One of Derbyshire’s landmark historic houses with a secret door and passageway is set to be the star of SDL Auction Graham Penny’s February auction.

The Homestead in Spondon village is understood to be the oldest of only three houses with Grade I-listed status in Derby.

An extra exciting attraction is a secret door concealed behind the left-hand fireplace alcove in the morning sitting room on the ground floor, opening into a passageway with private access to the basement wine cellarage.

The property, which is offered freehold with vacant possession upon completion, has a *guide price of £590,000+ and is expected to draw competitive bidding at the auction on 22 February at Pride Park Stadium.

Robert Stone, senior valuer at SDL Auctions Graham Penny, said: “The Homestead is a quite magnificent and much-coveted home of an architectural calibre rarely found, and much coveted.

“The fact that it contains such a wonderful hidden surprise in its secret door and passageway makes it even more attractive.

“This is a rare opportunity to acquire a home of elegance and stature, with a fascinating and long history.”

As well as an imposing exterior, The Homestead has generous interior accommodation, offering nine bedrooms in the main house.

The property, set in approximately 1.1 acres of mature grounds, also contains a coach house garage and a self-contained four bedroomed annex connected internally to the main house through the side hall.

The fine and substantial building has been described as a “county house in the town” and has a fascinating and long history. It is mentioned by the renowned architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner in his book “Buildings of Derbyshire” as “among several good Georgian brick houses”.

Mr Stone said: “On first impressions when viewing, you cannot fail to be impressed by the scale of the property, especially when you step through the sweeping stone stepped formal entrance into the remarkable main entrance hall.

“The scale of the entrance hall, 35.6ft by 12ft, and its exquisite period design immediately gives an indication of the measure and proportion of this rather special house.

“It is rare for properties such as this to come to the market and we are expecting strong interest in this exceptional lot.”

The herringbone oak block flooring leads through the decorative central feature archway to the rear hall and stairwell.

The solid oak cantilevered staircase rises in three flights to the main central landing gallery above.

The ground floor is completed by a formal dining room, an elegant drawing room/library, a garden sitting room and further day room before one enters the stunning open plan country kitchen measuring an impressive 31ft x 15.9ft.

The barrel-vaulted cellarage can also be used in a substantial three room office configuration.

On the first floor, the fine-galleried landing leads to the first of nine bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms on the first and second floors.