Historic £500k Lodge in Leyland is up for grabs

Levens Lodge was built as a convalescence home which was used by returning soldiers following the conflict.

The building dates back to 1911 and had just been released onto the property market by estate agents, Reeds Rains, Leyland. Branch manager Lisa Danylenko said: “It is always exciting to get a property of this calibre on the market and particularly one that has such an interesting story behind it. This property, in particular, offers a number of unique features which we’d rarely have the opportunity to market.”

Country houses had a huge part to play in the First World War, according to the National Trust.

Although the fighting was done many miles away, large houses were transformed into training camps, hospitals and accommodation for land girls and returning soldiers to help the war effort.

Initially, it was predicted that only 50,000 hospital beds would be needed to nurse injured soldiers and these could be accommodated in existing military hospitals and voluntary hospitals. But by the end of 1914, 73,000 wounded men had been brought back to England, and it was clear that more beds would be urgently needed.

A scramble for additional hospital accommodation ensued.

Owners of some country houses volunteered them as convalescent homes, while others were requisitioned.

The semi-detached property, retains much of its original charm and character and plays host to a number of genuine features including a maple parquet flooring and a grand entrance hall.