Receiving a million-dollar inheritance is something that few experience in life, and even less so if it is a surprise. This was the case of a woman who discovered through an envelope on the door of her house that she had inherited a Victorian-era mansion with 88 rooms and that he left her “in a state of shock for a week.”
The heiress Caroline Magnus has told ‘The Telegraph’ the story of his incredible heritage, and how un envelope on the door of his house with his aunt’s willLady Jewell Magnus-Allcroft, and a note revealed that she would be the new owner of Stokesay Court, an imposing Victorian residence near Ludlow (England).
As she explains, although there were rumors in the family about the mansion, she never imagined that she would be the one to carry the legacy. “I didn’t know if he had land or anything about the Allcroft family. It was a very strange situation”, he confessed.
An inheritance that changed his life forever
Without knowing the property or its history well, Caroline was faced with a decision that would change her life forever: accept the inheritance and face the challenge of restoring the imposing mansion.
Although many people advised her against doing so, Caroline explains that “I don’t like being told I can’t do something.”and He auctioned part of the contents of the house, obtaining 4.5 million pounds (5.44 million euros) that allowed him to face his debts and begin rehabilitation. Over the next decade, he worked tirelessly to modernize and restore Stokesay Court to its splendor.
The story of The mansion dates back to the 19th century, it was built in 1889 by John Derby Allcroft, a successful glove maker, as a symbol of ambition and wealth. Although later generations lived in more modest circumstances, Lady Jewell herself lived her final years confined with her husband in the deteriorating “Ladies’ Wing”, while the rest of the mansion remained closed.
From ruined monument to movie set
Caroline explains that she had visited the house a few times when she was little and that it was like traveling in a “time tunnel” and then It was very deteriorated.
But after the restoration, luck smiled on him and a film team put the mansion in the spotlight, they were looking for a house for the adaptation of Atonement. The film, set in 1935 and starring James McAvoy and Keira Knightleywas filmed in 2006, and in addition to being awarded an Oscar and 2 Golden Globes, among other awards, it provided Caroline with a six-figure income, and the opportunity to redecorate several rooms. The owner confesses to the media that this has been one of the happiest moments that the house has given her, “the film gave the house a new history”he explained.