With the debut of the Andover Masterplan, there’s going to be a lot of redevelopment in the town centre in years to come.

But for one of the oldest buildings in Andover, this is all something that’s happened before.

What’s more, it could be yours, as Chantry Cottage, located next to St Mary’s Church, goes up for sale.

Originally constructed as Ford Cottage in 1550, the building subsequently fell into disrepair. This led to a number of schemes to rejuvenate the cottage and the land it sat on, including incorporating it into a hotel and a shopping centre, over recent decades.

Eventually, in 2009, it was taken down from its location in Chantry Street, near to where the Chantry Lodge care home is now located, and rebuilt on Marlborough Street using “75 percent of the original timber”. The move was controversial, with a letter to the Advertiser at the time saying that its new site had “spoilt the approach to the church.”

The same letter also questioned what type of person would want to buy the house. In 2013, Ruth Sparkes answered that question. “We fell in love with it straight away,” she told The Advertiser, “and bought it almost on impulse. It’s got so much history, but it’s so easy to live in.”

Unfortunately, it’s time for Ruth and her family to move on. “It’s going to be a wrench,” she said. “I’m not spending as much time in the country anymore, so it’s not worth me rattling around in a four bedroom house on my own.”

As a result, the property is now on the market for £435,000, and viewings can be arranged on request. More information can be found on the house's website here.