Spike Milligan: Goon but not forgotten - Rye residents remember comic’s antics 20 years after his death

Milligan - who is still considered the godfather of British comedy, and was best known for his work on the radio show The Goons in the 1950s - died aged 83 at his home near Rye on February 27 2002.

He lived at Dumb Woman’s Lane, Udimore, in a house called Carpenters Meadow which was designed by an architect in the 1960s. He described his home as “the ugliest house in the world” and put up an alternative house name - The Blind Architect.

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His funeral service took place at St Anthony’s Catholic Church in Rye, and he was buried at St Thomas’ Church cemetery in Winchelsea. His gravestone bears what was voted as the UK’s favourite epitaph - the stone reads “See I told you I was ill!” but had to be written in Gaelic to be approved by the Chichester Diocese.

He was a popular figure in Rye and often opened charity events in the area, but he is also well remembered for his exploits in the town.

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When comedian Ade Edmondson visited Milligan’s grave earlier this month, and posted a photograph of his gravestone on Twitter, hundreds of Edmondson’s fans replied to his post, and many gave anecdotes about Milligan’s exploits in Rye.

One person, Dom Storey, said the St Anthony’s monk who had buried Milligan told how he “used to shout out jokes during his masses and had everyone in stitches”. Another tweeter, called Andy, said: “My wife is from Rye and tells me some very funny stories about Spike and his antics. He used to drive his Mini in reverse on the streets of Rye, causing chaos, but never reprimanded.”

Roy Beeley said he used to see him “jogging along Dumb Woman’s Lane in carpet slippers”. William Smith said he went to Milligan’s house in 1999 “because everyone knew which house was his, and this is how it went: ‘Knock knock. Spike: who is it? Me: just a fan Spike, I have an autograph pad and a camera. Spike: well **** off then.’ He never opened the door and never said anything else.”

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Otto English said Milligan’s epitaph was “perfect, but I do love the other quip he made about death. How he’d like to go to heaven, but if Jeffrey Archer was there he’d make do with Lewisham.”

Others recalled how when fellow Goon Harry Secombe died in 2001, Milligan quipped: “I’m glad he died before me, because I didn’t want him to sing at my funeral.” A year later, a recording of Secombe singing was played at Milligan’s memorial service in Rye.

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