A cottage at the centre of one of history’s most notorious libel cases is on the market.
The property on Western Road in Littlehampton was the home of Rose Gooding during the infamous Littlehampton Libels scandal of the 1920s.
The story, which gripped the country a century ago, recently enjoyed a revival following the publication of Christopher Hilliard’s book on the case in 2017 and the 2024 Netflix film Wicked Little Letters, starring Oscar winners Olivia Colman as Edith Swan and Jessie Buckley as Rose Gooding. The film was shot in Arundel and Worthing.
Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley on the set of Wicked Little Letters (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)
Littlehampton was rocked by the scandal which saw neighbours Edith Swan and Rose Gooding become embroiled in a feud when Edith accused Rose of sending obscene anonymous letters to the Swan family and other neighbours.
The case involved four court trials and three prison sentences for Gooding before it was discovered that Swan herself was writing the letters.
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The property at 45 Western Road is named explicitly in Hilliard’s book as the Goodings’ home and is believed to be the only verified surviving address connected to the real events.
The three-bedroom property, known as La Cachette, is on the market for £325,000.
Described as a “charming and truly unique character cottage” by agents Glyn-Jones, the property dates back to the 1800s and boasts a number of period features including exposed stone walls found in both the kitchen and the living room.
The property on Western Road in Littlehampton was the home of Rose Gooding (Image: Glyn-Jones)
James Wadley-Mace’s parents bought the cottage in 2013 without knowing its fascinating history. It was after the release of Hilliard’s book that the tale was brought to their attention.
“We inherited the story,” James said.
“It’s quite quirky place with a stained-glass window between the kitchen and lounge and a porthole upstairs.”