Sheppey’s historic Shurland Hall has gone on the market for £2.5 million.

The 16th century grade ll-listed house, with seven acres of grounds, lake and sweeping drive, was built by Sir Thomas Cheyney who played host to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn in October 1532.

It is built on the site of a 13th century castle created for the de Shurland family. Sir Robert de Shurland is featured in the Ingoldsby legend of Grey Dolphin.

It is currently home to retired advertising executive Dan Donoghue and his wife Suzanne who run a champagne importing business called Andromeda Boru.

Estate agents Fine and Country from West Malling are marketing it somewhat low-key as a “five-bedroom detached house” although they do describe it as “one of the region’s finest homes.”

Its distinctive octagonal towers and battlements resemble the Tudor Palace gatehouse at Hampton Court.

It fell into ruins after being abandoned by the Army, which requisitioned it during the Second World War, and was only saved by the Spitalfields Trust in 2006 with a grant from English Heritage and a loan from the Architectural Heritage Fund.

After five years of extensive renovations and £1.8 million it now has three bathrooms, four reception rooms and a converted barn with kitchen, WC and bar. The site, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, is largely enclosed by 16th-century stone and brick garden walls and has commanding views across the Swale and Thames Estuary.

The O’Donoghues, who had been living in Norfolk, snapped it up for £1.5 million and moved in during the bitterly cold winter of 2013.

Daniel recalled in an interview with the Sheerness Times Guardian: “It was a very, very cold spring morning. The house still didn’t have any gas or electricity and although it had one bathroom we had no water”

Suzanne said: “Because it was so cold we camped on the floor of the dining room in front of a log fire.”

The couple have not responded to requests for a comment on the sale.

They are hoping for offers between £2.5 and £2.75 million.