An abandoned house hidden behind bushes for 44 years after the death of its elderly owner, neighbors have revealed.
The property at Pleasant View in Norbury, Staffordshire, has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature and will be auctioned for £140,000, but cannot be viewed beforehand.
Now, other villagers have told MailOnline that the house was once owned by a woman who died in the 1980s, after which it passed to two brothers called Bratton, “who moved into a house”.
The listing images show red lines drawn around the shape of the house that is hidden beneath a mass of greenery, with only the door frame and bricks visible.
An abandoned house hidden behind bushes for 44 years after the death of its elderly owner, neighbors revealed
The property at Pleasant View in Norbury, Staffordshire, has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature and will be auctioned for £140,000, but cannot be viewed beforehand.
Now, other villagers have told MailOnline that the house was once owned by a woman who died in the 1980s, after which it passed to two brothers called Bratton, “who moved into a house”.
A woman who lives across the street from the property said, “We know it’s there.” We moved to town 27 years ago and it’s been that way since we got here.
‘So, a long time. At least 27 years old. More like because it was overgrown then.
‘The story I heard was that it was possibly owned by two brothers who broke into a house. That’s all I know.
‘I’m just assuming that the original owner, who was in a house, has died. That’s all we know.’
Another said: ‘The last lady who lived there died in 1980 and is buried in the cemetery.
‘On Saturday afternoon people came to see.
‘I knew she passed away in the 1980s, but when I was at church on Sunday I checked. It was 1980.
‘She rented it. They were two bachelors with the last name Bratton, they have relatives buried in the cemetery. But I haven’t seen them in a long time, they used to go to church.
‘It’s a bit mysterious. I don’t know if the last one has died and the property is for sale.
‘Local builders have tried to buy it over the years.
‘They lived somewhere near Stone.
‘It is a town of travelers. Many builders tried to buy it but were rejected.
“It is on the market for £140,000 but does not include utilities as such.”
The auctioneers say the property “will not be viewable” as “access to the site is not recommended due to the derelict nature of the structure and excessive vegetation.”
It has been described as “in need of modernisation, repair and refurbishment”.
But social media users who found the images online joked that it might take a little more than that.
Outside derelict house in Staffordshire which is almost completely covered by bushes
Red lines drawn around the shape of the house to indicate where it is hidden.
Outside the property where only the door frame is visible (pictured)
An arrow indicating where the derelict house is located in Pleasant View, Stafford
Inside the house (pictured) that social media users attribute as something out of a horror movie
One person commented: “Needs some modernization.”
“A nice sight, maybe if you’re a spider,” joked another.
Another person wrote: “For your part, be considerate when outlining the shape of a house against the continuous wall of vegetation.”
“Nice graveyard access for all the budding serial killers looking for a new adventure,” noted another viewer.
Someone else added: “Serious Blair Witch vibes.”
Another viewer joked: “Definitely the setting for the new Saw movie.”
‘I also passed by here several times, with my hand on my heart I never knew it was a house! Crazy. I’m excited to see the work when whoever buys it does it,’ another user commented.
The side of the house that is covered in leaves and vegetation (pictured)
A gate to the property covered in cobwebs and peeling plaster (pictured)
An aerial view describing where the property is located in relation to the rest of Norbury.
A small window overrun by vines on the Norbury property (pictured)
Inside one of the rooms of the property that has a ruined fireplace.
One of the ground floor reception rooms which has a wooden ceiling and is in good condition (pictured)
The detached property measures 448 square feet with a plot size of 0.30 acres and will go up for auction on June 21.
The ground floor has three reception rooms, while on the first floor there are two bedrooms.
Outside there is a “wraparound garden”, with the exterior completely covered in shrubs.
A comment attributed to the auctioneers reads: ‘A unique opportunity to bid and buy land in a popular location.
‘This land and house is ideal for investors, builders and developers.’
The property, marketed by Higgins Drysdale, Chichester, is available at auction with a guide price of £140,000.
