The castle in Cumbria, the property of Mary Haughey, Baroness Ballyedmond, is a Grade I listed building originally built in the 13th century.
The contents include a series of 17th-century period portraits and 19th-century furnishings for collectors. The three-day sale, comprising more than 1,100 lots, is due to take place from January 22-24.
Trained as a solicitor, Lady Ballyedmond was a part-time lecturer in law at Queen’s University Belfast.
Second to Stephen Fitzpatrick, whose worth was estimated to be £3.073bn, Lady Ballyedmond’s worth is £922m as of this year. She inherited her husband Edward Haughey’s wealth in March 2014, when he died in a helicopter crash.
Lord Ballyedmond founded Norbrook, a veterinary pharmaceutical company, which paid out £7.5m in dividends last year.
Interior of Corby Castle
The couple purchased Corby Castle in 1994 from Sir John Howard-Lawson and Lady Howard-Lawson.
The late Lord Ballyedmond carried out a series of refurbishments in the castle. It was put up for sale with an asking price of £15m last year.
The auction is being overseen by Tennants Auctioneers.
In the lead-up to the event, the company has released 10 images and potential prices on its site along with descriptions.
A 19th-century-made Indian Silver Venison Dish and Cover (estimated worth of £12,000 to £18,000) will go under the hammer in January, as will another 19th-century piece, a Victorian Silver Triple Biscuit-Server by Fenton Brothers Ltd (£2,000 to £3,000).
One of the artworks at Corby Castle. Credit: Tennants Auctioneers
There is also a 1901 Edward VII Silver Monteith-Bowl by Charles Stuart Harris (£6,000 to £8,000). This is alongside a 1754 George II Silver Basket by Edward Aldridge and John Stamper (£1,500 to £2,500). The latter is engraved with the crest of the Howard family.
A collection highlight, according to the auctioneers, is the Louis XIV Aubusson Mythological Tapestry (£4,000 to £6,000), while among the sought-after portraits are Penelope Wenman, daughter of Sir Thomas, second Lord Viscount and wife of Sir Thomas Carr of Stanford, Northamptonshire, by the Circle of St Anthony Van Dyck (£4,000 to £6,000).
The Louis XIV Aubusson Mythological Tapestry
For the antique furniture, there is the French Louis XV-style carved giltwood vitrine dated from the 19th century (£3,000 to £5,000), and a pair of secretaire cabinets, also from the 19th century (£1,000 to £1,500), made of Victorian burr walnut, tulipwood-banded and gilt-metal-mounted.
Nineteenth-century “lavish” jardinieres made of porcelain (£1,000 to £1,500) come with gilt-bronze mounts and are of a sèvres style. One French gilt-metal-mounted sèvres-style porcelain casket (£500 to £700) is noted to be in the Louis XV style.
A porcelain supper mahogany tray (£300 to £500) and a St Cloud porcelain beaker on tremleuse stand (£300 to £500), estimated to have been made in 1750, is also going under the hammer.
The interior of Corby Castle. Credit: Tennants Auctioneers
Auctioneer director Jane Tennant praised the venue as “outstanding”, saying: “Corby Castle is one of the outstanding historic houses in the North of England, and we are delighted to have been entrusted to sell its remarkable contents.”
Lady Ballyedmond
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