A castle-like tower said to have helped a Sussex village prepare for Napoleon’s army has gone on sale for £200,000.
The Grade II-listed flint folly has been turned into a one-bedroom home, with a kitchen, bathroom and sitting room squeezed across its three circular floors.
Standing in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, it has narrow windows, red-brick detailing and a battlement-style roof – as well as two garages included in the sale.
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Its unusual appearance has fuelled a local theory that it was built to make the village seem fortified when people feared a French invasion, as reported by Luxury Property News.
The property is being listed by estate agent Marcus Grimes.
Historic England dates the ornamental tower to the early 19th century and says it once stood in the garden of a larger house. It was granted Grade II status in 1957.
The Hurstpierpoint Society says the tower and a nearby crenelated wall may have been designed to give the impression of defences to anyone looking towards the village from the South Downs or the west.
It says neither structure could have offered effective protection, and their original purpose has not been established.
The fear behind the theory was genuine.
Local records described by the society include plans to evacuate women, children and older residents if an invasion came.
Elsewhere on England’s south coast, purpose-built Martello towers carried guns to defend against the threat of Napoleon’s forces.
Today, the former folly, which is approximately 10ft in diameter throughout, offers rather more homely surroundings.
Listing photos show a compact kitchen and bathroom at ground level, with a narrow staircase curling past whitewashed walls to a bedroom fitted with a built-in bed and drawers.
The top floor has timber beams, wooden flooring and just enough room for a couple of chairs. The photos also show cracks and staining on some interior walls.
Marcus Grimes describes the property as a one-bedroom “rotunda cottage” and says it has its own water and electricity supplies.
The asking price includes two garages and the paved area surrounding the tower.
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