the early 16th century.
While the Sherards owned the estate, they commissioned landscape designer Capability Brown to remodel both the parkland and the Hall.
The family sold the estate in 1885. In more recent history, it was acquired by American restaurateur Bob Payton, who bought the house in 1988 with plans to turn it into a hotel.
His obituary said he spent heavily on the property, hiring Wedgwood, Turnbull & Asser and Crabtree & Evelyn to redecorate its rooms.
The estate was also owned by British business leader and historic house enthusiast, Peter de Savary, who made additions including the indoor swimming pool and wellness facilities.