This £1,000,000 property in Kent hides a mysterious underground tunnel network

This home in Kent might look unassuming, but it’s hiding a labyrinth of subterranean tunnels that descend 50ft below the ground. The maze of tunnels and caves are accessed through a trap door in the garden which reveals a narrow brick staircase leading to the depths below. Images of the property show it’s a tight squeeze. With small stone passageways, it’s definitely not ideal for claustrophobics.

The detached house, located in the town of Sandwich, is currently on the market for £1,000,000, and offers the only entrance to the mysterious underground world. While it’s not clear when the network of tunnels and caves were built, the property itself dates back to the 12th century. And, there are various theories as to what they might have been used for. Local legend has it that Thomas Becket hid in the tunnels, which extend beneath the roads, fields and houses of the village, when fleeing King Henry II in the 12th century.

It’s also said that the Archbishop of Canterbury hid in the caves in 1164, while waiting for a fishing boat to take him from Sandwich to France. He spent six years in exile on the continent before eventually returning to England, where he was later killed. Others say they were once used for smuggling, or even wartime shelters. Aside from the unique tunnels, the house boasts plenty of other period features, including exposed beams, fireplaces and original roof and floorboards.

There’s also an original Georgian front door, windows and oak staircases. Inside the 2,531 square feet property, there’s a kitchen and breakfast room, dining room, sitting room, drawing room, five bedrooms and two bathrooms. There’s parking for four cars, a garage and a sizeable garden, which boasts a pond, treehouse and a Victorian stable. The nearby town of Sandwich boasts a handful of ‘fascinating medieval properties’, according to the listing.

You’ll also find lots of restaurants, bars individual shops and a station with high-speed trains which can reach London in under an hour and a half. In the listing, the owners said: ‘We fell in love with [the house], blown away by the history of the house and have enjoyed making discoveries and careful improvements over our twenty years here. ‘We have carefully preserved the numerous historical features as well as being custodians of the caves but feel that now is the right time to entrust Beckets to new enthusiastic owners.’.

The unique listing has found its way onto TikTok account @housinghorrors, prompting numerous comments from fascinated users. One user, @sw00ns, joked: ‘It’s actually a Wetherspoons, the tunnel is how you get to the loos.’. Another wrote: ‘This house is so pretty.’ While one claimed: ‘I’d have it just for the tunnel, I’d be right down there.’. The one-stop-shop that makes designing and fitting your new bathroom so easy….

Others pondered what the tunnels were used for. ‘Could it be a shelter from the war?’ one user asked. While another wrote: ‘There are old smugglers caves all over Kent.’. Do you have a story to share?. Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk. Arrow MORE: Serious crash closes road near Dartford Crossing causing travel chaos. Arrow MORE: New pub sign leaves drinkers scratching their heads after historic blunder.