They say an Englishman's home is his castle - and in Steve Guy's case it really is.

When the 46-year-old purchased a section of Coates Castle, near Fittleworth, Pulborough, he bought a piece of history.

The crumbling castle was once the home of Princess Diana's grandmother, Countess Cynthia Spencer, and was visited by Winston Churchill and Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Since its heyday, the 19th Century building had been divided into flats, with sections falling into disrepair.

So Mr Guy and his partner Diane Crook started a major restoration.

Five years and £300,000 later, the turret is back to its former glory, the chimneys are working, the wine cellar is fully stocked and central heating has been installed.

With the labour of love over, One Coates Castle is back on the market.

Mr Guy said: "It has been a brilliant project and a lot of fun. When we moved in a lot of the original features, such as the fireplaces, were hidden. The property had not been treated well.

"It's a unique property, which was an interesting challenge and needed some tender loving care."

When they bought the property it was two flats. They knocked down walls to create a five-bedroom home, connected by a five-storey spiral staircase inside the turret.

For £1.2 million, the new owner will get also get a drawing room, dining room, office, log store, games room, gym and wine cellar.

In its heyday, this section would have been the servants' quarters.

The building, today divided into six homes, is also rumoured to have a ghost.

Mr Guy said: "There's supposed to be a female ghost who walks around the place. I've never seen her, although I believe I've heard her speaking. I've heard a female voice calling my name when there's no one in the house. But it was in a very non-threatening manner. She's a very friendly ghost."

The castle, built in the 1820s by John King, is steeped in history.

Accessed via a dirt track from Coates hamlet, it was created in Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill Gothic style from stuccoed stone.

In 1858, Mr King put the nine-bedroom property plus 100 acres of parkland up for sale at £16,052.

At the time, the house had a self-supporting community, including laundry, beer and wine cellars, dairy and stables.

One owner at the end of the 19th Century was devoted to children and threw many parties for them in the great hall and ballroom. On one occasion, the guest list included a young Winston Churchill.

One of the castle's most famous owners was Gerald Joynson, a former Master of Foxhounds on the Isle of Wight, who bought it in 1957.

The once stunning building had been neglected for eight years but this was a minor detail to Mr Joynson, who wheeled a caravan into the ballroom through the French windows and lived in it while renovating his home.

He also installed a specially-constructed coffin in the room.

It was fitted with a spring device under the lid so if he revived after being pronounced dead he could press it and escape.

Sadly, it was of no use to Mr Joynson when he died in a car crash in 1969.

Mr Guy, who works for a venture capital firm, has used old photographs and historical documents to restore the property.

He now hopes to move into another rundown property in Cornwall.

For more information, call Henry Adams estate agents on 01798 872432.