A FORMER businessman quit his job and transformed an 800-year-old cave into his dream home after receiving a devastating diagnosis of MS.
Angelo Mastropietro braved all the odds to turn the abandoned cave into a spectacular house – dubbed The Rockhouse Retreat.
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After a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2007, Angelo’s health meant he quit his job as a recruitment boss in Australia and returned to the UK.
In search of a fresh start, he snapped up the cave in the rolling hills of Worcestershire for just £62,000.
The unusual home was the first 21st century cave house retreat in Britain – and was sculpted 800 years ago before it was abandoned in 1960.
Angelo spent £100,000 single-handedly remodelling the building – fitting the striking space with underfloor heating, running water and high-speed WiFi.
Angelo told Grand Designs Magazine: “I had this bond with the rock house.
“I was a little bit unsure as to what the next chapter of my life would be, but when I saw it I knew. I was going to be a cave man.”
As he got to work on the project in 2015, he set himself a target of removing 20 wheelbarrows of rubble every day.
He would trek up and down the steep bank to the cave 40 times a day – and in total, he removed 70 tonnes of stone.
It took two months to carve out the stone and let him get to work on decorating the interior.
But after nine months, the transformation was complete – and it was all filmed for Grand Designs.
Now dubbed a “rejuvenating cave stay experience”, couples can stay in the one-of-a-kind home, which is hidden amongst a woodland not far from Kidderminster.
Photographs of the home show stunning white rock walls inside the building.
The entire house features fur textiles and wooden furniture – giving it a natural feel – and is flooded by natural light from large windows.
The property has one stunning bedroom, with a wooden bedframe and simple wood decorations, as well as a hammock for afternoon naps.
Angelo said: “The house has a soul. It’s a magical place, it’s a dream come true really.”
Speaking to Grand Designs Magazine in 2017, he said he thought his MS diagnosis would restrict his quality of life.
But his transformation of the cave taught him valuable life lessons – proving he is still fit, healthy and able to cope with challenges.
Angelo said he was considering applying for permission to turn it into a permanent home, rather than renting it out for short breaks.
The website for the home reads: “Hidden amongst the tree canopy in three acres of secluded Worcestershire woodland, it is the perfect romantic retreat to rest, relax and rejuvenate your soul whilst listening to the babbling Honey Brook and the hoot of the owls.
“The restoration of this hand sculpted wonder took thousands of man-hours and involved the excavation of over seventy tonnes of rock by hand.
“The Rockhouse Retreat has a generous bedroom with king sized bed and wood burning stove, a cosy sitting room with inglenook fireplace, dining table, fully fitted kitchen with three oven electric range, and under floor heating in the ‘cave oasis‘ heart shaped show room.
“There is ample terrace for dining where you can either cooking on the gas BBQ or ignite your inner cave spirit with alfresco dining cooked on the firepit under a star-lit night.”
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Imogen Braddick
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