Spike Milligan's former home sold

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities

The former home of comedy legend Spike Milligan has sold for around £1.6 million.

Spike bought Carpenter's Meadow in East Sussex in the '80s and lived there until his death in 2002.

He called the property the "ugliest house in the world", and once said that the best way to improve it would be to set fire to it.

The five-bedroomed residence has a pool, tennis court and several acres of gardens.

Spike became successful in the '50s with The Goon Show, before moving to television. He wrote several books and is considered by some to be the father of alternative comedy.

He left the house to his third wife Shelagh as part of his £626,326 estate.

Of friend and Goon Show collaborator Harry Secombe he once said, "I hope he dies before me because I don't want him singing at my funeral".

The comedian had a comical attitude towards death and claimed he wanted the words "Under this sod lies another one" carved on his gravestone.