Historic school exceeds sale price

The former Church of England School on St Luke’s Road in Ironbridge, known locally as the ‘Blue School’, proved to be a popular lot at Halls’ final property and land auction of the year, selling above its guide price for £125,000. The Grade II listed building was part of a successful collective property and land auction on Friday that saw 17 lots sell for a combined total of £2.2 million across Shropshire and Cheshire.

Auctioneers Halls described the Blue School as an exciting renovation opportunity.

The unique property comprises a two-bedroomed duplex, a one-bedroom apartment, a studio, and two spacious former classrooms. It also includes two parcels of land which offer potential for development and parking, subject to receiving the necessary planning consent.

The auction’s top seller was Bank Cottage, Bickley Town, Malpas, a charming two-bedroomed detached cottage which sold for £350,000.

Another notable result was 38, Diksmuide Drive, Ellesmere, a detached three-bedroomed family home that raced away from its £150,000 guide price to sell for £221,000.

The auction demonstrated strong results for properties needing modernisation, with ten homes sold on behalf of Connexus, a community focused rural housing group.

Jon Quinn, Halls’ managing director, commented on the firm’s recent success.

“The last couple of years have marked one of the most successful periods in the long history of Halls’ property auctions,” Mr Quinn said. “Our collective property auctions have set a new benchmark, regularly delivering sale rates in excess of 90 per cent and proving to be one of the most effective routes to market for a wide variety of residential, commercial and land opportunities.”

Mr Quinn added that Friday’s event, which sold 17 of the 19 lots on offer, was “a clear sign of both market confidence and the effectiveness of the Halls approach.”

The next collective property and land auction is scheduled for Friday, February 27, 2026.