AN historic Notts building built to keep local men out of taverns is to go under the hammer later this month.

The Parish Rooms in Laxton were built in the 19th Century on land gifted to the parish by Earl Manvers of Thoresby Hall.

The original aim was to create a place where people could meet – without having to go to public houses.

The building is to be sold off with planning permission for conversion to residential use.

Acting on the instructions of the Southwell and Nottingham Diocesan Board of Finance, The County Property Auction, will put the building up for auction.

The County Property Auction's Rob Ward said: "Apparently the main use in the Victorian period was as a reading room. Men could go along and meet their friends or read the newspapers without the temptations of The Dovecote Arms.

"Over the years the use of the Parish Rooms changed and since the youth club moved out ten years ago the building has been standing empty.

"There is now full planning permission for the building to be converted to a two-bedroom property. It is attracting a lot of interest and given the guide price – £65,000 – and its location in the middle of a really nice village, that's hardly surprising."

The auction, at the Bentley Hotel in Lincoln at 3pm on July 22, will see more than £1.5m of property go under the hammer.

Another property up for auction is 1 Airfield Cottages at Balderton near Newark, a two-bedroom semi-detached period cottage. The guide price is £95,000.

It is one of 11 properties with pre-sale guide prices of under £100,000.

The catalogue and list of viewing sessions are available from the offices of JHWalter in Mint Lane or at jhwalter.co.uk.