Urban Explorer Stumbles Upon Bizarre Basement Find in Disgraced Star's Abandoned Home
An urban explorer has documented the eerie state of the former riverside mansion belonging to convicted sex offender Rolf Harris, revealing a disturbing artefact left behind in the basement. The property, once valued at over £4 million, now lies dilapidated and failed to sell at a recent auction despite a drastically reduced price.
The Bearded Explorer's Forbidden Visit
Colin, who runs the YouTube channel The Bearded Explorer, recently gained access to the sprawling Thames-side property just days before what would have been Harris's 96th birthday. The disgraced children's entertainer, who died in 2023, was convicted in 2014 on twelve counts of indecent assault against four young female victims, with some offences allegedly occurring at this very address.
"I can honestly say I wasn't expecting to find what we did down there," Colin admitted in his video documentation, referring to the basement discovery. He entered through an unlocked door, adhering to urban exploration principles of causing no damage and removing nothing, though such activities technically constitute trespass.
A Property Steeped in Dark History
The custom-designed mansion spans 6,440 square feet across two floors, featuring four bedrooms, a 45-foot living space, a 35-foot master bedroom, an artist's studio, a self-contained annexe, and an external boat house. Inspired by Harris's childhood home in Perth, Western Australia, the property now shows significant decay.
"It is beautiful here," Colin reflected. "It really is lovely… a lovely place to live, but, sadly… there's a lot of bad history that's gone on here. Some of the crimes are allegedly supposed to have taken place here as well."
After Harris's release from prison in 2017, he returned to live as a recluse in the mansion until his death, causing horrified neighbours to put their own homes on the market at reduced prices. The property has been largely cleared of personal effects, but one bizarre relic remained.
The Creepy Basement Discovery
In the basement, Colin discovered a mould of a human head, which he identified as depicting Harris's late wife, Alwen Harris. "This is Alwen Harris female head," he said, holding up the unsettling object. "That's his wife. That's a bit creepy, isn't it?"
Alwen Hughes, a Welsh sculptress and jeweller who married Harris in 1958 and stood by him after his conviction, died in September 2024. While the mould may have been connected to her artistic work, Colin found it profoundly disturbing.
"Look at the eyes… that is creepy as you like, isn't it?" he remarked. "Why would you want a mould of your wife's head? And why would you leave it in the basement?"
Failed Auction and Costly Renovations
The property recently went to auction for the second time, with the asking price slashed from £4 million to just £1.95 million. Despite this reduction, bids petered out at £1,520,000, failing to meet the reserve price. Local estate agent Brian Warren had previously valued the property at around £2 million, noting the stigma attached and the extensive renovations required.
"No one buying at that price would want to live in it because of the stigma and it's a mess," Warren explained. "They're looking at paying another £1.5 million on top to rebuild it."
Colin estimated the home needs between £1.5 and £2 million in renovations to become habitable again, with derelict buildings posing safety risks like inadequate flooring and unsafe roofing.
Legacy of Abuse and Architectural Decay
Harris's crimes cast a long shadow over the property. One victim, a friend of his daughter Bindi, was assaulted between ages 13 and 19 from 1968 to 1986, with some attacks occurring in the house while Bindi slept nearby. Bindi supported her father throughout the trial, claiming the relationship began when the woman was 18.
The explorer also found an archive photo showing Harris proudly standing in the now-overgrown boat dock at the rear of the property, contrasting sharply with the current state of decay. Harris famously used the river to dodge journalists when traveling to his sentencing hearing.
As the mansion continues to deteriorate, this urban exploration serves as a haunting reminder of how architectural grandeur can become entangled with personal tragedy and criminal legacy, leaving behind both physical decay and unsettling artefacts like the mysterious basement mould.
