Star homes: the top ten UK celebrity villages

Take a closer look at our most picturesque villages and you’ll see flocks of footballers, actors and models nestling in the undergrowth. With that in mind, we went in search of England’s top ten

Over and above the benefits of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous over a pint at your local, having a celebrity neighbour in your village could actually increase the selling price of your home by five to ten per cent.

That’s the estimate of Simon Ashwell, Head of Savills Weybridge who says the buzz created by celebrities drives his local market.  “Does it add to the area? I would say, yes, it does,” he concludes. 

It’s a view shared by Knight Frank’s Judith Archer, used to handling celebs buying north Cotswolds bolt-holes from her office in Stratford-upon-Avon.  “It does make the areas more sought after, more fashionable…it adds that element of being a bit exclusive,” she says. “It’s amazing how word of someone living in an area can get around."

Most celebrity villages are clustered around beautiful well-connected areas that would attract a high price tag, but both Archer and Ashwell note that in the current market, homes with celebrity appeal are easier to sell.

Here’s out pick of England’s top celebrity villages in which to buy.

1. Kingham

Voted England’s perfect village several times over, Kingham, near Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, is home to former Blur guitarist-turned-cheese-maker Alex James. Called Notting-on-the-Hill by locals, this unspoilt spot, with two hotels, one shop, and an excellent village pub, The Plough, is unique among villages in the district because of its direct train link to London. Daylesford Organic, grocer to stars like Kate Moss, Jeremy Clarkson and Liz Hurley living in nearby Cotswolds villages, is on the outskirts.

2. Alderley Edge, Cheshire

Alderley Edge in Cheshire, bristles with footballers and wags such as Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry. Named after The Edge, the National Trust owned cliffs that offer fantastic views across Cheshire and Manchester, it forms part of the Golden Triangle of villages that includes Knutsford and Hale popular with football stars like Mikael Sivestre, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, and Wes Brown.

3. Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire

Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, near High Wycombe and Rickmansworth, is close to Pinewood and Elstree Studios,  Eton and Heathrow are a stone’s throw away and the train to London’s Marylebone is 30 minutes from nearby wealthy Gerrard’s Cross. The village takes in Chalfont St Giles and Little Chalfont, and is also the gateway to the Chiltern Hills. Noel Gallagher, Fern Britten, Cilla Black, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and Ozzy Ozbourne all have homes close by.

4. Bucklebury, Berkshire

Bucklebury, Berkshire, leapt into the spotlight when Wills married Kate. It’s the home of Michael and Carole Middleton but its wooded country lanes are thick with secretive multi-millionaires who retreat to this beautiful country setting to ensure their anonymity. Other well-known figures who live close by include John Madjeski, Chris Tarrant, Kate Bush and Melinda Messenger.

5. Cobham, Surrey

If you visit Starbucks in Cobham, Surrey, on any given morning, you’re bound to see a Chelsea footballer – or a wag.  Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourhino stipulated players should live no further than fifteen minutes from the club’s football practise ground and it’s a legacy that continues today.  Dubbed England’s Beverly Hills, along with nearby Oxshott, the area is home to Frank Lampard and John Terry, as well as Eamonn Holmes, Andy Murray, Freddie Flintoff and Peter Andre.

6. St Georges Hill, Surrey

Up the road, St Georges Hill, Surrey, attracts a different sort of set.  In the 1960s it was a great escape for John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Cliff Richard, Elton John and Tom Jones.  These days the 3.9km squared private estate is full of Russian oligarchs and Bollywood stars, not to mention City financiers – former HSBC boss Michael Geoghan lives there, as well various telecommunications chiefs. With excellent connections to London, Heathrow and the countryside, it’s an ideal hideout for a high-flyer.

7. Walberswick

Walberswick, a tiny, picturesque fishing village in out of the way Suffolk, is the ideal location for celebs escaping the limelight. Linked to neighbouring Southwold by a footbridge spanning the River Blyth, it’s been a bolthole for screenwriter Richard Curtis, (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually) and partner Emma Freud. Michael Palin started up Southwold Electric Picture Palace and Twiggy, Gary Lineker, Griff Rhys Jones, Alan Rickman and Bill Nighy have homes in the area. 

