One of Britain's most prestigious stately homes is to sell paintings, furniture and other historical pieces worth an estimated �15m to preserve its long-term future.

A major endowment fund is to be created to preserve Longleat House in Wiltshire with the proceeds of an auction sale at Christie's, the Marquess of Bath and the Longleat trustees said.

The items chosen for the sale - including paintings, furniture, books, manuscripts, porcelain and silver - represent a small fraction of the total collection, according to the trustees.

The pieces have been specifically identified as not being part of the estate's core historic collection.

'Treasure house'

More than 70% of them have no long-term connection to the house and only arrived at Longleat from a Northamptonshire house shortly after the World War II.

Lord Bath said at Christie's in central London: "I have had the privilege to live at Longleat for the best part of my life and it has given me huge pleasure.

"I love the place and have enjoyed sharing it with thousands of people year after year."

The Longleat Estate consists of approximately 9,000 acres of land forming one block with the house and park in the middle of it.

The 9,000 acres consists of 4,000 acres of let farmland, 4,000 acres of woodland, which includes a Center Parcs holiday village and a further 1,000 acres of parkland.

Money from the maintenance fund will provide a vital source of income for future conservation work on the site.

Christie's said they expected the sale would raise more than �15m.

Lord Hindlip, chairman of Christie's, said: "It is an honour for Christie's to have been entrusted with a sale that will make such a major contribution to the long-term preservation of one of England's treasure houses."