AN estate agent employed to find a buyer for the historic Windlestone Hall estate has said her involvement was an “utter nightmare”.

Jan Dale, director of Urban Base, described how she had been duped by William Davenport and his family.

The firm, which has offices in Newcastle and Durham, placed a £2.5million price tag on Windlestone and its associated buildings and grounds, near Rushyford, County Durham, when it was put up for sale by the Davenports in 2014.

The Northern Echo: ON THE MARKET: For sale signs up outside Windlestone Hall Estate, near Rushyford, County Durham Picture: TOM BANKS

SALE: A for sale sign outside the Windlestone Hall estate in 2014. PICTURE: Tom Banks

They passed themselves off as wealthy American investors with plans to restore the estate to its former splendour, but the reality was nothing of the sort and William Davenport was recently jailed for six years for making fraudulent mortgage and loan applications.

He remains the registered owner of the hall, although surrounding land and an access road to the estate now belongs to Northumbria-based businessman Garry Moat. When approached by The Northern Echo, he said he did not want to comment at this stage.

Asked to describe her experience, Ms Dale said: “An utter nightmare, they had me completely believing every word.

“It now appears another sorry ending for a magnificent historic hall. [It’s] sad for our region’s property market.”

The Echo understands representatives of William Davenport are now in discussions with Barclays Bank, which financed the Davenports’ purchase of the estate, with the likelihood the hall will be repossessed and put up for sale again.

Jailed Davenport, a three-times bankrupt who has also used multiple identities, is now in a wheelchair after an operation on his spine and it was conceded by a judge that his stay in prison would be difficult.

The 60-year-old and his wife Ann, who police said would have been charged alongside her husband had she not returned to the US, also wanted to buy Otterburn Hall, in Northumberland, a former hotel, and like Windlestone, turn it into an equestrian centre.

But they walked away from the sale after a dispute over footpath access which split opinion among the local parish council and villagers.

Andrew Robbins, chairman of Otterburn Parish Council, said: “They [the Davenports] seemed well-to-do and wanted the best for the village.

“However, they caused a lot of dissent in the village, there are footpaths across the land there and they wanted to close them off.

“In the long run it may well be a case of good riddance. In that respect [William Davenport’s jailing], we have had a lucky escape.”