8. West Wittering, West Sussex

With a beach hut fetching £60,000 from local resident Keith Richards a few years ago, West Wittering, West Sussex, is firmly on the celeb-friendly map. The beautiful seaside town 6.5 miles south of Chichester is loved for its long sandy beach and Nicholas Lyndhurst and Michael Ball also live in the village. Inland, nearby Midhurst and Pulborough are thick with polo ponies and sports cars, not to mention secretive celebs, who flock to these villages with views of the South Downs and good connections to London and Gatwick airport.

9. Salcombe, Devon

Everyone loves a good beach house and there are few better places to be on the Devon coast than Salcombe. Be prepared to cough up £500,000, though.  That’s the average house price in this quaint spot, beloved by Sir Michael Parkinson, Kate Bush and Sir Clive Woodward, making it one of the most expensive places to live in England outside London.

10.  Ponteland, Northumberland

Newcastle footballers head to Ponteland, Northumberland one of England’s wealthiest villages, just on the outskirts of Newscastle-upon-Tyne.  Darrass Hall is the exclusive estate to which the likes of Alan Shearer, Chris Morgan and Steven Taylor flock. Meanwhile, further north, Pippa Middleton could be bringing along the Glosse Posse when she visits her old flame George Percy, son of the Duke of Northumberland, at Alnwick Castle.

Star homes: How a rock legend can make a property more valuable

Fancy living down the road from The Beatles’ old flat? Turns out lots of people love to live in rock'n'roll localities and their music connections can add to an area's popularity and value, as Pierre De Villiers discovers

They may have a reputation for wrecking rooms, but when it comes to making homes more desirable, rock stars are in a league of their own.
Mention that a flat or house on the market was once occupied by a music icon, and potential buyers happily queue around the block. “Buyers are often attracted to the idea of living somewhere connected to a celebrity – particularly if it has been their home,” explains Peter Bevan of Sotheby’s International Realty. “Having a famous owner is certainly an immense benefit when promoting it.”

In 2008 Sotheby’s had the opportunity to promote one of the most famous flats in the world. Located on the fourth floor at 57 Green Street in Mayfair, Flat L was occupied by The Beatles in 1963 – the only time the Fab Four all lived together. While the home was sold for a large sum in 2009, the building’s status as an important part of Beatles history has made other flats at 57 Green Street hot property.
“The fact that The Beatles lived in the building is such an interesting piece of history,” says Charles Lloyd of Savills Mayfair who is looking after the sale of a two-bedroom flat at 57 Green Street. “It’s a bonus and a point of interest that buyers can tell their friends about.”

A property made famous by musicians not only boosts sales in the building but gives the surrounding area a lift as well. For rock and pop fans, purchasing property in Mayfair is like buying a stairway to heaven with Jimi Hendrix having lived at 23 Brook Street and the Bee Gees at 67 Brook Street.
“If a rock or pop star is connected to an area it can enhance its prestige,” says Bevan. “Locations such as Mayfair have long lasting star appeal that supports its intrinsic desirability.”

The fact that Freddie Mercury lived at 1 Logan Place in Kensington has certainly had a positive knock-on effect on other properties in the area. “We recently sold the property right next to 1 Logan Place and we had a lot of potential buyers asking about the Freddie Mercury house,” says David Terrar of Bective Leslie Marsh. “People found it fascinating that such a big star lived next door and would certainly pay top dollar for a place nearby.”

With so many people enamoured with star musician homes, many estate agents are happy to tell potential buyers where a property fits into London’s rich music history.

Frank Harris estate agents highlight the fact that Bob Marley lived at 34 Ridgmount Gardens in Bloomsbury, where they are overseeing the sale of a four-bedroom flat, while the link between Cheyne Walk in Chelsea and The Rolling Stones is played up by Chasemore Property. “I’m really keen to tell people about the role that Cheyne Walk played in the lives of The Rolling Stones,” says Suja Thomas of Chasemore Property, who promotes properties in a street nicknamed ‘Rolling Stone Row’ after Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood all lived there at some stage. “It’s nice to think you can own a property in a place that was so liked by a famous rock band. It makes the area seem even more special than it already is.”

Star homes: Why the rich and famous move to the Cotswolds

What do Kate Moss, Liz Hurley, Jeremy Clarkson and Harry Potter have in common? It’s the Cotswolds, of course, which has long been a magnet for those seeking a celebrity lifestyle with an English twist

 

It’s the Beverly Hills of the UK, where the rich and famous live within a 90-minute’s limo ride of central London but with enough countryside and privacy to shelter from the paparazzi when the inevitable scandal breaks. Yes, welcome to the Cotswolds.
To those who don’t know Lily Allen from Lily Savage, the Cotswolds stretches 90 miles by 25 miles and is England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. But to celebrity-spotters this area, from Cirencester and Cheltenham in the west to Oxford and Banbury in the east, has more stars than the Milky Way.

