William Lyttle, who became known as the “Hackney Mole Man,” spent nearly 40 years building an extraordinary underground maze beneath his London home.
What began as a simple dream to create a wine cellar soon transformed into a decades-long obsession that saw him dig an elaborate network of tunnels stretching up to 60 feet under his Victorian villa.
Over the years, Lyttle became a local legend in Hackney, with his eccentric passion for digging earning him a reputation that many would never forget.
From Dreams to Tunnels Beneath the Victorian Villa
Lyttle, an Irishman who inherited the property on Mortimer Road from his parents, started his tunneling project in the 1960s.
His early intentions were innocent enough—a wine cellar—but before long, he became consumed by the process.
This underground obsession spiraled into something much larger, turning the 20-room house into a bizarre and somewhat dangerous structure.
After years of digging, Lyttle was eventually evicted in 2006 for safety concerns, with authorities citing the potential dangers of his self-made labyrinth.
Before his eviction, Lyttle had scooped out more than 100 cubic meters of earth from beneath the house, creating tunnels and chambers that became a defining feature of his home.
However, this unique endeavor wasn’t without its consequences—such as a massive power outage caused by Lyttle accidentally digging into a 450-volt cable.
Additionally, his excavation efforts created holes in the pavement, and a large sinkhole that led to disruptions for the local community.
A Darker Side to the Mole Man’s Character
While many in Hackney admired Lyttle for his eccentricity, others painted a more troubling picture of the Mole Man’s behavior.
Neighbors recalled him as a somewhat reclusive figure, but a few shared concerns about his interactions with young women.
Some residents mentioned that Lyttle rented rooms in his home to young female exchange students, and there were reports of inappropriate behavior that left locals feeling uneasy.
In one instance, a neighbor recalled hearing shouting and commotion from women on the street, which led to rumors about Lyttle’s conduct.
A police report from February 1999 also noted an investigation into a sexual assault on Mortimer Road, though the case was ultimately closed with no further action taken.
Some individuals, like artist Karen Russo, who worked with Lyttle in 2007, described his behavior as violent and sexually charged, leading her to end their collaboration.
The Council Steps In and Lyttle’s Defiant Resistance
Despite his strange and, at times, troubling nature, Lyttle’s passion for his underground project continued undeterred.
After being evicted by the local council for safety reasons, Lyttle refused to leave the house.
He reportedly broke back into the property and lived there at night, using chain cutters and working in secret.
This persistence in defying the eviction order became a local talking point, and even his neighbor, 50-year-old teacher Tom Costello, recalled watching Lyttle sneak into his home under cover of darkness.
Although Lyttle had a reputation for being difficult to work with, Costello described him as an eccentric man with whom he shared a common Irish background.
Though Lyttle was reclusive, Costello’s family sometimes interacted with him, and he mentioned how his father even helped Lyttle with various projects around the house.
The Mole Man’s quirky nature was well-known in the neighborhood, but no one could have predicted just how far his tunneling obsession would take him.
The Legacy Lives On as the Mole Man’s House Finds New Owners
When Lyttle passed away in 2010, his home and the tunnels he’d created were left behind.
The property was eventually sold in 2012 to artist Sue Webster, who had been intrigued by the house’s unusual history.
Webster stumbled upon the house while cycling through Hackney and quickly realized the significance of the property after learning about Lyttle’s life as the Mole Man.
After a bidding war, she acquired the property for £1.12 million, far exceeding its original guide price of £750,000.
Webster, who saw the house as a unique art project, has since redeveloped the property but has kept elements of the Mole Man’s history alive.
Her story of acquiring the house and transforming it into something new is one of persistence, as she faced skepticism from Lyttle’s heirs and had to navigate a complicated purchase process.
Despite the house’s new form, the legacy of the Mole Man continues to capture the imagination of those who pass through Hackney, and many local residents remember the eccentric figure who spent years digging beneath the streets of London.
A Curious Neighborhood Legend
For many residents of Mortimer Road, the Mole Man remains a figure of both intrigue and mystery.
While some moved into the area after his death and only know of his story through local lore, others, like Costello, witnessed his eccentricities firsthand.
Despite the oddities of Lyttle’s character and the sometimes troubling nature of his behavior, the tale of the Hackney Mole Man remains one of London’s most peculiar and enduring neighborhood legends.