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It's a tough life being a recluse these days. As more and more of Britain is developed, places to retreat from the world become increasingly scarce. Just when you think you have found the perfect hideaway, along comes John Prescott with plans for an airport, or Mr Sainsbury with another supermarket.
John Lee should know. He has been trying hard for the past four years to be a self-respecting recluse. His first two attempts, a thatched cottage in Devon, and a glass-fronted house overlooking a beach in Cornwall, failed miserably. It was only when, a year ago, he moved to Tawstock Tower, one mile outside Barnstaple in Devon, that he felt truly withdrawn from society.
"This is the only place that has worked for me," says Mr Lee, a former rock guitarist who has retained his involvement in the music industry. "My only contact with the outside world is the very friendly postman."
Tawstock Tower, it should be said, is no ordinary house. It's a small, romantic castle, the last one to have been built in England, although that claim to fame isn't quite as straightforward as it sounds. It has two towers, which are Grade II-listed and were originally constructed in the 18th century as a lookout for Lord Wrey, when he wanted to view his surrounding estate. It wasn't until 1988, when a local developer bought the towers, that the property began its metamorphosis into a castle. The developer decided to add on...