Crime & Safety
Waterside £5.5m monastery with River Thames views for sale
The Cloisters in High Street, Hurley, right on the border between Oxfordshire and Berkshire, is on the market with the whopping figure as a guide price.
Refurbished and modernised by the current owners, the six-bedroom property boasts 7,906 sq ft of accommodation arranged largely over two floors.
At the heart of the home is a former monks refectory, approaching almost 1,000 years old and now used as an impressive entertaining space.
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The ground floor also includes a sitting room, drawing room, study and two kitchen rooms, with one of these opening into a dining room.
The first floor is home to the principal bedroom suite and three other bedrooms, with a fifth bedroom at attic level, while there are also three refurbished bathrooms.
Other features of note include an outdoor swimming pool set in an Italian-inspired entertaining area, as well as a cedar wood-clad pool house with sauna, steam room, home gym, and fully equipped kitchen area. There is also a hot tub and tennis court.
The formal gardens are bordered by a Tudor wall and include the original medieval carp pond and an avenue of Irish yew trees, with paths leading towards a timber bridge over a moat.
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A riverside garden is located behind a discreet archway, complete with an informal mooring and a summerhouse mentioned in architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner’s Buildings of England series.
A separate one-bedroom property known as ‘Monks Cottage’ flanks the main house and offers additional accommodation.
Property agent Victoria Knight, head of office at Savills in Henley-on-Thames, said: “Set in delightful and secluded park-like grounds, The Cloisters is one of the principal houses in this much sought-after village.
“With easy access to both London and Heathrow, the property is steeped in local history and has been sympathetically restored by the current owners to create a magical home that offers an eclectic mix of ancient and modern.”
READ MORE: Daughter of Rolling Stones rock legend sells £3.5m Cotswolds mansion
The Cloisters has a rich history dating from its foundation in 1086 as a Benedictine Priory and was the centre of village life for over 450 years until it was closed by Henry VIII.
It passed into the ownership of the Lovelace family in the 16th century, who became Lords of the Manor, with the original monastic estate divided into separate properties in 1948.
In 1931, Queen Mary is believed to have visited the gardens and watched a game of tennis sitting on a stone seat which is now on the large lawn, while during the Second World War, Sorrel Strausler, designer of the amphibious tank used in the D-Day landings, reportedly used the property’s moat to test his prototype.
The Cloisters is on sale through Savills in Henley-on-Thames. Visit savills.com or call 01491 843000 for more information.
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Jacqui Gitau, who is also the charity’s lead for Oxfordshire, has been made an MBE for her services to migrant families in the county.
African Families in the UK is a Community Interest Company that was formed in 2015 to support African diaspora families in the UK to get the best outcomes for their children through training and information on education, health and social care.
Through targeted initiatives, the charity aims to bridge the gap on various fronts, including food security, digital divide and other inequalities prevalent in health and education.
The charity also offers parent training and seminars to help achieve its goals as well as hosting activities and events to promote positive cultural practices.
“Oh my goodness, I don’t think I’ve got my head around it yet,” a jubilant Ms Gitau said.
She holds a first degree in community family development from Oxford Brookes and a masters degree in childhood studies.
With co-founder Rachel Walton, the duo started out as volunteers meeting in a library in Blackbird Leys, where women discussed the differences in parenting between the UK and their countries of origin.
She arrived in the UK from Kenya with a 17 month old baby and no support. Her husband had to work and she had no family around to help.
Dr Martin Reeves, who leads Oxfordshire County Council, has been awarded an OBE for services to local government.
Dr Reeves said: “I’m incredibly honoured to receive this award.
“Local government is ultimately about people and unique places and, over the past 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside dedicated and passionate colleagues and councillors who make a real, positive difference in their communities every day.
“The best of local government is when we bring people together across a place, understand what really matters locally, and help create the conditions for positive change.
“This award genuinely reflects that collective effort.”
Dr Reeves has served as chief executive of Oxfordshire County Council since March 2023.
He previously spent more than 14 years in the same role at Coventry City Council, where he led the most significant transformation of the city since the post-war era.
The honour recognises his long-standing leadership in public service reform, innovation, and place-based change, including his role in launching Oxfordshire as the first county-wide Marmot place to tackle health inequalities.
Tim Bearder, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This honour is thoroughly deserved.
“Martin has made a real and lasting difference in Oxfordshire and across local government more widely.
“He combines insight, integrity, and ambition with a genuine commitment to public service and improving the lives of the people we serve.”
The King’s Birthday Honours celebrate individuals who have made a significant impact in their field or community.
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