Located off the coast of Milford Haven, south Wales, Stack Rock Fort has an interesting history. English statesman Thomas Cromwell originally proposed a fort on the site back in 1539, shortly before losing his head to Henry VIII. It was eventually built in 1852 and served in a chain of fortifications to protect against invasion from France under Napoleon III. Long disused, the dilapidated building is about to start a new chapter as it’s now on the market.

The circular structure takes up a good chunk of the barren island it gets its name from. Wales Online reports that it was manned by up to 150 men at a time in its heyday and that the interior includes canon rooms and sleeping quarters, so living space shouldn’t be an issue.

The price for the private island fort isn’t too bad either, at £400,000 (US$535,000), or less than half the cost of that 91-inch London home we featured back in February – though admittedly the skinny London pad doesn’t require residents to take a boat or helicopter trip to shore each time they forget to buy the milk.

There are bigger drawbacks to this property than its isolation, though. Rightmove describes the building’s current state as “uninhabitable” and judging from the photos, it’ll require more than just a lick of paint to get it up to scratch. It’s also a Grade II listed historically-protected building so there are all kinds of potential planning permission pitfalls for would-be residents. This is clearly not a project for the faint-hearted.

Still, for those looking for a post-apocalyptic bolthole, a unique residence, or even try and found their own island state, Stack Rock Fort has potential.

(Click to enlarge images)

Source: newatlas