I bought Ian Fleming's incredible UK beach home for under £1million – now I'm selling up because it's ‘too small'

The Sun

23-07-2025

A JAMES Bond superfan who snapped up Ian Fleming's former seaside home for less than £1million is putting it back on the market – because he says it's no longer big enough for his family.
Mermaid Cottage, the striking 1920s Art Deco house in St Margaret's Bay, Kent, was once owned by both Bond creator Ian Fleming and legendary playwright Noel Coward.
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It's now up for sale with a guide price of £1.75million.
Fleming is believed to have written part of Moonraker at the property between 1951 and 1957, taking inspiration from the surrounding cliffs and coastline for the novel's dramatic setting.
Its villain, Hugo Drax, constructs his deadly Moonraker rocket just outside Dover, near Deal.
Coward had owned the house previously and renamed it 'White Cliffs' after restoring it following wartime damage by British and Canadian troops preparing for D-Day.
He spent around £2,000 reinforcing the chalk cliffs and reportedly found his love of painting during his years there, according to Dover Museum.
The house passed to Fleming in 1951, becoming his weekend and holiday escape.
It remained in private hands until 2008, when current owner Mark Sawyer spotted it during a visit to Kent with his then-partner.
The 56-year-old, who works in private equity, first glimpsed the village while swimming the Channel in a team relay: 'I distinctly remember the captain of the boat saying, 'There's St Margarets, it's a really pretty village'. I saw it from the water for the first time.'
Although the house wasn't officially on the market, the couple fell in love with it and persuaded the estate agent to take it off the books immediately with a £20,000 deposit.
They bought it for £800,000 and have since spent around £1million on renovations, including buying land to extend the garden.
'I'm a massive Bond fan. For me that was the cherry on the cake,' Sawyer said.
'Most people say when we're down there: squint and you could be in the Mediterranean,' he added.
'In the winter, the bay is so much quieter.
"You sit there with the log-burning stove roaring with a storm blowing outside.
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"You're immersed in nature.
"The only land you can see from our living room is France.'
His partner Lara Jewitt, a Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist, helped design the garden, which echoes the style of Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage.
The couple bought land from the council in 2014 to create it, but soon ran out of space.
'We developed every square inch down there, and we just wanted a bit more room,' Sawyer said.
'I never thought I would sell it, to be honest with you. It has three bedrooms, and that is too small to have both of my children back, potentially in the future with their partners, and my family to stay.'
Not everyone is pleased about the decision.
'My daughter is still not talking to me since I told her I am selling it,' he admitted. 'She'll get over it eventually.'
Strutt & Parker, who are handling the sale, describe Mermaid Cottage as a 'breathtaking location' with a 'rich history of famous connections.'
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