A 175-foot-tall tower in England that is rumored to have been built for its owner to spy on his estranged wife from afar is for sale and accepting offers in excess of £2 million (US$2.67 million).
Hadlow Tower, in Kent, hit the market last week and is all that remains of a Gothic-style castle, built by wealthy merchant and landowner Walter May in the late 18th century. The tower wasn’t built until the mid-19th century when his son, Walter Barton May, inherited the estate, according to listing agents Strutt & Parker.
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After being used as a lookout post during World War II, the tower—that stands six feet taller than Nelson's Column in London’s Trafalgar Square—became derelict and was due to be dismantled until prominent English artist, Bernard Hailstone came to its rescue.
But over the next few decades, the tower gradually fell into disrepair once again until local campaigners and a buildings preservation trust combined efforts to save it from further decline.
A very detailed renovation program, costing over £4.5 million (US$6 million) began in 2010 and was completed in 2013. The outside of the building was restored by specialist craftsmen, who replaced every detail of the stone work while the interior was transformed into a modern four-bedroom family home.
Spread across five main accommodation floors, the property has a media room, an office, two spiral staircases and an elevator.
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The tower is "just amazing in every respect, from the outside and on the inside," said owner Christian Tym to Mansion Global.
"It’s stunning," Mr. Tym said. "It never wears off, I always have a look up at it."
The home was in move-in condition when Mr. Tym and his family purchased the folly last year, so they didn’t embark on any further renovations, but made the property "a bit more fun," he said, with the furniture.
There are several rumors about why the tower was built by Walter Barton May, Mr. Tym said. One says it was built so he could spy on his former wife, another states he built it so he could see the sea, and lastly he may have just been a "rich show-off," Mr. Tym said.