House in the Clouds

The House in the Clouds is a repurposed water tower in Thorpeness, Suffolk, England. It was built in 1923 to receive water pumped from Thorpeness Windmill,[1][2] and was designed to improve the looks of the water tower, disguising its tank with the appearance of a weatherboarded building more in keeping with Thorpeness's mock Tudor and Jacobean style, except seeming to float above the trees.[3][4]

House in the Clouds
House in the Clouds
House in the Clouds is located in England
House in the Clouds
Location within England
General information
AddressThorpeness, Suffolk, England
Website
Official website

The original capacity of the water tank was 50,000 imperial gallons (230,000 L) but during the Second World War, the House in the Clouds was hit by gunfire from anti-aircraft guns based at Thorpeness. The water tank was repaired using its own steel, which resulted in a reduced capacity of 30,000 imperial gallons (140,000 L).[5] In 1977, the water tower was made redundant by a mains water supply to the village, and additional living space was created. In 1979, the main water tank was removed to fully convert the building into a house.

The building currently has five bedrooms and three bathrooms; it contains a total of 85 steps from top to bottom and is around 70 ft (21 m) high.

It has been a Grade II Listed Building since 1995.[6]

The house was featured in the Suffolk programme during series 3 of the Channel 4 television series Homes by the Sea in 2017.[7] It also featured on series 12 of the BBC television series Flog It! on 8 May 2018.[8]

In its book 100 Buildings in 100 Years, The Twentieth Century Society chose it to represent 1924.[9]

  • View from across the Meare above the trees
    View from across the Meare above the trees

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to House In The Clouds, Thorpeness.
  1. "Thorpeness House in the Clouds marks its centenary". 20 February 2023 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  2. "houseintheclouds.co.uk". Archived from the original on 21 August 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2007.
  3. "House in the Clouds 'home to fairies'" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  4. Fisher, Adrian (2005). Mazes and Follies. Norwich: Jarrold. p. 49. ISBN 1-84165-142-7.
  5. Regan, Dean (1997). Windmills of Suffolk. Suffolk: Dean Regan. pp. 26–28. ISBN 0-9531562-0-6.
  6. Historic England (26 January 1995). "House In The Clouds (1287261)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  7. "Homes By The Sea". Channel 4. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  8. "Suffolk 39". BBC. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  9. "Thorpeness House in the Clouds marks its centenary". BBC News. Retrieved 23 February 2023.


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