Hamilton Palace: The Abandoned Sussex Mansion Larger Than Buckingham Palace
Nestled within the picturesque Sussex countryside lies a startling architectural anomaly: Hamilton Palace, a vast and unfinished mansion that has been slowly decaying for decades. Remarkably, this sprawling estate is rumoured to be even larger than Buckingham Palace itself, yet it stands as a crumbling, incomplete shell, much to the consternation of local residents who have branded it a dangerous "death trap".
A Decades-Long Construction Stalled Since 1985
Construction on the grandiose and ornate Hamilton Palace commenced in 1985, commissioned by the controversial multi-millionaire businessman Nicholas Van Hoogstraten. Despite the passage of over four decades, the project remains in a perpetual state of incompletion, transforming what was intended to be a stately home into a deteriorating landmark. The property, situated near Uckfield in East Sussex, was conceived on an immense scale, with its proposed footprint allegedly surpassing that of the monarch's London residence.
The Controversial Figure Behind the Palace
Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, a figure who rose from a working-class Sussex background to amass a fortune reportedly worth up to £800 million at its peak, has long been a magnet for scandal. His property empire once included vast swathes of the county, and he famously claimed to be largely free from mortgage debt. However, his business practices have frequently courted controversy.
His contentious history includes:- Accusations in the 1960s of being a "slumlord" due to the poor conditions of his rental properties and aggressive eviction tactics.
- A 1968 conviction for paying a gang to throw a grenade into a Brighton house, an act he later attributed to overzealous associates.
- A highly publicised legal battle following the 2002 murder of business rival Mohammed Raja. Although cleared of murder and later manslaughter in criminal courts, a High Court civil ruling in 2005 found he should be held responsible for the killing.
Now known as Nicholas Adolf Von Hessen and believed to be based primarily in Zimbabwe, Van Hoogstraten has shown little urgency in completing his Sussex palace. During his legal troubles, he stated finishing the estate, once valued around £40 million, was not a "top priority".
Local Fury Over a "Death Trap" and "Ghost House"
The decaying state of Hamilton Palace has provoked significant anger and concern among those living nearby. Residents have described the site as the "biggest slum in Britain" and the "ghost house of Sussex", raising serious alarms about public safety.
Key complaints from the community focus on:
- Safety Hazards: The incomplete structure is considered a "death trap", with fears that trespassers, particularly youths, could be seriously injured or killed.
- Anti-Social Behaviour: The site has become a magnet for local youths, with inadequate security and frequent breaches of fencing leading to unauthorised access.
- Perceived Inaction: Some neighbours believe the local council is "scared" of the wealthy property magnate, leading to a lack of enforcement regarding the dangerous structure.
Van Hoogstraten has dismissively referred to complaining locals as "peasants", asserting in 2016 that landscaping work was underway in preparation for future construction—a claim that contrasts sharply with the visible decay.
Council and Police Response to the Crisis
Wealden District Council has addressed concerns by noting Hamilton Palace is not in a densely populated area and is separated from public rights of way by fields and woodland. The council has stated that reports of dangerous structures will be investigated, while emphasising that incidents of anti-social or unlawful behaviour on the site fall under police jurisdiction. This official stance has done little to assuage residents who continue to demand urgent action to secure the hazardous property and hold its absentee owner to account.
The saga of Hamilton Palace remains a stark symbol of neglected ambition, a palace-sized project left to rot in the English countryside, entangled in the legacy of its controversial creator and the growing frustration of the community it overshadows.
