For those who dream of getting above their station, it’s a residence that offers a unique opportunity to wallow in a historic venue once frequented by British monarchs and the European royalty and foreign heads of state they entertained.

Wolferton Royal Station opened in 1862 and became a regular stop for royal trains arriving from St Pancras or King’s Cross in London to the nearby Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Monarchs from Victoria to Elizabeth II made use of the charming spot and, in its heyday, its Royal Suite hosted luncheon parties during shooting meetings which included guests from the highest echelons of society.

The station closed in 1969 but is now on the market for £1.25 million as a unique luxury Grade II* listed three-bedroom residence called Downside, following a painstaking and award-winning renovation.

It offers a central breakfast kitchen and three reception rooms - a drawing room, dining room and study - as well as an en suite bedroom in the former Royal Suite.

There are two more bedrooms including another en suite in what was the ‘Public Waiting Room’.

Meanwhile, an annex in a converted signal box can accommodate visiting guests or be used as a studio.

The property, which is situated on a 0.55 acre plot in the ‘unspoilt hamlet’ of Wolferton, is being marketed by Landles.

The estate agent’s brochure says: ‘Downside comes to the market offering a home of particularly unique character and history, with a wealth of features in this delightful setting.’

The Royal Suite boasts 12ft 3ins high ceilings covered in intricate Tudoresque latticework and walls clad in heavy English oak Wainscott panelling, as well as ‘numerous carved bosses including Tudor roses and a fine Prince of Wales feathers’.

There is also gold-plated door furniture and marble floors.

Modern amenities include air conditioning, a heat exchanger and a double garage.

Outside is a lawn ‘neatly edged with kerbstones and feature borders’ and a formal ‘Queens Garden’ with a wrought iron gateway and pillars.

The King’s Lynn to Hunstanton railway line opened in October 1862 but it was only in February that year that Queen Victoria had happened to acquire the Hoste Estate, which later became known as the Sandringham Estate.

It was used as a private residence for the then young Prince of Wales and future King Edward VII.

Royal trains would transport parties from London – although the line was also used for more mundane purposes, such as bringing coal to the estate.

The Royal station also witnessed three Royal funeral processions before the last Royal train called there in 1966.

British Pathe footage watched by people around the world showed locals turning out to pay their respects to George VI’s coffin as it was taken by gun carriage from Wolferton on its way to King’s Cross in 1952.

George V’s funeral train had set off from there 16 years earlier.

It last saw passengers in 1969, when the King’s Lynn to Hunstanton line was closed before being sold by British Rail.

The buildings fell into disrepair and a large part of the site was bought in 2001 by Yorkshire businessman Richard Brown, who carried out a major refurbishment.

Accolades have included a National Railway Heritage Award in 2022 for restoration on a closed line.

Tim Landles, partner of Landles estate agents, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, said: 'The previous owner spent considerable time and expense on improving and upgrading - under probably something of a labour of love, being a passionate railway enthusiast.'