A picturesque cottage where the inventor of the radio telegraph carried out some of his earliest experiments went up for sale.

The seafront home on Northern Ireland's North Antrim coast was owned by the family of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Guglielmo Marconi and it was there in 1898 he sent transmissions to the nearby Rathlin Island.

Sitting on the rocks at Ballycastle with a spectacular view out to sea, the property was always expected to fetch a hefty price, but with its added historic significance the selling agent believes it will reach upwards of £400,000.

Mr Marconi's Irish roots come from his mother Annie Jameson, whose family owned the Jameson Whiskey Distillery in County Wexford.

His invention of the wireless radio transmitter would revolutionise communication technology across the globe.

After patenting his apparatus in Great Britain in 1897, he formed Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company in London and in 1899 he established communication across the English Channel between England and France.

His system was soon adopted by the British and Italian navies, and by 1907 had been so much improved that transatlantic wireless telegraph service was established for public use.

Two years later he was awarded the Nobel prize for physics. However, his life was not without controversy and in the years before his death in 1937 he became a strong supporter of the fascist regime in Italy.

Simon Brien, director at BTWCairns, which is handling the sale, said: "Marconi's Cottage is a truly unique property - not only is it located in one of the most scenic spots in Ireland on the North Antrim coast, literally on the rocks, it is also part of history.

"We have already had a considerable amount of interest from all parts of Ireland as well as international interest.

"With planning opportunities in this area of outstanding natural beauty restricted, the sale of Marconi's Cottage is a unique opportunity for someone to build their dream home on a stunning waterfront site."