THE decision to put Old Forde House up for sale was ‘not easy’, Teignbridge District Council (TDC) have said.

In its latest Residents Newsletter, TDC said that, while the decision to sell was not easy, it reflects its commitment to ‘responsible asset and financial management’.

By selling the Grade I listed building, the hope is that ‘a new owner will be able to invest in and celebrate this important heritage asset for years to come’, the council says.

Bought by TDC in the late 70s, Old Forde House has been used for weddings, meetings and as an office space.

But, since refurbishing its offices at Forde House, Old Forde House is, operationally speaking, ‘no longer needed’, the council says.

Last year, members of TDC approved proposals to sell Old Forde House as part of a review of the authority's assets.

Old Forde House is listed as an ‘Asset of Community Value’, hence the council had to follow a rigid process when looking to dispose of it.

Following the conclusion of this process, however, no groups put forward a formal bid to purchase the property; TDC, therefore, have now listed it on the open market.

The sale is being handled by Vickery Holman Property Consultants, with offers in the region of £1.5 million being sought.

The sale also includes the car park and the front lawn.

Old Forde House, originally known as Forde House, was built in the mid-1500s. In the early 1600s it was redeveloped for Sir Richard Reynell, then MP for Mitchell in Cornwall.

The changes included an E-shaped floor plan, possibly in in honour of Queen Elizabeth I who died in 1603.

In September 1625 King Charles I stayed at the house while on a trip to Plymouth.

During the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell and Colonel Fairfax rested there before the second Siege of Exeter.

William of Orange stayed at the house in 1688.