The Dell, the amazing house Wallace built in Grays in Essex from the profits of his trip to the Malay Archipelago is up for sale! See http://www.thedellessex.co.uk/ Considering it has 9 bedrooms the price of £1,500,000 isn't too bad I guess! However, I don't think I will be snapping it up!
I have always fantasized about buying this house and turning at least part of it into a Wallace Museum, and/or using it for some purpose that would benefit the study of the natural world in some way e.g. using it as the headquarters for a natural history society or a conservation organisation. However, knowing how much effort it took to raise the £50,000 for the Wallace statue, I don't fancy trying to raise £1,500,000 plus running costs, unless I was to give up my job and do it full time.
For more information about the history of the house see http://wallacefund.info/2002-dell-plaque
UPDATE, April 2017:
In 2015 the price of the property was reduced to £700,000. It was purchased by the Navbridge Group and is being converted into two 2 bedroom and one 3 bedroom flats. The council gave permission to cut down the trees on the property which had tree protection orders on them. For more information see the "Documents" section of the Planning Application HERE.
Add new comment