A former mortuary near Needham Market, Suffolk, built in the 1930s is going up for auction with a guide price of between £60,000 to £80,000 on 26 March.
Offering scope to for an imaginative developer, The Old Mortuary would have serviced locals during the Second World War, when East Anglia experienced several devastating air raids.
It is not known when the property’s life as a mortuary ended, but it retains features harking back to its original use.
These include a bare concrete floor, whitewashed brick walls and two sets of double doors at the front of the building.
Inside the mortuary are two rooms with large windows. The smaller room contains a sink and may once have been the embalming room, according to Auction House.
The larger room has a further set of double doors at the opposite end of the space.
Time for rejuvenation: A former mortuary near Needham Market is going up for auction
Hannah Turner, an area manager at Auction House, told This is Money: ‘This historic mortuary presents a unique opportunity for investors or developers looking to breathe new life into a property with character.
‘It holds incredible potential for redevelopment such as a creative commercial space or workshop.
‘Buildings like this don’t come around often, making this auction lot an exciting prospect for visionary buyers.’
History: The Old Mortuary near Needham Market was built in the 1930s
Features: The property has a bare concrete floor and whitewashed brick walls
Use your imagination: Auction House suggests the site could be turned into a funeral business
Benefits: The property does have a number of surprisingly large windows
Amenities: The site is close to local shops, supermarkets and a nature reserve
Prospective buyers could transform the former mortuary into a workshop or studio.
With planning permissions in place, the site, which is being sold freehold, could also be transformed into an office space, funeral business or other commercial premises.
Auction House added: ‘Alternatively, it could be revitalised as an unconventional home or holiday let, provided approval is granted.
‘No matter what its future use, the new owners will be able to take advantage of a convenient concrete parking area at the front of the building, which provides ample room for commercial or private vehicles.’
The location of The Old Mortuary provides easy access to the centre of Needham Market.
Buyers interested in the more macabre facets of the area’s history can walk down Chainhouse Road, which heralds from when the town was chained at either side to contain the spread of plague in the 1660s.
The Causeway, previously known as The Corpseway, is another infamous route by which plague victims were reportedly transported to their place of burial, Auction House said.
Buying a property at auction can be exciting, but fraught with challenges and pitfalls for the uninitiated.
It is essential to read the legal pack for any property you are interested in and to view the property in person beforehand.
A conveyancing solicitor can help prospective buyers scrutinise the legal pack and assess any potential complications.
If considering buying at auction, it is also a good idea to, when possible, get a survey completed on the property before putting a bid in.
Before placing any bids on a property at auction, set a budget beforehand and stick to it.