So why do celebrities prefer green wellies to red carpets?
“The Cotswolds is far enough away from London to be ‘proper’ country but close enough to be accessible,” explains George Barkes of Stacks Property Search, a buying agency helping stars find homes in the Cotswolds. “There’s plenty of appropriate property to be found and celebrities don’t feel their homes and wealth stand out”

“There are gastro pubs, Daylesford organics, two polo grounds, and Cirencester has a good selection of one-off shops,” says Frank Speir of Prime Purchase, another buying agency. “Well known people are ten-a-penny which means local residents are unfazed by celebrities”
The Cotswolds’ stardust doesn’t just fall outside celebrities’ front doors - the whole region has become a favourite with TV show and film makers.
The Harry Potter movies were shot there, as was The Other Boleyn Girl with Scarlett Johansson, and Bridget Jones’ Diary and Die Another Day. Most of the Inspector Morse country scenes outside of Oxford feature the Cotswolds, too.
Unsurprisingly, estate agents have plenty of celebrity-friendly homes on sale.
There is Shipton Sollar, an eight bedroom 17th century mansion with a party barn (a celeb must) and 35 acres of land for £3.25m. Or try the five bedroom Wells Farmhouse  for £2.5m with its separate two bedroom annexe, gym and games area - ideal for wrap parties after the film.
Stars who call the Cotswolds home: 
• Dom Jolly - Quenington
• Jemima Khan - Kiddington
• Damian Hurst - Toddington
• Liz Hurley - Barnsley
• Kate Moss - Little Faringdon
• Anne Robinson - Gloucestershire
• Kate Winslet – Westcote
• Jeremy Clarkson – Chipping Norton
• Alex James - Kingham
• Lily Allen - Overtown
• Stella McCartney - Pershore
• J K Rowling - Chipping Sodbury
• Joanna Trollope - Minchinhampton
• Jilly Cooper - Bisley
• Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen - Cirencester

Words: Graham Norwood

Star homes: Ditch the dust with a ready made Grand Design

If you love the Grand Design life, but don't want the hassle of a huge building project then take a look at these homes which have all featured on Kevin McCloud's property programme and are now for sale or rent

The homes on Grand Designs are definitely not for everyone –remember the Monmouth Gothic House? But even those who are looking for an unusual home might be put off by the prospect of spending buckets of cash and many months on their own renovation project. Good news then as many of the homes featured on the show are now on the market or availlable to rent. We pick our top Grand Designs.

The Long House / The Oak Framed House
Where: Barbour Road, Kilcreggan, Scotland
When: Series 4, 7 (2004)
What: It's a traditional timber-framed house fashioned from hefty oak beams, but it sure doesn't look one. That's because the medieval cruck-frame method is here combined with 21st century materials that are more typical of urban lofts: concrete, steel, zinc and glass.
It shouldn’t really work, but the result of this improbable hybrid is a spectacularly light and spacious home with full-height windows that make the most of heart-stopping views of the Isle of Arran.
How much:  offers in the region of £395,000

The Cruciform House (Brock House)Where: Lambourn Valley, Berkshire
When: Series 2,5 (2001)
What: Another magnificent oak-framed home that combines timber traditionalism with extensive glazing.
The site, high on the Berkshire Downs, dictated the complex cruciform shape, which was intended to provide sheltered areas at different times of the day.
It’s a huge and light filled home with soaring ceilings, a barn-like feel and sweeping views over the Lambourn Valley. We’re not surprised that it’s said to be one of Kevin McCloud’s all-time favourites.
How much: £1,400,000 (guide price)

Collage House, LondonWhere: London W10
When: 2007 Grand Designs award for best remodelled house
What: A stunning piece of work acclaimed architect Jonathan Tuckey, a specialist in the alteration and remodelling of existing buildings.
Originally a steel workshop, Tuckey, who previously worked with David Chipperfield, has set up a brilliantly executed contrast here between polished concrete, wood and glass and the more weather-beaten exposed brickwork of the old warehouse.
He created this space as his own home, which is built to open out onto an enclosed secret garden with a relaxing pond.
“What a piece of magic,” said Grand Designs’ judge Tom Dychoff. And so it is.
How much: £5200 per month

