17th century castle on sprawling Cornwall peninsula hits the market for almost $13 million

A 17th-century castle on its own sprawling peninsula on England’s south-western tip has hit the market for £7 million ($12.7 million).

Cornwall’s Ince Castle was built in the mid-17th century by Henry Killigrew, an English diplomat and ambassador.

Rumour has it Mr Killigrew kept his four wives in each of Ince’s four towers, unbeknownst to each other.

He surrendered the castle to parliamentary troops during the English Civil War in 1646.

Since then the property has exchanged hands a number of times and has undergone several renovations.

It was last purchased in the 1960s by Simon Lennox-Boyd and his wife Lady Alice Boyd.

The castle has 13 bedrooms, eight bathrooms, six reception rooms and several recreational spaces including a swimming pool, tennis court, private quay and even a beach.

The rooms are all marked by different features with some coloured light pink, others covered in floral wallpaper and the library containing a wrap-around, floor-to-ceiling bookcase.

The listing describes the property as having “excellent sporting potential” for activities like shooting and sailing.

The sprawling estate also has a secondary house, five cottages and guest and staff flats. Part of the land is let out to local farmers.

The estate sits on a 77-hectare peninsula in the middle of the English countryside and is about a four-and-a-half hour drive to London.

In 1988, the house suffered serious fire damage internally, which allowed for major updates during the restoration process.

“The fire did have a silver lining,” said Lady Boyd. “It did mean we were able to put in a central staircase and a modern kitchen, and generally haul it into the 20th century.”

The castle is reportedly Grade-1 listed, which is Australia’s equivalent of being heritage listed for its historical value, and can’t be demolished or altered without special permission.