In 1583, Francis Drake was made governor of a small island off the Devon coast after becoming the first Englishman and second person ever to circumnavigate the globe. Almost 450 years later, that same island has gone up for sale.

Drake’s Island, named in honour of Sir Francis Drake, was last sold in 2019 for £6m and is once again available as a freehold. While there is no fixed price for the sale, significant renovations have increased its estimated value to around £25m. The sale also includes approved plans for a 43-bed luxury hotel.

Carter Jonas, the estate agents managing the property, describe it as a “unique development opportunity” with “many potential alternative uses” and suggests it could be converted into a stunning wedding venue.

Naturally, any historic island with ancient buildings comes with its share of ghostly inhabitants. Morgan Phillips, the previous owner, claims it is home to the ghosts of 15 British military men. “If you believe the mediums who come out here… they’re all British squaddies. They are here to protect us. That’s what they did when they were alive and that’s what they’re still doing,” he said.

Phillips added he has seen a lot of unexplainable things on the island but insisted “all of it is really nice”.

Would you consider buying an island inhabited by ghosts?