
From the outside it looks like any other modest mid-terrace home.

But step through the front door and it immediately becomes clear that this property in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, is far from ordinary - boasting not only two bedrooms, a lounge and a galley kitchen but also a hidden roof garden, impressive vaulted ceilings and even a secret cave.

The house, on sale for £200,000, was formerly owned by eccentric artist Antony Dracup, who spent years integrating the sandstone cave at the back of the property into his home.

From the outside this could be any mid-terraced property, but behind the front door lies a Tardis-like home, complete with its own cave

The house opens up into this huge cave with an impressive vaulted ceiling, which provides an extra 650 sq/ft of living space. The gothic archways were made using recycled sand from the excavation

Artist Antony Dracup is pictured in 1991 during his 'Colditz-style' excavation of the cave. He completed the work in the mid 1990s

As this floorplan shows, the cave stretches out behind the property, covering almost twice as much ground as the original house

Over the course of his lifetime Mr Dracup, who died in 2002 aged 72, left a personal stamp on each of the homes he lived in, adding arches, pillars and stained glass with this particular property undergoing a particularly impressive overhaul.

After moving into the house in the 1980s, Mr Dracup - who left his office job to become a professional artist in 1963 - spent years levelling the floors and then chiselling away at the cave by hand to create a huge entertaining space with vaulted ceilings and 24 pillars.

The gothic archways were made using recycled sand from the excavation, and the result of his hard work was around 650 sq/ft of extra accommodation, with the cave making up more than half of the home's overall footprint and giving it the properties of Doctor Who's Tardis - although it resembles more of a real-life Hobbit house.

The incredible house is virtually undetectable from afar, meaning neighbours could be unaware of the secret cave renovations

The back garden of the property. A skylight set into the patio reveals how the building stretches out underground through the cave

Here the skylight can be seen from inside the building. Mr Dracup spent years integrating the cave (pictured) into his home

The cosy wooden-floored hallway at the entrance to the house is reminiscent of Bilbo Baggins's home in JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit

A set of stairs at the back of one of the house's two bedrooms leads to an attic room at the top of the house, providing extra space for any would-be buyers

Estate agents say the spacious excavated cave would make a great space for entertaining guests and hosting dinner parties

The house also boasts a host of unusual fixtures including this statue, which was fixed to one of the walls by the artist

'Not satisfied with the perfunctory cave in the back yard which came with the property, he set about levelling the floor and creating rooms further in,' wrote Mr Dracup's son Dennis on a website dedicated to his work.

'In true Colditz style - a little every day but persistently - he chiselled away. His persistence was rewarded with noticeably stronger chest-muscles and extra living space.'

He also turned around the staircase inside the house, and built an extra layer of bricks to sound-proof the property, while on top of the amazing cave, there are two bedrooms and an attic room. There is also a galley kitchen and a lounge downstairs.

Mr Dracup, who finished his work on the house in the mid 1990s, also created a stunning near-vertical garden terrace above the cave, filled with intricately designed features which led to a local aerial surveyor once mistaking it for a Roman ruin.

Mr Dracup, who finished his work on the house in the mid 1990s, also created a stunning near-vertical garden terrace above the cave, filled with intricately designed features which led to a local aerial surveyor once mistaking it for a Roman ruin

The roof garden can be reached from the upper floor of the property, while there are two bedrooms upstairs as well as a landing

The property has a galley kitchen (pictured), which has a small hob, combi over and dishwasher, and leads out to the excavated cave

Mr Dracup excavated the cave himself over the course of many years, and built the columns out of the sand he dug out

The unique home, where Mr Dracup lived in the 1980s and 90s, has been used in the past as a holiday let but has now been put on the market for £199,950

The bathroom of the house has been decorated with blue tiles and vintage style free-standing bath and patterned sink unit

The unique home has been used in the past as a holiday let but has now been put on the market for £199,950.

Andrew Ainge, sales manager at Nock Deighton, said: 'It is really interesting to have a vaulted cave at the back of the property.

'Lots of houses in Bridgnorth have caves at the back but I've not seen a house like this before - it is truly remarkable the length some people will go to.

'I think it will appeal to people who like to have a bit of character in their home. If you want to host dinner parties and entertain people it is perfect.'

Mr Dracup also turned around the staircase from its original location, and built an extra layer of bricks to sound-proof the property

This bedroom shows off Mr Dracup's artistic style, and was left alone by the current owners of the unique property

This detailed mural was created by the artist in one of the rooms during his time living at the two-bedroom home in Bridgnorth