Quaint farmhouse goes on sale for £600k… however there is a catch within the small print which may make patrons suppose twice
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It is marketed as a dream countryside retreat – ticking all the boxes for rural living with rolling fields, rustic charm and even a private copse of trees.
But a barn conversion listed on Rightmove comes with an extraordinary caveat in the small print.
The listing, written in the flowery prose that is so beloved by estate agents, begins like any other, promising the property is a ‘tranquil natural setting and a haven for wildlife’ – so far, so normal.
But when the reader comes across the last line, things take a turn for the macabre.
It states, bluntly: ‘Please note the previous owner has been buried in a discreet corner.’
The three-bedroom home, set in a secluded part of the South Downs National Park, recently went under offer at £600,000 after languishing on the market for more than a year.
Described by agents as a ‘rare opportunity’ with ‘enormous potential’, the characterful barn conversion sits at the end of a narrow country track and forms part of a group of three properties once attached to a farm.
Surrounded by open fields and close to the idyllic village of West Harting, it boasts a generous sitting and dining room, original features, a detached double garage and parking for several vehicles.
A beautiful Sussex farmhouse nestled amongst the South Downs has gone under offer for £600,000
But there is a catch as according to agents, the previous owner is buried in the garden
The listing ends on a rather macabre tone and the Daily Mail can reveal the story behind it
There is even a ‘particularly special’ private copse of trees.
But it is there, in a corner of the woodland, that the former owner – and his beloved dog – now lie.
The Daily Mail can reveal the man buried on the property to be Brian Gibbins, a retired farmer who never married and had no children.
He is said to have once owned the nearby Ryefield Farm, living there with his mother while working the land.
After retiring, Mr Gibbins reportedly renovated the barn and moved in, selling the farm that had been in his family.
He lived there quietly with his black Labrador – and when he died around 18 months ago, in his mid-80s, he made one final request: to be buried on his own land, alongside his dog.
A neighbour said: ‘He was a nice man, quite a character, but I didn’t know him for long.
‘He was in his mid-80s. He was an invalid. He had a carer who would come round regularly and look after him.
‘He loved his dog and I would go round with my two dogs and talk to him. I would visit and we would chat.
‘I would take biscuits as he liked a biscuit and we’d chat about this and that. He was pleasant.’
He said: ‘He wasn’t married and I don’t think he had any family to speak of. He had lived with his elderly mother. They had owned Ryefield Farm and by all accounts he was a pretty good farmer.’
Neighbours of Mr Gibbins say he was a quiet man and that his final request was to be buried in the garden with his dog
The neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he only lived next door to him for 18 months before Mr Gibbins died.
He said: ‘It is unusual to have a burial site within the garden of the house you are buying.
‘The house has been on the market for well over a year so it has taken a little while to get interest in a sale.’
Another neighbour said: ‘This area is outstandingly beautiful so I can see why he might not wanted to leave. I think the grave has been a sticking point for buyers but now it finally looks as if it has some interest.
‘I didn’t know the elderly gentleman. He had barely left the house for many years so we didn’t see him around. I like the fact he once worked and owned Ryefield Farm and will now be there forever.
‘It’s curiously old-fashioned – being buried on your estate is something you’d expect 200-300 years ago.’
The sombre detail was first spotted by property hunters on Reddit, where the listing sparked lively debate.
‘Am I the only person who thinks this is kind of nice? If the previous owner liked it so much to be buried there,’ wrote one.
The listing was mocked by some house hunters on Reddit
Another, equally sentimental, added: ‘I love this, if I bought the house I’d visit that corner of the copse regularly for a tidy up and to make sure that I kept is as lovely as the owner thought it was to want to be buried there.
And a third commented: ‘It wouldn’t bother me one bit and I think I’d tend to look after their grave and talk to them when outside.’
Others were less convinced.
One poster joked: ‘Do you want ghosts? Because this is how you get ghosts.’
Another raised practical concerns, writing: ‘I can’t help wondering what happens if there’s a flood, or the local foxes find something in the way when they’re digging holes.’
And a third added: ‘I like the property and it wouldn’t bother me about the grave, unless family wanted to keep visiting, that could become a pain.’
Despite its unique footnote, one buyer is willing to look past the unusual legacy. The property was marked ‘under offer’ after the property was slashed in price by £75,000 in September.
