West Riddlesden Hall: Secret twin to the National Trust's East Riddlesden Hall on the market for £1.395m

However, visitors to popular tourist attraction may be surprised to learn that the property has a lesser-known counterpart just half a mile away.

While East Riddlesden Hall has long welcomed the public through its doors since being acquired by the National Trust in 1934, its architectural twin, West Riddlesden Hall, has remained a private residence – quietly standing as a mirror to its more famous neighbour and steeped in its own rich and layered history.

Now the property, which has been home to the current owners for 24 years, is on the market for £1.395m.

Entrepreneur John Pennington secretly bought West Riddlesden Hall for him and his wife, Josie, in 2001.

The couple had tried to buy the property months before, but the transaction fell through at the final hour.

"My wife was particularly upset about it,” recalls John. “Time went by and the owner came back to me to ask if we wanted to buy it again. I thought it would probably come to nothing so why bother telling Josie?

"To cut a long story short, I ended up buying the place. Afterwards, we were sitting in the Nawaab restaurant in Bradford and I asked her, ‘out of all the houses we’ve looked at in Yorkshire, if you could have any of them, which would you choose?’ She said, ‘without a doubt, West Riddlesden Hall’, so I said: ‘here you are’ and I gave her the keys.”

The couple, who live there with their 26-year-old son, have owned and run hospitality ventures across Bradford for the last 40 years.

They owned the Rock and Heifer pub in Thornton in 1984, the historic Midland Hotel, which was restored and reopened as the Pennington Midland Hotel in 1993, and entertainment venue Pennington’s Live in 1999, which attracted the acts including David Essex, Fun Lovin Criminals, and The Drifters. They also owned and ran the Old Tramshed in Saltaire in 2003 as well as The Octagon in Keighley in 2010.

When they moved into West Riddlesden Hall, the property was in good condition. The redecorated throughout and replaced the boiler but haven’t had much else to do. “My wife is very good on interior design. She had some of the furniture made and created a house to suit us,” says John.

Inside, the property is centred around a striking oak-panelled reception hall beneath a turreted tower, with a flagpole and a four-metre round rose window.

The accommodation includes an entrance lobby, grand reception hall, three reception rooms, kitchen, sunroom, two utility rooms, a downstairs WC, and ancillary staircase.

Upstairs, there are six bedrooms – three with en suites – a master bathroom with jacuzzi, and an additional family bathroom.

The grounds provide parking for six vehicles, alongside a double garage, outbuildings, a gated courtyard, and formal lawned gardens, all enhanced by established trees and a 50-metre-long, 2.8-metre-high stone wall.

Though privately owned, West Riddlesden Hall has a deep history, which was researched by John’s father. The original structure is thought to have been built in the early 15th century by the Maude family, with major extensions in the 17th century under Thomas Leach. His initials and date are cut in a beam of black oak in the roof timber of the entrance hall ‘ T.L.1687’.

A descendant, Rebecca Leach, built Keighley’s Dalton Mills during her family’s 175 year ownership of West Riddlesden Hall before the house was sold in 1809 to another notable Keighley family, The Greenwoods.

In 1854, the hall was rented by John Benson Sidgwick, whose wife Sarah once employed Charlotte Brontë as a governess.

The property also played a role in non-conformist religious life when it became a Quaker Meeting House.

Family research suggests that Oliver Heywood, a well-known Quaker preacher, delivered sermons from its staircase while in hiding, and folklore suggests that a secret priest hole once linked West Riddlesden to East Riddlesden Hall.

Later, in the 19th century, Archbishop of Canterbury Edward White Benson also preached from the hall.

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Back in the present day, John says his favourite part of the house is his office which is tucked behind one of the large rose windows. “It’s a pleasure to look out of all the windows in the house but this one is particularly special,” he says.

“I also like the main lounge because there’s a big fireplace with seats at either side. It’s a marvellous room and it’s so relaxing and tranquil.”

After 24 years at West Riddlesden Hall, John and Josie have decided to downsize. “We’ve always managed to relocate successfully in the past so let’s hope we can do it again,” says John. “I’m sure I’ll miss it here but I’ve got my memories and a lot of pictures.”

West Riddlesden Hall is on the market for £1.395m with Simon Blyth. Visit simonblyth.co.uk or call 01484 651878.