Strike it rich! Stunning East Sussex country mansion once owned by US born gold prospector Sir Harry Oakes ‘who hid treasure in its walls’ before being brutally murdered goes on market for £3.5m

• Oak Hall was built in the 19th century in Heathfield is best known as one of Sir Harry Oakes’s many homes  
• Oakes was widely rumoured to have stashed treasure in every property he owned as a safeguard for the future
• Property became a school for a brief period of time before it returned to being a private residence in 1980s 

A stunning East Sussex mansion once owned by US born gold prospector Sir Harry Oakes before he was brutally murdered has gone on sale for £3.5million.    

Oak Hall in Heathfield was built in the 19th century and Sir Oakes was widely rumoured to have stashed treasure in every property he owned.  

While the true amount is unknown, Oakes was estimated to have been worth £150million before his death – equivalent to around £1.8billion today. 

The property went on to become a school for a brief period but returned to being a private residence in the 1980s.

Despite this, the treasure has never been found, and rumours of its existence still circle the home.

Oak Hall in Heathfield was built in the 19th century and Sir Oakes was widely rumoured to have stashed treasure in every property he owned

While the true amount is unknown, Oakes was estimated to have been worth £150million before his death – equivalent to around £1.8billion today. Pictured: Exposed beams in the manor’s stunning lounge 

The property went on to become a school for a brief period but returned to being a private residence in the 1980s. Pictured: One of the many bathrooms in the home with a freestanding clawfoot bath 

The rumoured treasure has never been found at the home. Pictured: The house boasts gorgeous wooden panelling as seen here

With 53 acres of grounds on the estate, there are plenty of opportunities for eager treasure hunters to search for the secrets of the manor.

The 11-bedroom property features several eye-catching elements – such as the oak panelled drawing room and the dining room with a stunning marble fireplace.

The four-story home also includes a one-bedroom staff apartment on the second floor, and a tower with a roof terrace.

The property has everything one might need from a kitchen with a four oven Aga for any eager cooks to a library with fitted bookshelves for keen readers.

The once in a lifetime property is currently listed with Savills for £3,500,000.

In 1935, Oakes relocated to the Bahamas for tax reasons, where he became close friends with Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor and Nazi sympathiser. He remained in the Bahamas for nearly a decade, until July 8, 1943 when he was late for his round of golf with the Duke, prompting a short search for the prospector.

The 11-bedroom house includes a staff apartment in the building and stunning gardens surround the mansion 

With 53 acres of grounds on the estate, there are plenty of opportunities for eager treasure hunters to search for the secrets of the manor. Pictured: One of the 11 bedrooms in the huge property

The 11-bedroom property features several eye-catching elements – such as the oak panelled drawing room and the dining room with a stunning marble fireplace. Pictured: An elegant sitting room featuring wooden flooring and a chandelier 

The four-story home also includes a one-bedroom staff apartment on the second floor, and a tower with a roof terrace. Pictured: Another of the 11 bedrooms in the country mansion 

The property has everything one might need from a kitchen with a four oven Aga for any eager cooks to a library with fitted bookshelves for keen readers. Pictured: A large conservatory which gives a 360 degree view of the beautiful garadens 

Oakes’ body was discovered shortly after – he had been brutally murdered, and to this day, the murder remains unsolved. 

‘Oak Hall is an imposing country house with a rich history and enjoys an attractive setting within its extensive grounds amidst the rolling Sussex countryside,’ the listing reads.

‘The characterful accommodation benefits from grand proportions, with high ceilings and generous room sizes, and period features including attractive fireplaces, extensive parquet flooring, decorative coving and wood panel internal doors.

In 1935, Oakes relocated to the Bahamas for tax reasons, where he became close friends with Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor and Nazi sympathiser. Pictured: Wooden panelling lines the drawing room of the elegant mansion 

‘Oak Hall is an imposing country house with a rich history and enjoys an attractive setting within its extensive grounds amidst the rolling Sussex countryside,’ the listing reads. Pictured: The home’s dining room with large windows to let in light and allow for views of the beautiful gardens 

The listing continues: ‘The characterful accommodation benefits from grand proportions, with high ceilings and generous room sizes, and period features including attractive fireplaces, extensive parquet flooring, decorative coving and wood panel internal doors.’ Pictured: A view of the impressive home and some of its grounds 

A brick fireplace sits in the middle of wood panelling that lines the walls of the drawing rooms in the stunning East Sussex mansion 

The large mansion boasts multiple sitting rooms and drawing rooms, many of which have wood panelling on the walls and have jacquard wooden flooring 

The large kitchen in the property features enough space for another dining table as well as a four-oven Aga for all cooking needs

‘The principal bedroom suite comprises two large double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a walk-in closet and a sitting room, with uninterrupted southerly views from the bedrooms and sitting room.

‘On the first floor, there are three further double bedrooms, one with a dressing room, a single bedroom, two bathrooms, a storage room and loft storage.

‘The second floor has a flexible layout, currently offering a one-bedroom staff flat, four further double bedrooms, a kitchen, two bathrooms, and extensive loft storage space.’ 

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