A CASTLE which was due to go under the hammer yesterday has been withdrawn from sale.

But potential buyers will have another chance to bid for Gwrych Castle, Abergele, in a couple of months’ time.

The historic ruin, with a reserve price of £600,000, was listed for auction at the AJ Bell Stadium in Manchester, along with dozens of other properties .

But before bidding could get underway auctioneer Paul Thompson, managing director of Pugh Auctions, said it had been withdrawn on the orders of vendors Edwards Property Management.

“Another piece of land is to be added and it will come back for sale at our June auction,” he said.

Mr Thompson said there had been a considerable amount of interest shown in the property.

“That’s to be expected when you ‘re talking about a Welsh castle,” he commented.

Edwards Property Management bought the 200-year-old castle in 2010 and sister firm Castell Developments were given the go-ahead for a massive restoration project.

It was previously owned by Clayton Hotels but after spending about £500,000 on consolidating the site with a view to converting it into a five-star hotel with 75 bedrooms the company went into receivership.

The sale includes the castle itself, which is now little more than a shell following years of neglect and vandalism, and its 160-acre grounds.

The building is Grade 1 listed and the parkland is Grade II listed and the woods around the castle are designated as a site of special scientific interest.

Thirty acres of the site is subject of a 25-year lease to the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust which has undertaken a great deal of work, while a large portion of the land is on a 999-year lease to Natural Resources Wales.