A rural estate outside Maldon, with more than 1,000 acres of land, is on the market this week.

With a price tag of more than £1.25 million, the 1,304-acre Mundon Hall Estate is the first 1,000-acre single tenanted estate to come to the open market in Essex for three years.

The estate consists of a seven-bedroomed farmhouse, two detached houses, three farm cottages, an extensive range of traditional dairy and arable farm buildings, 750,000 litres of milk quota, pasture, salt marshes and sea wall.

The site is currently owned by a pension company and is let under a traditional tenancy to the Rowsell family, who farm there.

Chris Rowley, who is handling the sale at FPD Savills in Chelmsford, said: "It will be sold subject to the Rowsells in occupation.

"Very few let estates of this scale have come on to the market in recent years and we are expecting interest from not only traditional buyers but also private trusts and individuals.

"The pension fund which has owned it has taken the decision to sell it now. The majority of pension funds are disinvesting in agriculture and putting money into other property to maintain their portfolios."

Mr Rowley said that it was the first 1,000-acre single tenanted estate to come to the Essex open market since the Guinness estate at Little Baddow was sold in July 1996.

If there is a large amount of interest, sealed bids will be taken.

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