Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s new home Marsh Farm’s mysterious history near ‘limitless ooze’

Royal residences are brimming with fascinating historic tales; if the ‘walls could talk’ they would have a serious story to tell. However, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s soon-to-be new home, Marsh Farm, in Sandringham, seems to have no such history. As a simple forgotten-about farmhouse it’s shrouded in mystery, aside from the rather undesirable tales of oozing mud, of course…

 The former farmhouse has stood empty for years, and before that it was home to a farmer who tended to the nearby fields. Its humble existence pales in comparison to Andrew’s former property, Royal Lodge, as well as other residences at Sandringham like The Folly and Wood Farm.

A fleeting mention in a book

 The building was given a brief mention in the publication The King’s Homeland (circa 1904), and it reads: “For a few minutes’ stroll along the rough marsh roadway, which branches off from the main road through the village near a farmhouse known as the Marsh Farm, will bring him to the embankment, or sea-wall, which protects the reclaimed land from the sea. But he must not expect to find beyond this sea-wall a shingly beach or a stretch of golden sand, for not of such are the shores of Wash. Instead he will see, if the tide be out, an apparently limitless expanse of gleaming – and often steaming – ooze.”

© PA Images via Getty Images

 The oozing mud is a much-talked feature surrounding this property, due to it being built on marshland. As well as it perhaps not being very desirable to look at, this terrain and location could pose a more serious problem down the line, it transpires.

Concerns over the future of Marsh Farm

 It has been reported that the property is at risk of flooding, according to an Environmental Agency document. The property is near Dersingham Bog, which is located on the Sandringham Royal Estate, within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Although rainwater normally drains to Wolferton Pumping Station, residents in the village have been advised to register to receive flood warnings from the Environment Agency in the event that local flood preventative measures fail.

 Other issues that plague Andrew’s property are rodents and potholes. The road leading up to the house is filled with pesky potholes, and the front lawn has been seen with molehills, with pest control vans being spotted on site too.

Andrew’s former home, Royal Lodge

© Shutterstock

The Grade-II listed property, located in leafy Windsor, boasts a whopping 30 rooms and 21 acres of stunning grounds. It has a rich and incredible history within the royal family, with King George IV using it as a hunting lodge. It also served as Queen Elizabeth II’s childhood home. The lease was granted to Andrew in 2003, who lived there until he moved out earlier this month.