A 'handsome' listed County Durham building with an unusual L-shaped layout has been put on the market for £595,000.

Estate agents Strutt and Parker said Unthank Hall, near Stanhope, is one of the oldest unaltered L-shaped manor houses in Northern England.

The Grade II* listed residence, described by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as a "handsome building", was constructed in the 17th century.

However, it incorporates older features, including Tudor-arched fireplaces, mullioned windows and exposed beams.

(Image: Strutt and Parker) Historical records suggest a house existed on the site before 1200, with explicit references to the 'manor of Unthank' from 1395.

The property has been passed through several families over the centuries, with estate agents claiming it is the first time the house has been on the market in 400 years.

Situated on the southern bank of the River Wear, the property offers views of the Weardale Hills.

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The house, which is in need of some modernisation, retains many period features including a drawing room with exposed wood flooring and an open fireplace, a family room with a Tudor-arched inglenook fireplace, and a kitchen with a bread oven and wood-burning stove.

(Image: Strutt and Parker) The first floor, accessible via stone winder staircases, houses four spacious double bedrooms, all with fireplaces, and a family bathroom featuring a claw-footed stand-alone bath.

Upper levels include a bedroom with an en suite shower room, three further bedrooms, and two attic rooms that could be renovated to provide two additional bedrooms.

(Image: Strutt and Parker) The property, which is approached via a gravelled driveway, also includes a generous utility room, a cloakroom, and a large external store.

Grounds, extending to 1.8 acres, include two spacious stone-walled garden paddocks, a flagstone yard, and a more formal garden encircling the house.

Estate agents said various spots within the grounds provide ideal 'al fresco' dining space and offer views of the surrounding countryside.

Unthank Hall is located on the outskirts of Stanhope, a popular tourist destination in the Weardale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.