Brits have always had a reputation for being a little eccentric, but every now and then you find someone who took this to the extreme. One example of this was William Lyttle – aka the Moleman of Hackney – who spent around 40 years digging tunnels and shafts under his house in the London Borough.
The exact extent of the tunnels isn’t known as many were filled in by Mr Lyttle, but sonar readings suggested tunnels stretched around 60 feet from the house, and possibly as deep as 24 feet. According to neighbours, he would dig down and then across until he got bored, and then fill the tunnels in.
Many locals and journalists asked him over the years why on earth he wanted to dig so many tunnels, but non really got to the bottom of it. Some of the best answers included “I was digging under the local bank to rob it, but when I got there it’d turned into a wine bar” and simply “I just have a big basement”.
In 2006 Hackney council ordered Mr Lyttle to stop digging, and rehoused him locally while they surveyed the extent of the tunnels and the state of the house. In June 2010 William Lyttle died at this new flat aged 79. Apparently he’d already started trying to tunnel, without much success in the new flat!
The rather run down house is located on the corner of Mortimer Road and Stamford Road in the De Beauvoir area of North London.
RIP one of the great British eccentrics.
Further links:
More attractions in Hackney (not all quite this eccentric)
Hotels in Hackney
