You might have seen a building that drew your attention when you crossed the border into East Sussex as you were driving. In point of fact, it is far larger than Buckingham Palace, and it has a fascinating history.
In spite of the fact that the structure has not yet been completed, there is a possibility that it is haunted. It was previously the private home in the United Kingdom that held the record for the highest price ever paid for its construction.
According to SussexLive, which is one of our affiliated sites, it was even given the nickname “The Ghost House of Sussex.” You haven’t heard of it yet, have you?
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Let us introduce you to Hamilton Palace, the breathtaking home that was built at a cost of forty million pounds and began to take shape in 1985. Yet, after more than 30 years, this magnificent house has been reduced to little more than a vast shell and is still sitting unfinished.
The extravagant Hamilton Palace was commissioned by British multimillionaire Nicholas van Hoogstraten, who is considered to be one of the wealthiest persons in Sussex. In spite of the fact that no one has ever lived there and there is little evidence to suggest that anyone ever will, it has been the subject of a significant amount of investment.
But, despite its size, there isn’t much that gives away the fact that it’s there as you get closer. It is tucked away off of an unassuming intersection on the A22, which is located south of Uckfield in East Sussex, and the home, which is larger than Buckingham Palace, is fully covered by a densely wooded region.
Upon approaching the property on foot, the only thing you will be able to see is a gated entrance that leads into the estate. Behind the gate, all you will see is a bricked unit and a large, white container. Yet, there is an obvious feeling of discomfort. A sign that reads “High Cross Estate, Private Property, Stay Away” is affixed to the gate in such a way that the capital letters stand out.
If that isn’t enough to convince you, there are also many other signs that warn of “shooting in process,” “dogs running free,” and CCTV being operational. Do not even make an attempt to enter; this is a very clear statement. It would appear that not many people have, based on current images taken by drones as well as older photographs shot on location, some of which appear to have been taken while work was still being done.
These photographs depict a spooky building that is partially obscured by scaffolding and overgrown vegetation. Moreover, there are discarded containers, pieces of construction equipment, and other stuff strewn about the grounds. It seems as though a lot of time has passed without anything happening in this location.
Few people have been able to go inside, but one reporter was able to do so in the year 2000, when it was said to be only two years away from being finished. This reporter described a grand central staircase and reception hall, with lift shafts already installed and expensive stone balustrades and pillars. On the roof, where there was going to be a garden, low-level lighting had been put, and below that, there was space for a fountain to be built. The art collection of house van Hoogstraten took up a full floor of the building.
Even in modern times, the domed roof of the main building continues to rise over the top of the treeline and can be seen from a considerable distance from the closest set of buildings in the hamlet of Palehouse Common. Van Hoogstraten, a convicted felon who is now 76 and goes by the name of Nicholas von Hessen, is a native of Sussex and was born in Shoreham. He is the owner of dozens of properties in the area. Van Hoogstraten goes by the name of Nicholas von Hessen.
It is reported that he began making money as a teenager by selling stamps before transitioning into the real estate industry. By the time he was 22 years old, he had acquired 350 houses just in Sussex. During the housing boom of the 1980s, he purchased almost 2,000 residences, of which he had sold 90 percent by the time the 1990s rolled around.
In the past couple of decades, he has been involved in battles with neighbors over the enormous estate, and these disagreements have been publicly publicised. Locals have already voiced their displeasure about the big area that has been abandoned, and there has been contention around a public trail that runs through the region that van Hoogstraten does not want to be used.
According to what he is reported to have said in response to such allegations “Even the most simple-minded of peasants would be able to recognize… that we have been hard at work beautifying the grounds of the palace in order to get ready for the forthcoming construction “.
In addition, he has rejected the notion that the house is deteriorating, stating that: “The Hamilton Palace is in no way breaking apart and was constructed to remain standing for at least 2,000 years. The scaffolding is simply kept up as part of the continuous routine maintenance that a property of this type would be required to have until it is finished.”
It is said that his offspring currently hold the estate and that they do so through the company Messina Investments.