Home of the 'Yorkshire giant' up for sale
Standing almost eight feet tall and weighing 27 stone it goes without saying that William Bradley had some problems finding somewhere to live.
If he wasn't banging his head on the ceilings his huge bulk was forever getting stuck in the doorways.
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In depth: the sad story of the Yorkshire Giant
In the end giant Mr Bradley, the tallest man to have lived in Britain, had no choice but to have a house specially designed.
Now Bradley House, in Market Weighton, East Yorks, has gone on the market for the first time in eighty years after the current owners decided it was time to 'downsize'.
The three-storey town house has extra high ceilings and big wide doors as well as a bedroom named the Long Room, where Mr Bradley, who was seven foot nine inches, slept.
Nicknamed 'The Yorkshire Giant' he was born in February 1787 weighing 14lb and by his 19th birthday tipped the scales at 27 stone and measured seven foot eight inches.
The following year he grew another inch.
Mr Bradley's father John was just five foot nine inches while his mother Ann was of average height.
His 12 brothers and sisters were also not exceptionally tall although one sister would have been almost as tall if she had not died at the age of 16.
The house was built over 200 years ago to accommodate his huge bulk.
It had high wide doors and massive high ceilings to allow him to move around freely.
Over the years the townhouse's doorways have been altered in height to suit people of smaller stature.
But they are still as wide, while other features including the high ceilings, the Long Room, and the huge fire place with black and white marble surrounding, still remain.
Feet 15 inches long
An imprint of Mr Bradley's foot, which was fifteen inches long and five and three quarter inches wide, hangs outside on a plaque. The giant used to hang his walking sticks from hooks on the ceiling.
Mr Bradley made a small fortune as a fairground freak before deciding the cramped caravan he travelled in was bad for his health, and returning to live in the four-bedroomed property.
When he died in 1820 at the age of 33 he was buried inside a local church for fear that someone would steal his body.
His former home is now owned by Frederick and Sylvia France.
Mr France's father James bought it in 1927 for £1,300 and he was born in one of the bedrooms.
Yesterday Mr France said: 'When I was a child and used to tell all my friend's that I lived in a giant's house they didn't believe it.
'I had to bring back proof - the photo we had off him on the wall.'
The 61-year-old, who runs a haulage business, added: 'I've now raised my children here, but it really is too big for us these days, now they've moved out'.
Mr and Mrs France have raised £6000 to fund a statue in Mr Bradley's honour.
Two years ago they held a raffle at Bradley House, which was attended by Christopher Greener, currently Britain's tallest man at seven foot six and a quarter.
Mrs France, 58, who organises the annual Giant Bradley day in the village, said: 'People travel from all over the world to see the place where Giant Bradley was born.
'They've seen it in the Guinness Book of Records.
'Sometimes there's a coach that pulls up in the layby and you see them photographing the plaques on the wall.
'I shall be sad to leave and I'll miss all the space. It's been a great family home'.
