New life for Old Bell

England's oldest purpose-built hotel has been sold for close to £3m.

The Old Bell hotel in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, which dates from the 12th century, has been bought by the owners of the 22-bedroom Fosse Manor hotel in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds.

The new owners plan to develop the Old Bell alongside Fosse Manor. General manager David Williams said the Old Bell would be refurbished, to maintain and improve its reputation. He added that Fosse Manor's owners were also "slowly looking" at developing a small group of similar hotel properties.

The 31-bedroom Old Bell was built to provide refreshments for visitors to Malmesbury Abbey next door. Since then, it has been developed into a three-star, two-AA-rosette hotel and restaurant, themed in a combination of period and Japanese styles.

Knight Frank was the agent for the sale.