Couple Win $60 Million, 5 Years Later Ask Police To Destroy Home

A Shell For Ghosts

It was only 9 years ago that it was used in The Dark Knight Rises as Bruce Wayne’s manor. But now the building is completely empty.

The walls are cracked and covered with graffiti while animals make the place their home. Amateur ghost hunters go to the manor in search of ghosts that haunt the empty shell of the Rainbow House.

An Ordinary Couple

Cassey Carrington and Matt Popham lived happily together in Staplewood, England. They loved each other very much but felt that they were missing adventure in their lives.

The two lovebirds could never have expected what would happen after they entered the Euro Lottery. Things would take a strange turn.

Pure Luck

They felt like they were only just finding their way as young adults. Matt was a home decorator and painter while Cassey was a supervisor at a store.

They were happy living in a one-bedroom apartment getting by. But when they decided to try their luck once the Euro Jackpot had hit $60 million, they thought nothing of it. Then they found out that they had won.

Living Modestly

They tried to be as modest as they could with the money that they won. They just wanted a wedding and new cars after moving into a nicer home. They decided to stay in the same neighborhood, after all, it was where they both grew up and met.

They felt that every little problem they ever had could now be solved with the winnings. But this would set a chain of events in motion that couldn’t be stopped.

Generous With Their Winnings

The couple started going on more and more holidays and even gave some money to their friends. One friend received $1.7 million to help them get out of debt.

The Sun said , “It’s a fantastic gesture and proves [that they] don’t intend to leave their friends behind.” But soon after the couple decided to make a few changes that would clearly be a mistake.

The Rainbow House

The Rainbow House is found in Nottingham on the grounds of Wollaton Hall. The mansion of notably known for being “Wayne Manor” in The Dark Knight Rises.

Matt and Cassey fell in love with the property pretty much immediately. It was a seven-bedroom mansion that they could do anything they could dream of with.

A Heritage Home

The Rainbow House has heritage being an art deco mansion built in the 1930s. The recently married couple decided to buy it at what they thought was a steal – $1.6 million.

“I have often painted these huge houses and wondered what it would be like to live in one. Now I can find out.” Matt told Daily Mail. But after seven years, the property has gained much notoriety in the area.

Big Plans

The couple didn’t move in immediately. They knew the renovations would cost them $6 million.

The couple didn’t seem to mind the price since they still had $60 million. But the locals didn’t seem to like their idea to demolish the old mansion to build a new one on the property.

Starting From Scratch

They wanted their house to lie mostly underground and be eco-friendly, with solar panels, a pool, and a cinema.

They even wanted to build another house on the property and a 10-car garage. The name they wanted to call their property was “Serenity” which would turn out to be quite the ironic name.

Abrupt Halt

The couple’s plans were very big but they were more than confident they could accomplish them, they had the money after all.

With so much money they weren’t the slightest bit worried. But the renovations stopped just as they started for a strange reason.

Over The Moon

Matt and Cassey had it made. Not only did they purchase the mansion, but they also bought another home — specifically for their closest friends and family.

With so much money in their bank, it was strange that something caused them to completely abandon the project. Instead of an innovative new building appearing in its place, the Rainbow House stands empty and largely unchanged. What happened?

House Of Horrors

Just seven years ago, the famous mansion had the potential to become a dream home. Now, the crumbling and graffitied building stands empty — the stuff of nightmares and a blight on the neighborhood.

The sprawling estate is overgrown with whispering grass. The mansion stares vacantly from the hill with its windowless eyes. The house has become a hotspot for teenage rebels looking for a thrill, and the hellish mansion doesn’t disappoint.

The ‘Scariest Place In Nottingham’

Local residents claim that vandals regularly break into the property to smash things, set fires, and commit other crimes — despite it being boarded up with tall security fences that surround the entire property.

It wasn’t long before the derelict house became known as the ‘scariest place in Nottingham to have your photo taken’ — which, of course, only attracted more ghost hunters.

Complaints

Neighbors are constantly complaining about the property. From the untidy and unkempt garden that “looks like a forest” to the offensive graffiti that covered the mansion’s exterior.

One told the Daily Mail, “The Tophams have shedloads of money and should be spending some to end this farce – or at least on security.”

A Hazard

“We have been told by the council that all the toilets have been smashed, leaving the drains open. That, in turn, attracted rats,” another neighbor explained in an interview.

“There is also an empty swimming pool, which is a real danger too. I’m surprised no one has been seriously hurt in there.” So, where were Matt and Cassey while all this was happening?

Keeping Their Eye On It

Just went Cassey and Matt thought life couldn’t get any better, Cassey found out she was pregnant! The two soon-to-be-parents finally felt like their family was complete.

While Cassey and Matt were having the times of their lives with their new fortune, the couple had completely neglected their dream mansion. They had no idea what state it was in.

Disgusted

When Cassey and Matt went back to the mansion to see what all the uproar was about, they were disgusted to see it in such a state. Toilets were smashed up, trash was scattered everywhere, and rats and other creatures were running wild.

Occult symbols were spraypainted on the walls, and the entire house was a death trap and a serious health and safety hazard. Neighbors were livid that Cassey and Matt had let it get this bad. But things were about to get even worse.

On Hold

Bearing all this in mind, it’s perhaps surprising that the house hasn’t been demolished already. But even though planning approval had been granted, the plans were put on hold because the “Teletubby” house became too expensive to build.

As a result, no action was taken, and Rainbow House was allowed to fall into disrepair.

“Really Bad Taste”

A resident of the area, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “They’re really lucky kids, with really bad taste.” “Not too much sense in it,” said another neighbor. “It almost seems like they dreamt it up and decided to do it without thinking.”

Another neighbor, who also asked not to be named said: “It is a bit of an eyesore though, it won’t be long until it starts crumbling down. It’s been there for years and nothing’s changed with it, so I wouldn’t be surprised if nothing happens for a good long while yet.”

Barricaded Shut

The local council is well aware of the problem, though. Indeed, the U.K.’s ITV quoted a recent council report as stating, “The house has been the victim of anti-social behavior, vandalism, countless arson and nuisance fire attempts, and is now in a state where every opening has been blocked up… and secured by steel sheets.”

And what about the ghosts that are said to haunt the building?

Demolish It

Given the state that the property is in, the council is likely to consider a new application, so the Tophams have asked the police to file for demolishment of the house on their behalf.

That said, despite the couple apparently having plans to build a different house on the land, so far there has been no indication of what it might look like. And the only “ghosts” on the property are the ghosts of wasted opportunity.