Cecil House / The Bath Kit House Where: Bath, Somerset
When: Series 8,6 (2008)
What: In a memorable episode, this luxurious home was built by Tiffany and Jonny Woods, who were dogged by a steeply sloping site, atrocious weather and collapsing walls.
They spent a heart-stopping £300,000 clearing the site of tonnes of earth and then brought in German kit house manufacturers Baufritz to construct curvaceous and colourful eco-friendly home with top notch specifications - including a beautiful elliptical staircase.
"A well-made healthy house that promotes well-being," mused an impressed Kevin McCloud, and who are we to disagree?
How much: £2,195,000

The Regency  CottageWhere: Hove, Sussex
When: Grand Designs Indoors 2001 1, 6
What: Hayley and Pedro Castle redesigned the interior of their Regency cottage in Hove with the help of friend and architect Alan Philips – a hardcore modernist who had previously redesigned Bono’s house in the South of France.
This project had a shoe string budget (£23,000) and threw up all sorts of problems (planning permission, damp, structural problems etc) but the result is a delight: a fun and funky home with light, space, plenty of colour and a quirky sense of humour.
“If this project's taught me anything it is that miracles can be worked,” Kevin McCloud. Especially if you have a good mate who’s an amazing architect.
How much: £1450 pcm

The Eco Pod Where: Can be added to any garden
When: Series 10, 8 (2010) and Grand Designs Live 2010
What: Funky little 500 sq ft pods that can be dropped into any garden – perfect if you’re looking for some extra living space, a cool home office or a personal retreat from the world.
The low tech pods are made entirely from timber, including English chestnut shingles and Douglas Fir stilts, and are 75% recyclable. Very cool.
They are designed by Robert and Milla Gaukroger, who also designed the impressive Dome House, Lake District House in Series 10.
How much: £65,000

The Eco House Where: Carmarthen, Wales
When: Series 5, 7 (2005)
What: An experimental eco-friendly house in the Black Mountains in Wales that used a lime-based concrete screed the builders were unfamiliar with. Cue much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The clients had a major bust up with the architect, but in the end the house came through and wowed Kevin McCloud, who enthused:
“This is an affordable, environmentally friendly house, and it's not hairy! It's cool and sharp and contemporary. That, I think, makes it pretty exemplary.”
How much: Offers in the region of £455,000

Stillwater (The Loch House)Where: Killearn, Scotland
When: Series 6, 19 (2006)
What: A stunning lakeside house that, like so many Grand Designs, cleverly marries the traditional and the contemporary.
From the outside the slate pitch roof and stone cladding wouldn’t attract a second glance, but inside it’s a different matter: floor-to-ceiling windows, a floating glass staircase and a master bedroom up in the rafters with serene and far-reaching views over shimmering water.
How much: £1,500,000
Shoreditch Prototype HouseWhere: Shoreditch, London
When: Best Eco House, Grand Designs awards 2009
What: A light-filled urban house designed as a live/work space by Cox Bulleid architects.
Designed to make the most of its orientation, the front of the house is almost entirely glazed and looks out over a courtyard garden, while the remaining three sides are wrapped in a layer of thermally efficient insulating render – this is a very energy efficient house.
Planted balconies create a green world in the heart of the city and also prevent overheating during the summer and allow direct solar heating during the winter.
The house uses sustainable materials throughout, including floors finished with birch plywood panels and self-build furniture. “No eco bling here,” said Grand Designs, “just simplicity in its purest form.”
How much: £1,300,000

The Brighton Modern MansionWhere: Brighton, East Sussex
When:  Series 9, 2009
What: This curved concrete and glass extravaganza was one of the most ambitious projects to ever feature on the show. It was also one of the most heart-rending builds as Grand Designer Barry Surtees collapsed with a heart attack mid way through the project and had to have a bypass. Then the credit crunch struck. And to round it all off, the house next door went up in flames. Barry carried on regardless with his design inspired by the sweep of an artist's brush and ended up with a home that really does put the Grand into design. The highlight of the four storey mansion is the 65’ master bedroom pod with panoramic views over half of Sussex. There's also a pool, gym, artist's studio, and Japanese roof garden.  "A taste of Hollywood on the Brighton hillside," said Kevin McCloud. And then some.
How much: £2.950,000