HOLIDAYMAKERS are being supplied the prospect to remain within the house of A.A. Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh – however it has a darkish previous.
Cotchford Farm in Hartfield, East Sussex has cemented itself in British historical past, serving because the inspiration behind the well-known kids’s e-book sequence, and is now accessible as a vacation let on Airbnb,
A.A. Milne’s son, Christopher Robin, was the idea for the character of the identical identify within the novels, and the encompassing Ashdown Forest grew to become the setting of the Hundred Acre Wooden, the place Pooh lives.
Nonetheless, the six-bedroom property would go on to achieve a tragic previous because it later served as the house of Rolling Stones founding member Brian Jones, who was discovered useless on the grounds in 1969.
Jones was discovered floating within the property’s out of doors swimming pool, the place his explanation for demise was dominated as “demise by misadventure“.
Now the property – which seems to nonetheless include the precise pool that Jones drowned in – is accessible for an eye-watering £919 an evening, however requires a minimal keep of three nights for a complete of £3,340.
The property itself comprises a big, open residing house which options cosy wood-panelled partitions in addition to a large fire in the lounge.
Regardless of the constructing relationship again to presumably the sixteenth century, the home has been tastefully modernised to suit the vibe of the basic really feel of the property.
The outside of the property is maybe probably the most vital facet of the itemizing because it provides friends round 5 acres of backyard house in addition to the now notorious swimming pool.
The backyard additionally includes a full dimension tennis court docket, basketball hoops, trampoline and a BBQ and standing heater for out of doors entertaining.
Across the grounds there are a number of statues of characters from Milne’s sequence, together with Christopher Robin, Owl and a sundial carved with pictures of Piglet, Tigger and Roo.
It additionally options the phrases: “This heat and sunny spot belongs to Pooh, and right here he wonders what it’s time to do.”
The Airbnb itemizing reads: “Keep within the historic former house of A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin and Winnie The Pooh.
“You’ll be able to expertise the place all of it started, up the wood stairs to sleep in Christopher Robin’s previous bed room, or within the very spot the place Milne wrote the tales.
“A keep at Cotchford Farm is a reminder of conventional English nation life in a historic house, now with trendy services.
“On the fringe of Ashdown Forest, it’s a brief stroll to the story landmarks of Pooh Bear comparable to The Enchanted Place & Poohsticks Bridge.
“Cotchford Farm is a novel Grade II listed farmhouse, unfold over three flooring with some bedrooms and en-suites tucked beneath the eaves.
“The unique historic options of the home have been fastidiously restored whereas trendy additions within the loos and reception areas enable for an exceptionally comfy keep.
“The primary reception room, with a big inglenook fire, consists of the previous research the place Milne wrote the Winnie the Pooh tales and a group of first version AA Milne books.
“One upstairs bed room was Christopher Robin’s previous room and authentic ornamental cabinets painted by Mrs Milne are preserved within the placing grasp rest room.
“Above all, Cotchford is a comfy and welcoming nation household house in addition to an historic constructing.
“You’ll be able to sit by the open hearth with associates, or curl up on a settee with a e-book in one of many sitting rooms, bake bread within the farmhouse kitchen, or discover the winding staircases of the higher flooring.
“It’s surrounded by a mature nation backyard of about 5 acres with an outside swimming pool and tennis court docket.
“It’s on the fringe of the protected Ashdown Forest, house to the 100 acre wooden, with open nation views over the Forest woods.”
The itemizing briefly additionally mentions Brian Jones, studying: “Brian Jones, founding band member of The Rolling Stones, was among the many a number of homeowners for the reason that Milne household.”
In a video uploaded to TikTok yesterday, Chadbourne Oliver shared the Airbnb itemizing and recounted its historic significance with the caption: “Completely wild that you may hire this.’
He says: “Okay, I’ve by no means stated this in earnest in my complete life however there’s a lot to unpack right here.
“That is an Airbnb itemizing for Cotchford Farm which is the historic house of A.A. Milne, the author of Winne the Pooh.
“He lived right here along with his son whose actual identify was Christopher Robin and the encompassing grounds grew to become the Hundred Acre Woods.
“The actual life story is fairly tragic.
“As you’ll be able to think about rising up Christopher Robin didn’t actually like being related to the little child, he and his father grew to become estranged and he by no means visited Cotchford Farm once more after his father’s demise.
“However, that isn’t why I’m making the video, this house has one other historic significance which is that it was as soon as owned by Brian Jones – founding father of the Rolling Stones.
“His premature demise is surrounded by a number of thriller because it was by no means actually discovered who was accountable and the official explanation for demise was listed as misadventure – which is true rockstar vitality.
“However, again to the Airbnb itemizing, that’s the pool the place they discovered his physique floating and I don’t imply that there was a pool they renovated.
“Take a look at the form of the pool, that’s the pool the place his physique was floating.
“Round the home they’ve traditionally vital framed photographs together with this one which is of the chaos and paparazzi on the morning that he was discovered.
“There’s this one among Brian posing with the Christopher Robin statue, clearly there’s one thing particularly melancholy about this one, our two unhappy, misplaced, lonely, well-known boys.”
The video has obtained over 15,000 likes and greater than 170 feedback from customers left astounded on the historical past behind the seemingly innocuous vacation let.
One consumer wrote: “That is fairly actually insane.”
One other commented: “That’s truly an affordable value for 12 folks, I’m in.”
One other stated: “Once I noticed the pool and heard Brian Jones I used to be like oh no.”
One wrote: “You’ll be able to keep at Brian Jones’ home?!”
One other replied: “Thought this was going to be a cute wee video about Winnie.”
The home itself was bought for £1.8 million again in June 2017.