A FAMOUS artist’s incredible wonky home dating back to nearly 600 years ago could be yours for an eye-watering price.
Quentin Blake lived in the lop-sided medieval townhouse in Hastings Old Town, East Sussex for more than 50 years.
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The black and white timber-framed building’s top floor juts out over the pavement outside and slopes sharply to the left.
It is now up for sale through the Unique Property Company – to the tune of £950,000.
The grand townhouse was built in 1450 as a “Wealden Hall” for a yeoman, the medieval word for a wealthy commoner.
Back then, the home boasted sprawling grounds and a traditional thatched roof.
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Stunning fireplaces, staircases and glazed windows were added under the Tudors and are still in place today alongside its 15th-century front door.
In Victorian times the building was called the “Merry Christmas Beer House”, with weary travellers rubbing shoulders with boisterous locals.
Quentin Blake, now 91, bought the five-bed house in 1972 after rocketing to success with his much-loved illustrations for Roald Dahl’s books.
In 2017, he told Aspect Country: “I went to Hastings years ago. I didn’t mean to and I bought a house there.
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“It’s medieval practically. I’ve come to love it. There are fishing boats at the end of the road.
“I visit frequently. The sea is a constant, a strong presence in my work.”
‘REMARKABLE’
Blake sold the property in 2022 to its current owners, who painstakingly restored it.
The Unique Property Company said: “The work that’s been undertaken by the current owners means that the house will probably continue to stand for several more hundred years.
“It is certainly totally sound for the foreseeable future in the hands of owners who appreciate that an historic home needs to be lived in and loved.”
The five-bed house is a short stroll from Hastings beach, and the sea can be heard from its garden.
Agent Madelaine Cooper told the Evening Standard: “It really is a remarkable and lovely home.
“So much history there, yet really comfortable to live in.
“It’s also a home which will connect you to the UK’s domestic history in each discovery of how light falls in a particularly pleasing way or a step is worn and slopes.
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“A million feet have trodden on it before you.
“The house will bring pleasure which just can’t be found in a modern home.”
Who is Sir Quentin Blake?
SIR Quentin Blake, 91, was born in Sidcup, Kent in 1932.
The artist is best-known for bringing Roald Dahl’s characters to life with instantly recognisable illustrations.
Blake illustrated George’s Marvellous Medicine, The Twits, The BFG or Revolting Rhymes and most of Dahl’s other children’s books.
He has always worked with waterproof ink and dip pens, and has published cartoons in newspapers and magazines like The Spectator.
In an interview, Blake said: “I do a freewheeling sort of drawing that looks as though it is done on the spur of the moment.
“However, even a single drawing needs a certain amount of preparation and planning.”
Sir Quentin was appointed the first ever Children’s Laureate in 2016, capping a magnificent career.
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