A historic former engine house at St Agnes has sold for nearly three times its freehold guide price at auction.

The Engine House at Wheal Kitty, most recently used as offices, was placed for sale by Cornwall Council with a guide of £50,000.

However, at an auction held on Wednesday (July 24), it fetched £149,100 when the auctioneer’s gavel fell. More than 100 bids were lodged during the auction.

The Engine House at Wheal Kitty has now been sold (Image: Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers)

The Engine House was among 165 lots listed in the latest auction being held by property auctioneers in the UK, Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers.

Senior auction appraiser Katie Semmens said: “There was fierce competition for this property with 104 bids in total during its auction.

“Bidders recognised the rare opportunity to acquire this historic former engine house.

“It occupies a decent sized plot and was most recently used as offices on the popular Wheal Kitty Business Park.”

 

The Engine House consists of three floors with office space on each floor. The property also has a ground-floor storeroom and parking.

Before its life as a commercial property, The Engine House was part of the significant mining activity in St Agnes.

According to the Cornish Mining World Heritage website, following the 1874 crash in tin prices, there was a gradual decline in the scale and output of mines in St Agnes.

The website states that Wheal Kitty was one of for mines which survived after the crash.

Wheal Kitty was one of the mines that managed to survive into the 20th century, operating alongside a few others until the 1920s. By the 1940s, mining activity in the area had ceased entirely.

Office space (Image: Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers)

Clive Emson Auctioneers holds auctions eight times a year offering specialist advice for auction purposes with offices in Essex, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the West Country, selling with skill, speed and efficiency.

Bidding at the next auction by Clive Emson Auctioneers, the sixth this year, is live from September 16, concluding 48 hours later. The deadline for lot entries is August 27, with the catalogue live on August 31.

Visit https://www.cliveemson.co.uk for more details.