THE former childhood home of JK Rowling in Tutshill has been sold to an unidentified buyer The grade II-listed property, Church Cottage, was home to the multi-millionaire Harry Potter author between the ages of nine and 18.

It is believed that the quirky cottage inspired much of her creativity when devising Potter and the magical world of Quidditch – she even named one of the Quidditch teams in the novel Tutshill.

The cottage was on the market with Chepstow based estate agents and solicitors Properts, for £399,950, complete with spooky trapdoor and even a secret scrawl etched by the author herself as a teenager.

Rowling, 45, immortalised her name in the paintwork by her bedroom window, inscribing: “Joanne Rowling slept here circa 1982”, when she was 17.

Properts is unable to disclose the exact figure the property sold for, or who bought it.

Jane Propert of Properts said: “People buy houses for a number of reasons – budget, location and lifestyle to name but a few. But being able to live in a home that has historical interest can appeal to many potential buyers.

“The past ownership by a famous person can not only assist in a sale but may potentially enable the property to be sold at a premium.

We have experienced such interest following the marketing of Church Cottage, where JK Rowling spent part of her childhood.

“The property also lends itself to the interest emanating fromits famous resident because it looks as if it came out of one of the author’s books.”