Home / Disasters and Accidents / Home teeters on cliff edge after major fall
Home teeters on cliff edge after major fall
22 Jul
Summary
- A home's value dropped significantly after a cliff fall.
- The property is now meters away from a massive drop.
- A recent cliff fall occurred near the house, causing dust.
A three-bedroom cottage in Sidmouth, Devon, is now precariously situated just meters from a significant cliff edge following a recent collapse. The property, built on unstable red sandstone cliffs known for erosion, lost a portion of its garden to a fall in 2024. This instability has drastically affected its market value; the owners, who purchased it for $900,000 in June 2011, saw it fail to sell at a recent auction with a guide price of $325,000.
The latest cliff fall occurred at Jacob's Ladder Beach on Saturday, July 18, engulfing nearby beachgoers with red dust. While no injuries were reported, the event heightened fears of further erosion. The home, now approximately 40 feet from the cliff face, was listed with descriptions of "finest panoramic sea and coastal views" but its precarious position deterred buyers.
Drone footage reveals the extent of the erosion along the Jurassic Coast, highlighting the soft sandstone's vulnerability. The property's listing itself acknowledged past cliff falls and coastal erosion. Originally built in the 1960s for novelist R.F. Delderfield, the unique circular home boasts stunning coastal vistas, but its proximity to the ever-eroding cliff edge now casts a shadow over its future.
