You could win Henry VIII’s £2,500,000 Wiltshire mansion for £10

For as little as £10, you could walk the same halls as King Henry VIII as his former Wiltshire property – valued at £2,500,000 – is being raffled.

Built in the 1500s, the historic Grade II-listed house – less than 20 minutes from Swindon – was gifted by Henry VIII to Edward Seymour, the brother of his third wife, Jane Seymour, in 1536.

Five years after the death of Henry VIII in 1537, Edward was appointed Lord Protector of the Realm and Governor of the King’s Person – and so looked after the young King Edward VI – but he was later executed for treason in 1552.

However, the Wiltshire home remained in the Seymour family for more than 100 years after his death, before being gifted to Brasenose College at the University of Oxford.

Later on in the 1700s, the house was extended to make room for the Tudor-style Queen Anne wing – which increased the total floorspace to more than 5,000 square feet.

Now modernised with thoughtful décor, the home – which comes fully furnished – has six bedrooms, four reception rooms and three bathrooms, as well as a playroom, cloakroom, upstairs study and a downstairs office.

An array of original features remains inside, including the elm floors and the main staircase.

Want to channel the Tudor history behind it? The farmhouse kitchen is undoubtedly the heart of the home – up for grabs through Raffle House – and is still furnished with its traditional wooden ceiling beams.

And if you’re into wine, you’ll be inheriting two cellars both fit for the purpose.

There’s plenty of storage too, as the house comes with a series of outbuildings including a 1,900 square foot barn. If you’re up for the task, this has planning permission to convert into a four-bedroom house.

‘We’re really excited by our latest Dream Home draw for so many reasons. It’s not only rich in history, but also full of potential,’ says James Mieville, Executive Director of Raffle House.

‘With the outbuildings ripe for development and the tranquil setting being in such close proximity to London, we could easily imagine the property being an ideal spot for a retreat or holiday rental business. The winner could even build a house in the barn and then sell off the main house. The potential here is endless.’

‘We always give our winners the chance to keep the property they win or take the cash equivalent instead. But this prize also offers development potential and a possible business opportunity, so the lucky winner will have even more options than usual.’

This isn’t the only Wiltshire property linked to Henry VIII. There’s also the famous Wolf Hall in Burbage, the inspiration behind Hilary Mantel’s acclaimed book of the same name.

Though Henry VIII didn’t own this famous home, it was here that he met Sir John Henry Seymour’s daughter, Jane, who was later destined to become his third wife in 1536.

Famously Henry VIII’s favourite wife, Jane was the mother of Edward VI, though she sadly died during childbirth just one year after marrying Henry VIII.

Henry visited the estate twice, once in 1535 and again in 1539, as Sir John – who was a courtier for both Henry and his father, Henry VII – was the head of the household at Wolf Hall.

Outside of Wiltshire, Henry VIII was acknowledged as one of the greatest royal builders. In 1509, when he ascended to the throne, around 20 royal houses were used by the royal family.

Within 20 years, he had added another 20 estates – and by his death in 1547, as per the Royal Palaces website, there were ‘at least’ another 25.

Interested in acquiring your own slice of royal history? Paid entries to the Raffle House draw can be purchased for as little as £10, which gives players 15 chances to win.

But if you don’t have the cash to spare, you can also enter for free via post. And if you enter before January 31, you’ll also be entered into a bonus draw for a chance to win a Mercedes AMG Couple worth £55,000.

Entries close on February 28, and the winner will be drawn on March 7.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.