AN UNASSUMING house hides an incredible 800-year-old secret 60ft beneath its floorboards – and it could be yours for £1m.
Beckets is a Grade II-listed house based in the village of Eastry in Kent.
Beckets contains five bedrooms, two bathrooms, three sitting rooms, parking, and it’s up for sale for £1,000,000.
If walls could speak, they would tell how Thomas Becket fled the wrath of King Henry II using this property’s unique feature.
Historic underground tunnels which descend 50 to 60 feet underground set this house apart from the rest.
During The Archbishop of Canterbury’s rift with the King over rights and privileges of the church, it is believed he hid in these burrows.
He was waiting for a fishing boat to take him from Sandwich to France in 1164.
But he was killed by a group of the King’s knights in Canterbury Cathedral.
Following his death, he was canonised by Pope Alexander III.
Beckets house has even been awarded the red-diamond Historic Buildings of Kent plaque, which can be seen on the outer wall.
To this day, the house features a medieval roof structure, wall framework and wattle and daub sections.
More sections were added in the 18th Century and the 1970s.
Other medieval features include exposed beams, original floorboards, doors and sash windows, along with characterful fireplaces.
It has 2,531 square feet of accommodation with a kitchen and breakfast room, dining room, sitting room, five bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Of course, there is still access to the caves outside.
Plus, parking for four cars, a single garage, an old stable, and the gardens which include a wildlife pond and treehouse.
The owners said: “We fell in love with Beckets as soon as we saw it and fought hard to buy this extraordinary home.
“We were blown away by the history of a house that has evolved over many centuries.
“We are still making discoveries above and below ground, after more than 20 years here.
“When making improvements we have carefully preserved the numerous historical features that contribute to making this a wonderful family home.
“After much deliberation, we reluctantly felt that now is the right time in our lives to entrust Beckets to new enthusiastic owners to enjoy this remarkable place.’
A spokesman for estate agents Fine & Country added: “While there may be a considerable number of ‘unique’ properties in this country, there are unlikely to be many that include the only entrance to a labyrinth of subterranean tunnels and caves that descend to some 50 to 60 feet below ground in some places and extend a long way under roads, fields and houses in Eastry village.
“If you add the legend that Thomas Becket hid in the caves while fleeing the wrath of Henry II before returning to Canterbury where he was murdered, you do have a property that is truly unique and steeped in history.”
