Thorpe Hall mansion in Peterborough up for sale to ensure hospice care can continue

The historic Thorpe Hall Mansion is going up for sale as part of plans to ensure Sue Ryder can continue to provide high quality, expertise care at the Peterborough hospice.

Sue Ryder, which is the current custodian of Grade I Listed Thorpe Hall mansion house and Grade II listed gardens in Longthorpe, just outside Peterborough city centre, first announced in 2023 that it had begun working with local planners, heritage experts and a property consultancy firm to find a sustainable future for the building.

No impact on inpatient or community services as a result of the sale

As part of the next step in the process, the charity will shortly be listing parts of estate, including the Thorpe Hall mansion house, some agricultural land and the separate lodge house, for sale on the open market.

Martin Wildsmith, Chief Commercial Officer for Sue Ryder, said that services at the hospice will not be affected by the sale, as the land on which Sue Ryder’s inpatient unit is located is excluded from the listing, with the charity continuing to provide care from its inpatient unit and in people’s homes in local communities as normal.

However, he added that financial pressures on the charity meant that action had to be taken.

“The age and listed status of the Thorpe Hall mansion house is making maintaining the building and estate very challenging"

Mr Wildsmith said: “I would like to thank all partners we have been working with for their valued expertise in getting us to the point where we are now ready to take the next vital step in our search for a more sustainable future for the mansion house and part of the estate.

“We have shared previously how the age and listed status of the Thorpe Hall mansion house is making maintaining the building and estate very challenging for our charity at a time the cost of delivering our care is rising, and more people are needing our support. These pressures are sharply increasing, which is why we must take action now, not only to preserve this unique building but to ensure our charity funds are not diverted away from those who depend on our care.”

“Sue Ryder appreciates this is a building of historical importance. We are doing all we can as a healthcare charity to secure its positive future while ensuring inpatient care will continue from the site, so our care teams can be there when it matters for people at the end of their lives or living with grief.

“Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice’s inpatient unit remains a vibrant, vital service for the local community, which alongside our care in the community and bereavement services supports thousands of people.

“By seeking a more sustainable future for the mansion house and parts of the wider estate now, we can provide more of this care to more people in the future.”

Thorpe Hall was built in the 1650s, and along with serving time as a mansion has been a hospital, before Sue Ryder took control of it in 1986.