James Bond creator’s cliffside house lists for $3.5 million

Author Ian Fleming’s former beach cottage has hit the market for $3.5 million. 

Fleming is the creator of the James Bond series of spy novels, which went on to spark one of the most iconic movie franchises of the 20th century. 

He first bought the humble Art Deco beach shack in 1951 as a peaceful holiday escape. 

One year later, Fleming started work on Casino Royale, the novel that introduced the world to James Bond.

Many of his Bond stories were written at Mermaid Cottage between 1951 and 1957. 

Among them is Moonraker, which took inspiration from the surrounding cliffs and coastline. 

The three-bedroom cottage is now on the market for £1,750,000 ($3,579,000). 

It is set in the shadow of the iconic White Cliffs of Dover overlooking the English Channel. 

On clear days, you can see all the way across the water to France.

“Part of a small enclave of four properties that hark back to the heyday of the 1920s and the fashionable Art Deco movement, this select haven has a rich history of famous connections,” the listing by Strutt & Parker reads. 

Inside, the house has been carefully renovated to evoke a breezy seaside feel. 

White timber walls and bleached wooden floors bring light into the living room, while the kitchen is kitted out with traditional Shaker cabinetry.

Fittingly, the house boasts a library with sea-green shelves that overflow with books and vintage records. 

There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms, each with views over the moody grey sea and pebble beach. 

The current owner, Mark Sawyer, has lived at Mermaid Cottage for over 20 years. 

He first spotted the house while swimming in the sea, according to The Sun. 

“I’m a massive Bond fan. For me that was the cherry on the cake,” Sawyer told the publication.

He is selling the cottage with the intention to upsize into a bigger home.