HISTORIC Settle building The Shambles goes under the hammer at an auction in Harrogate next week.

The landmark, in the middle of the town's Market Place, is currently owned by the Greenwood family and is being sold by Feather, Smailes and Scales with a guide price of £550,000.

The Shambles is lot seven of 13 at the sale at the Cairn Hotel in Harrogate on Thursday March 6 starting at 3pm.

Charles Smailes, of Feather, Smailes and Scales, told the Herald: "We have had a very good response and we are confident that we have potential buyers."

The Shambles was either built around 1675 or after 1719 when the land for the building was leased for 5,400 years with no rent payable.

It is originally believed to be an open market hall with barrel vaulted cellars. The arches were added later with a slaughterhouse and other workrooms in the basement, and butchers and other shops on the ground floor. A second floor to the dwellings above was added in 1888/9.

The Shambles passed into the ownership of the Settle Market Buildings Co Ltd in 1887. The company consisted of local worthies including mill owner Hector Christie, solicitor T Brayshaw and Dr CW Buck, friend of the composer Elgar.

The Greenwood family acquired The Shambles more than 30 years ago.

Today businesses operating from the building include a fish and chip shop, card shop, video rental business and clothing outlet.