Isle of Wight couple Ben and Linda Houfton had a surprise recently when they realised their former home in Colwell Bay was on the market.

Holmes House — as featured as our Property of the Week this week — was a hotel called Holmes Court when Ben’s family bought it in 1972 for £55,000.

Scroll through the gallery of Ben's pictures above to see what it looked like in the 1970s...

This was a princely sum in the early 1970s, when the average UK house price was around £4,000.

The hotel’s proprietors at the time, Mr and Mrs Stodart, advised them not to remove the hedge on the seaward side, as it protected the building from westerly gales — this has since been removed by a subsequent owner to maximise the sea views.

Isle of Wight County Press: Today Holmes House has a fantastic clifftop deck, but in the 1970s, it had the Crow's Nest, where you could sit and enjoy the views. Photo: Ben Houfton.Today Holmes House has a fantastic clifftop deck, but in the 1970s, it had the Crow's Nest, where you could sit and enjoy the views. Photo: Ben Houfton.

There were also two above-ground swimming pools — Ben cleaned one out one day and the empty pool was blown around the grounds overnight and badly damaged.

Ben and Linda have fond memories of the neighbours at Holmes Court, who included the Handel family at Colwell Bay Holiday Club; Fritz and his wife, who owned the market garden next door and supplied fresh vegetables to the hotel; and the Osman family who owned the riding stables nearby.

Cole’s, the boat hire business at Colwell run by Basil and Lee Cole, was also fondly remembered.

The hotel had a bar which Ben decked out in nautical items — a ship’s wheel from the bar still adorns the wall at his home in Newport today.

It was Ben’s family’s first venture into the hotel business and marked the beginning of their life on the Isle of Wight - he and Linda have lived here ever since.

They owned the hotel from 1972 to 1980 and catered for around 30 to 35 guests during peak times.

Ben said they are not sure if it has been used as a hotel since, but it’s hard to believe it is 50 years since they purchased it.

Holmes House - formerly Holmes Court Hotel - is on the market with Spence Willard.

Like reading stories about the Isle of Wight and its characters in bygone days? Click here to visit our Looking Back section for more interesting tales!