House in the Clouds
A water tower was built in 1923. It stored 50,000 gallons (227,305 liters) of water pumped from a local well, ready to distribute water around the local area.
The original water tower was an ugly structure, so the architects had the magnificent idea of making it look like a cottage on top of a 70-foot tower.
There are five bedrooms and three bathrooms plus the amazing ‘room at the top’, which used to house the large water tank. From there, you can relax in a charming English cottage while enjoying a view that expands for miles.
The local Thorpeness Village was built from scratch in the 1920s as the 'perfect holiday village,' a title that remains to this day. It was the idea of a single man, a playwright from Scotland.
It's a quaint and laid-back place with only 400 inhabitants, but this number quadruples during summer to 1,600 with all the curious visitors arriving. Thorpeness is a British countryside village by the beach that stands out with its unique character.
The “House in the Clouds” is fully functional with all the mod cons and is set on one acre of private property where you can enjoy traditional English pursuits like croquet and lawn tennis.
Its owner is Sylvia Le Comber, but she claims the house is owned by the resident fairies, who love interacting with the young visitors.
The village got a welcoming civilizational upgrade when in 1977, the taps got connected to the main water supply. So, there was no need anymore to have a water tower.
The main water tank was removed in 1979, and the building was repurposed into a residential house. It was designed to disguise its former functionality and be more in line with Thorpeness' typical architectural styles: mock Tudor and Jacobean.
The living room is the place for entertainment. Fancy a game of billiards? Or how about playing ping pong?
The five-storey tower
To reach House in the Clouds' highest floor, you must climb 67 stairs.
In the tall house, each floor has usable space.
Ground Floor:
Porch and entrance hall - Cloakroom/WC - Dining room - Kitchen
First Floor:
Drawing room
Second Floor:
Two twin bedrooms - Bathroom with WC, bath, and electric shower
Third Floor:
King Size bedroom with en suite bathroom
Fourth Floor:
Twin bedroom - Double bedroom - Bathroom with WC, bath, and electric shower
Fifth Floor:
Games room
The "Room at the Top" is on the highest floor, giving a spectacular panorama of Suffolk, and Meare, the artificial fishing lake.
Photo by Leo Reynolds
The House in the Clouds became a protected structure in 1995 when it got on the United Kingdom's Grade II list, which protects buildings that are of special interest. No rush then, the landmark tower of Thorpeness is here to stay!
