A taste of Georgian grandeur.

Byline: Ajmal Sarwar

THE sale of a magnificent Grade II listed Georgian country estate will end a link with the property going back more than 200 years.

The Newton Hall Estate, with its 182 acres, is perfect for those who love nature, with its family shoot, lake and woodland.

The main house comes with delightful gardens, staff accommodation, a courtyard, outbuildings, two flats and three cottages.

The sale of the estate, at Newtonon-the-Moor, Northumberland, eight miles from Alnwick, follows the death of Captain Francis Widdrington and brings to an end the Widdringtons' 200-year association with Newton Hall.

The hall was built in 1772 for Samuel Cook. It was passed on to his grandson, Samuel Edward Cook, who later became known as Samuel Widdrington and inherited the Hauxley Estate from his grandmother Frances Widdrington.

Richard Landale of Sale & Partners, joint selling agents with Savills, has known the Widdrington family for many years and has mixed feelings about selling such an historic property.

He said: "It is difficult not to feel sad that the Widdrington family's association with the estate has come to an end, yet it is immensely positive that the estate will have the chance to have new life breathed back into it." The Widdringtons have a colourful history, with Lord Widdrington being dismissed from Parliament as an MP for Northumberland in the 17th Century and being banished as a traitor by Cromwell during the Civil War.

Mr Landale said Capt Widdrington was a "larger than life character" who hosted "wonderful shoots and parties on the estate".

Newton Hall has a host of architectural features and a wealth of history. It includes five main reception rooms, eight bedrooms, a large conservatory, cellars, a coach house and a tennis court.

The hall has grand murals of Venetian scenes and London Bridge, and stone ornaments in the gardens including a pair of stone lions which once formed part of the Court of Lions in the Moorish Palace, Spain.

It has many unusual features, most notably a stable clock, made in 1763 as a present for Princess Amelia, a daughter of George II.

The village of Newton-on-the- Moor is just off the A1 with views to the coast and countryside.

Newton Hall is for sale at pounds 2.75m through Sale and Partners, tel [phone]..

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HISTORIC The imposing Newton Hall is set in 182 acres of land and is packed with fabulous period features typified in the living areas pictured below. There are extensive gardens and a lake.