'Withnail and I' farmhouse goes up for sale

A remote Cumbrian farmhouse which provided the backdrop for the cult British film Withnail and I has been put up for auction with a guide price of £145,000.

Sleddale Hall, near the village of Shap, south of Penrith, has remained largely untouched since it featured in the 1987 comedy, which followed the hedonistic, alcohol-fuelled antics of a pair of out-of-work actors.

The film, which was written and directed by Bruce Robinson, is set in 1969 and starred Richard E Grant, right, as the eponymous Withnail and Paul McGann as his thespian sidekick. The pair decide to leave their dingy flat in London for a weekend in the country, but arrive at the house with no food and have to make do with the contents of the drinks cupboard.

The stone house, which is being sold by the water company United Utilities, is more than a mile from the nearest inhabited house and is only accessible by a dirt track. It dates back to the 18th century and contains many of the original features seen in the film. It is due to go under the hammer in London on 16 February.

Paul Mooney, of Savills estate agents, said: "Withnail is an iconic film and there may be a few eccentrics who would be interested in owning a piece of film history."