Retired Couple Launch £4.5 Million Lawsuit Over Damp in Historic Henry VIII Residence
Roger and Suzanne Brookhouse, a retired couple and keen amateur historians, are suing the Environment Agency for a staggering £4.5 million in compensation. They allege that flood defence repairs carried out in 2014 have caused severe damp issues in their Grade II listed medieval home, King's Lodging, situated on the banks of the River Stour in Sandwich, Kent.
A Home Steeped in Royal History
The Brookhouses purchased the historic property in 1991. King's Lodging boasts a rich heritage, having once hosted King Henry VIII in 1520. The monarch reportedly stayed there before setting sail for the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold, the opulent summit meeting with King Francis I of France. The house, dating to the 15th or early 16th century, features an outdoor swimming pool and was in a "satisfactory" condition as recently as 2013.
Alleged Damage from Agency Works
The couple claim that the Environment Agency's work on the Sandwich Town Tidal Defence Scheme has been catastrophic. They argue it raised groundwater levels, leading to:
- Walls cracking and bulging
- Deteriorating paint and plasterwork
- A garden that has become regularly waterlogged and "ruined"
- Damage to their outdoor swimming pool, allegedly beyond repair
"The building appears to have suffered more in the last few years than it has done in the last few hundred," their barrister, James Pereira KC, told the Upper Tribunal in London.
The Legal Battle and Compensation Demands
A 2023 ruling by Upper Tribunal Judge Elizabeth Cooke found the Environment Agency liable, confirming its works caused higher groundwater levels damaging the property. The current hearing focuses solely on determining the compensation amount.
The Brookhouses' £4.5 million claim includes:
- Millions for repairs to the house and resolving groundwater issues
- Approximately £1.3 million to reinstate their previously "thriving" garden
- Funds to replace the damaged swimming pool
Their legal team argues that installing sheet piles connected to the Agency's flood wall with drainage valves is the only adequate solution to prevent future damage and ensure the home's "long-term sustainable future."
Environment Agency's Defence
The Agency, while accepting liability to pay compensation, has labelled the £4.5 million sum as "excessive and disproportionate." It notes this figure is more than double the house's maximum value of £1.9 million.
Representing the Agency, Galina Ward argued that the extensive work proposed by the claimants is unnecessary. She stated that any required intervention should be "as conservative as possible" and that damage could be managed through ordinary repair and maintenance. The Agency also contests the swimming pool claim, suggesting it was near the end of its useful life in 2014.
Ward emphasised that the couple must prove the necessity of the proposed work, as it involves public funds. The trial continues to adjudicate the final compensation figure.
