MONTHS of work to restore the historic Sion Hill Court in Wolverley has paid off - with all five of the exclusive properties in the main house being snapped up in a single weekend.

The Georgian building has been radically transformed into seven luxury properties by a team of experienced joiners, stonemasons and restoration experts, working closely with the conservation team at Wyre Forest District Council.

The estate was divided into five homes in the Principal House, all featuring oak and cedar panelling with grand Georgian reception rooms, and two homes in the former Coach House.

The properties in the main house - including an eight bedroomed home on three floors, costing £875,000 - were all sold during a viewing weekend. The two Coach House homes will be ready for sale in about three weeks, with a queue of potential purchasers in line.

Kevin Curry, the building contractor in charge of the development, said: "One of our biggest jobs was to restore the Georgian faade to its original status."

Inside, some of the most imposing features of the house are the 17th century fireplace and panelling believed to have been stripped from Tickenhill Palace near Bewdley in 1660. Most of the wood has required only French polishing, but parts were found to be damaged and have been replaced.

These panels, as well as many of the oak doors, staircase supports and skirting in the house, have been hand-made to order by a specialist architectural joiner in Birmingham. The early 19th century stained glass panels in the main door bear the famous Baskerville crest, while most of the windows throughout the house are made of traditional Crown glass and are subject to a preservation order.

While many of these features have been on view throughout the ages, Sion Hill Court still had secrets to uncover. During surveying of the 18-acre grounds, Kevin Curry quite literally stumbled across an old ice cave, used for preserving meat in pre-refrigerator days.

And inside the Coach House the team also discovered some magnificent beam work dating back to Tudor times.

"It's very satisfying to think that craftsmanship which has lain hidden for centuries can now be appreciated 500 years later," added Mr Curry.