Crime & Safety
Michael Caine’s riverside Oxfordshire manor in £1m price drop
The Grade II listed mansion near Wallingford initially had a guide price of £10m but that has now fallen to £9m.
It was sold by the star, who played Alfred in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol, in 2020 when it was listed on the market for £6.95m.
He lived there with his family from 1984 to 1999.
READ MORE: Green light for vital development at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir restaurant
The classic 17th-century English country home was put on the market again last year by Savills, but last month the listing disappeared.
At the time, a spokesperson for Savills told this newspaper: “To confirm, the property is still available privately and we plan to relaunch it on the open market imminently.”
Now, the mansion in North Stoke village has been launched again, albeit for £1m cheaper than before.
Its listing states: “Architecturally interesting, this Grade II listed 17th century, quintessentially English country house affords its future custodian a true Swallows and Amazons lifestyle.
“Marrying period charm with the convenience of 21st century living, Rectory Farm House provides the opportunity to entertain on a grand scale.
“It is a perfect country retreat for those seeking a private edge of village estate, hidden from view.”
With 600 feet of River Thames frontage, the six-bedroom mansion comes with a Moroccan-style jacuzzi, a sauna and a 100,000-litre swimming pool.
In addition, it has two kitchens, five bathrooms, a music room, a drawing room and sitting rooms.
It also has on the ground floor a utility room, gym, plant room, boot room and two lavatories.
Outside Sir Michael added extensively to the 17,000 sq ft property and planted many specimen trees in the grounds.
Property agent Victoria Knight, head of office at Savills in Henley, said: “Situated on the longest stretch of the Thames between locks, Rectory Farm House offers hours of hassle-free boating.
“Despite its 600 feet of frontage, the house cannot be seen from the river and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and grounds.
“Beneath the formal lawns, waterside meadows are also a haven for all manner of wildlife, including otters, swans, kingfishers, hedgehogs, sparrowhawks, buzzards, rooks and deer.”
READ MORE: Oxfordshire pub for sale at half original price after £600,000 drop
Outside, and included in the purchase, is a cottage equipped with a sitting room, kitchen, downstairs bedroom suite and mezzanine bedroom suite.
A three bay, timber clad garage provides an additional three car ports, a large machinery store, a log store and a first floor storage room.
In addition, there is a lodge that is presently used as staff accommodation.
Cherwell District Council is working alongside Banbury Town Council and the Quays Consortium to prepare a formal expression of interest for the new national competition, which aims to celebrate the cultural and heritage contributions of towns across the country.
David Hingley, leader of Cherwell District Council, said: “I’m proud to confirm that alongside our partners we will be submitting an expression of interest for Banbury to be recognised as the UK Town of Culture 2028.
“This competition is our opportunity to show the rich, diverse and historic heritage that makes Banbury so special and unique, and to leave a lasting legacy for the future.
“From our outdoor market, thriving community initiatives, popular festivals, grassroots arts and wellbeing projects, to youth sporting programmes, culture is already at the heart of Banbury, and this bid will help us shine a spotlight on the town, its people and its stories.”
The UK Town of Culture 2028 winner will receive £3 million to deliver a six-month programme of cultural events and activities.
Banbury’s expression of interest will showcase its distinct identity and outline how the programme could broaden resident engagement, increase access to arts and heritage, and involve communities in shaping the design and legacy of the programme.
The council is engaging with partners such as Banbury Museum, The Mill Arts Centre, cultural organisations, businesses, and community groups to strengthen the bid and realise the town’s cultural ambitions.
Helen & Douglas House, which cares for terminally ill children and their families, launched its revamped clothing store on March 12.
The updated shop was opened by BBC Radio Oxford presenter Adam Ball and joins the charity’s refurbished homeware shop, which reopened last September and occupies the other half of the unit.
Baljit Dhindsa, head of retail at Helen & Douglas House, said: “We are delighted to unveil the refurbished space, which has been thoughtfully redesigned to create a brighter, more modern shopping environment while continuing our commitment to sustainability.
“The new layout allows us to showcase an even wider selection of clothing and accessories, with improved displays and more space on the shop floor.
“We have also enhanced accessibility within the shop, including adding an additional accessible fitting room to ensure a comfortable experience for all our customers.”
The reimagined boutique-style shop features a contemporary, urban-inspired design with vintage touches and improved backroom facilities, allowing for increased donations and more efficient sorting.
Proceeds from the store directly support Helen & Douglas House’s hospice care in Oxford and in people’s homes.
Ms Dhindsa said: “When you buy something from our shop for £5, this could pay for arts and crafts materials for local terminally ill children to make Mother’s Day cards whilst staying at the hospice in Oxford.
“Our spring collection is now in store so do pop in to checkout our great range of clothing and accessories and take a look at the wonderful transformation of our shop.”
Cotswold Wildlife Park was established by John Heyworth on the Bradwell Grove Estate and opened on Good Friday, March 27, 1970.
It began with 341 animals and has since grown to house more than 1,500 animals across 250 species.
A spokesperson for Cotswold Wildlife Park said: “We hope you’ll join us in celebrating 56 wonderful years of Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens and we’d like to thank our visitors for their loyal support over the years.
“We must thank them for all their support for more than half a century.”
From its early days on a shoestring budget, the park has expanded to include giraffes, which arrived in 2010 for its 40th anniversary, and rhinos such as D’ora, named during its golden jubilee year in 2020.
George the Aldabra giant tortoise is the park’s oldest and only original resident.
To mark the 50th anniversary, keepers made him a special cake during the lockdown.
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoOxford: ‘Next generation’ LimeBikes in city from today
-
Jobs & Careers2 weeks agoWhy Join Oxford | Oxford University Jobs
-
Jobs & Careers2 weeks agoExplore our Careers
-
Student Life2 weeks agoThe independent cinema battling Oriel College to stay open
-
Oxford Events2 weeks agoMichelin Guide Oxfordshire Restaurants – The Oxford Magazine
-
Oxford Events2 weeks agoOxford News and Events, What’s on in Oxford, Exhibitions
-
Jobs & Careers2 weeks agoInternal Job Board for University vacancies
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoCrash partially blocks A40 and causes severe Oxfordshire traffic