Luxurious manor house within M25 up for sale - and a snip at just £45m

A 17th century Jacobean manor house boasting 25 acres of land just 16 miles from the centre of London has gone on the market for the eye-watering price of £45 million.

Swakeleys House, around the corner from Zone 6 stations Hillingdon and Ickenham, is also likely to need around £10m more spent on it in restoration works.

But despite the staggering price tag, property experts say the rarity of finding a large house with sprawling grounds within the M25 is likely to pique the interest of wealthy buyers.

The Grade II-listed Swakeleys has not been used for a residential home for more than 80 years, but it now has planning permission to be transformed into a family home.

The plans include 23 en-suite bedrooms, a party pavilion for 200 guests, a stable, library, a great hall and a separate office block.

It was originally built in 1629 for merchant Sir Edmund Wright, who went on to become Lord Mayor of London 11 years later.

Sir Edmund then sold it on to another successful businessman, Sir Robert Vyner, in 1665.

Famous London diarist Samuel Pepys was invited to dinner later that year, and - in a rather understated manner - described the house as "a very pleasant place".

It was eventually taken over over by the Foreign Office, which sold it in 1955.

Its anonymous owner, who is thought to live abroad, is now hoping to cash in on the investment, as its agents describe the manor as being "fit for a King".

Property agent Henry Pryor, who helps the super-rich find suitably luxurious homes, said while the proximity to transport links might be off-putting to some, the grandeur of the surroundings might be enough to secure interest.