WHAT stories seeped into the timber frames of Penrhos Court back when it could be counted amongst the county's best kept secrets?

Film and rock stars, world renowned authors, and leading business figures saw the secluded manor house near Kington as a hideaway.

Testament to that time are the substantial scrapbooks sustained by the Penrhos Court guest list from the 1970s-1990s.

Led Zeppelin are there.

As are Fanny and Johnny Craddock.

That was then.

Now, Grade II listed 13th century (or so thought) Penrhos Court – and all its stories within - is up for sale at an asking price of £825,000.

Joint agents Knight Frank and McCartneys expect to be showing interested parties around from this month.

Current owner John Rudge is sure prospective buyers will see what he saw in perusing Penrhos Court ahead of a deal in 2013 that saw the house change hands for the first time in 40 years.

To make that next deal go down all the sweeter, John can pitch 18 months of work put into the place on advice from planners, artisans and historians alike.

Penrhos Court, says John, is now ready for its next incarnation.

“A lot of the work we have done has been about improving the surrounds, where we go from here is up to interested purchasers,” he said.

Circumstances were far different for the previous purchase in 1971.

Businessman Martin Griffiths and his partner Daphne Lambert built the house into what is was to become from the blunt description of “derelict”.

They restored the hall, manor house and byre buildings into a successful hotel with a restaurant that was the first in the UK to qualify for the Soil Association symbol.

The couple’s  commitment to organic produce was as ahead of its time as  the development of a cooking school with accompanying international reputation.

More recent history was made with the granting of planning permission in October last year for four “dwellings” on site created through conversion.

There is also a go-ahead for the building of two garage blocks.

While John says he’s keen not to “prejudice” ideas the next owner may have, he accepts restoration as a high-end hotel is an obvious option.

Jonathan Bengough of the Hereford office of agents Knight Frank, is just as sure Penrhos Court has more stories in it – the only question being how they will be told.

“Penrhos Court has huge potential, where its future lies is in the hands of a purchaser with the vision to take this unusual property and bring it back to life,” he said.