ONE of the grandest and most historic buildings in York has been sold for what is understood to be just above its £1.25 million price tag.

Penn House, which sits on the corner of Bootham and St Mary’s, was built in 1851 by Joseph Rowntree.

It is believed to have been bought as a family home.

The house had been on sale with York estate agent James Naish since February.

Mr Naish, 39, had a personal interest in the sale as Joseph Rowntree was his great-great-great grandfather.

Mr Naish described the building as “vast” with the floor space over the top three floors in excess of 8,200 sq ft, along with all the basement rooms.

Before the recent sale he said there had been plenty of interest in the building from developers wanting to convert the house into apartments or two separate town houses and from individuals wanting to keep it as one house.

While the actual price is not yet known, it is believed Penn House was sold for just above its asking price.

Mr Naish said he has mixed feelings about the sale, both because of his Rowntree connections and because he is one of five generations of the Naish family to attend Bootham School, which had owned the building since 1921.

He said: “I’m still involved with the school on the old scholars’ committee and my father, Nigel, was there before me, but the school just doesn’t need the building any more as they want all their buildings to be on the other side of Bootham. It’s surplus to requirement.”

Speaking before the sale, he said: “It’s surprised me just how many people have got the kind of money needed to spend on the house, because to buy it and do it up would cost in the region of £2 million.”