The idea of living underground has not traditionally been an attractive one. However, a cursory glance at the frontpage of a newspaper these days has certainly made it seem more appealing than it used to be. Not only may it provide some shelter from the aggressive machinations of various worldwide dictators, but living in a hole in the ground is also probably quite energy efficient.
I had always assumed living underground would involve some kind of nuclear missile silo, much like the Fallout videogames or whatever it is the American prepping community seem to be up to. I had not imagined a place like Underhill near Holmfirth, because it is not a nuclear-missile silo but rather a very lovely family home, and also because I didn’t think we did that kind of thing in the UK. But then again we are a nation of eccentrics, so I should have known better.
Quite the statement piece for the living room.
Underhill is for sale with Fine and Country for offers in the region of £1.35 million. It is underground, for the most part, and it offers four bedrooms, three bathrooms and three reception rooms. There is a swimming pool right in the middle of it, which is quite cool, but I imagine also a bit tricky if you have young kids. I don’t have young kids, so I don’t care.
Underhill is the work of ‘visionary architect’ Arthur Quarmby, who first conceived of the idea in 1969 and completed it in 1975. It is Britain’s first modern earth-sheltered home and is described by agents as a ‘masterclass in geotecture’. Blending seamlessly with the surrounding Peak District landscape, it is without a doubt one of the more unusual homes I have seen in nine years of working at Country Life, and I’ve seen one that looks like a pirate ship.
The swimming pool is the focal point of the home, occupying as it does the main central living space. Surrounding it is a living area, entrance hall, music room, ‘the cave’, and the four bedrooms are spun off in appendages. In total, the property offers 3,929sq ft of living space in total. From the pictures, it seems well lit, no doubt as a result of the many skylights throughout and the large sliding glass doors that face south-east.
The house is in remarkably great condition, with plenty of modern conveniences and fittings throughout. It feels odd to suggest that an underground home from the 1970s is ‘turnkey’, but here we are.
Outside, the gardens of Underhill extend to an acre in total, and I suppose includes the roof of the actual house. Large lawned areas (such as the roof) are supplemented by a rose garden, vegetable patch, shepherds hut and a paddock. There is also a double garage with a studio.
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