Friday 1 July 2022 11:39 AM Historic 19th century cliff-side villa built inside caves used by smugglers on ... trends now
A stunning historic cliff-side villa featuring caves once occupied by smugglers and used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War is on the market for almost £2 million.
The Grade-II listed property, West Hill Villa, was built into the sandstone bedrock of its namesake West Hill cliff in Hastings, East Sussex around 1800.
The 19th century house connects to a network of vaulted tunnels, known as the St Clements Caves, which are believed to date back to the last known Ice Age in 14,000 BC.
The earliest written reference to the caves was the tale of an old couple who took up residence inside them after being discharged from a workhouse for misbehaviour in 1783.
But the vaulted network is believed to have been used by smugglers along the south-coast of England prior to this.
The villa has an orangery, private wine store and a bathroom inside a cave which was once used for smuggling
The villa has recently been refurbished, leaving it with a mix of modern and period features, as can be seen in the open plan ground floor
Purchasing the house comes with part of the underground cave system - which has been renovated and turned into a private bathroom and sauna
The bedrooms are furnished in a Georgian style with wooden floors and a beautiful view over Hastings, East Sussex
In the 1820s, the caves were rediscovered by a local grocer named Joseph Golding who was cutting a garden seat into the side of the cliff when he broke through to the vast cavern.
By 1864 the network had become a tourist attraction - which has since been visited by the likes of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and The Rolling Stones.
During the Second World War the caves were temporarily transformed into an air raid shelter used to house up to 900 people.
Now part of the expansive network of caverns is up for grabs as West Hill Villa goes on the market with the Unique Property Company for £1.95 million.
Described by the estate agents as 'the most beautifully situated house in Hastings Old Town', the five-bedroom property has stunning views over the shoreline and across the sea.
Perhaps the most spectacular aspect of the property is its bathrooms - located on the lower rear side - which are built into the expansive network of caves.
Originally home to the old Hastings Pottery, the historic caves - complete with wall carvings - now form a beautifully finished bathroom space with a sauna.
The cave system is though to date back to the last ice age in 14,000 BC. Carvings and paintings can still be seen today, although it is unknown when they date from
A 90-foot orangery forms the west wing of the property and houses a fish pool as well as grapevines, banana trees and other exotic plants
The cave system is believed to have been used by smugglers - but this section is
