The Leaning Tower of Rotherhithe goes on sale with £1.5m price tag

With a price tag of £1.5 million, the property has reportedly played host to Princess Margaret, playwright Noel Coward and poet John Betjeman.

The four-story white tower stands alone on the banks of the River Thames in south east London, and measures just over 11ft wide. 

The bizarre property boasts panoramic views across central London, with offerings of sites of Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. 

Inside, the tower has an unusual layout, with two kitchens, three reception rooms, two bathrooms, one bedroom and a spare room as well as two open-plan living areas.

The current owners have lived there for 28 years, initially occupying the whole building.

Leaning Tower of Rotherhithe which played host to Princess Margaret up for sale

Now, the top two floors are being rented out and the bottom two are being used for living and work space, with a studio on the ground floor. 

Originally, the property was office space for a barge company called Braithwaite and Dean, where lightermen would "lighten" boats by unloading goods to another vessel which would pull up their barges to collect their wages.

Before World War Two broke out, it was split into separate studios, housing watermen and artists.

At the time it sat on a busy Thameside street on the south side of the river, but the street was devastated by German bombing during The Blitz.

After the war, the remaining houses were sold to London County Council but then demolished as part of a plan to extend Southwark Park to the river.

Over the years, many famous residents have lived and visited the property, including Esmond Romilly, the nephew of Winston Churchill, and his communist wife, Jessica Mitford who, reportedly lived there between 1937 and 1939.

British photographer and husband of Princess Margaret, Lord Snowdon, was another famed reported inhabitant.

It's rumoured that he met his future wife, Princess Margaret in the building, while actress Marlene Dietrich and playwright Noel Coward may also have visited.

It was also claimed Lord Snowdon may have lent his room to English poet Sir John Betjeman.

Now, a haunting set of stairs lead down from the side of the imposing building, reaching down to the river below.

Steven Morish of Savills Auctions, said: “Fulford Street presents a rare opportunity to acquire a one-of-a-kind riverside property which is a well-known landmark in the local area.

"Offering 180-degree uninterrupted views of many of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including Tower Bridge, and with approximately 2,131 sq ft of accommodation over four floors, this is, without doubt, one of the most unique properties to come to auction in recent years.”

Keys to the vacant house have an auction guide price of £1.5 million.

Savills is promoting the property as a “blank canvas” for buyers, who could convert the 2,131-square-foot property into flats.