Crime & Safety
TV legend’s daughter selling £3.95m Oxfordshire mansion
Having been a judge on the show during the BBC years between 2010 and 2016, before it left for Channel 4, the famed cook has lived in Henley with her husband, Paul Hunnings, since 2019.
Their daughter, Belles Berry, also lives in South Oxfordshire, owning a mansion named Blenheim Farm near the village of Ewelme, close to Wallingford.
She is now selling the family country home, which has served as a melting pot for the Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef over the years.
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The bespoke, handmade kitchen/dining and family room is very much the heart of the home and offers spectacular countryside views and access to the garden terrace through the full-height sliding doors.
The light-filled kitchen, arranged around a central island, complete with 2m long champagne chiller, designed by Belles, is equipped with a dove grey five-door Aga, gifted by Dame Mary.
The antique painted wooden pews and the dresser were from a French monastery.
A host of supplementary appliances are found in the adjacent test kitchen (second kitchen/ utility room).
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Using the main kitchen for entertaining and the second kitchen for housing the equipment works brilliantly, according to Belles.
“The joy of designing your own house is you can have two dishwashers, two washing machines, two fridges and six bins if you want to – and we did.”
The library is full of character and charm and has a window into the kitchen with views of the fields and sky beyond.
The floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are home to part of Belles’ father’s literary legacy.
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He had over 5,000 books from his antiquarian shop, so they built the library to house some of them.
A separate study/office is Belles’ creative hub and sanctuary, being home to her collection of cookery and gardening books.
The principal bedroom has a copper bathtub situated to enjoy the view, and there is a large dressing room with fitted wardrobes and a lantern light.
Its ensuite bathroom is Moroccan, from Habibi Interiors, as is the entrance hall fountain.
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All the tiles in the property are from the Italian house Porcelanosa, bathrooms are Lefroy Brooks, finishing touches are Charles Edwards, the polished concrete floor is Lazenby’s and the bespoke wallpaper by Zigati, Gucci & Cole & Son.
The walls of the master bedroom and Belles’ office are sustainable bamboo.
Belles chose the interiors; the wallpaper in the media room is Andrew Martin and encapsulates the fun vibe of the house, complete with an original 1970’s tan leather sofa to set it off.
And the classic glass-topped drawered furniture is from her father’s antiquarian book shop.
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The material for the blinds was brought back from a family holiday in Belize while the house was being built.
The house includes an oak-framed music room, which they turned into a games room during lockdown and has since become a fun place to spend the evenings
Designed and built by Belles and her husband in 2020 on the site of an old bungalow, the property is situated in the South Oxfordshire countryside overlooking its 10 acres of land.
Blenheim Farm was previously an alpaca farm, and the family originally lived in the old bungalow when they moved there in 2014, before the family of five moved into the barn to stay on site for the rebuild.
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Belles became an “accidental smallholder” and has kept orphaned lambs, cows and ducks. The family also keeps bees that supply their honey.
With over 4,000 sq ft of accommodation, the property’s design takes full advantage of its peaceful position, with glazed walls of sliding doors to all rooms overlooking the gardens and land, offering panoramic, far-reaching views.
The house benefits from underfloor heating via an air source heat pump, polished concrete floors and double glazing throughout.
Outside, there is a characterful three-bedroom barn-style cottage (currently let) with an oak-framed vaulted kitchen/sitting room with garden views, three ensuite bedrooms and a large loft serving as extra reception space.
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The historic village of Ewelme is just over four miles away.
“I studied Feng Shui before we designed the house; a lot of thought went into the architectural drawings and where everything should go,” said Belles.
“We worked together with RPA Architects. It was a dream project and one we are extremely proud of.
“It’s a happy house, and it has the wow factor, as the whole of one side is glass and south-facing.”
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There is a large shearing shed/barn which still showcases the alpaca rosettes, and is the perfect place to store cars or boats.
“We hosted mum’s 80th in there on a perfect summer’s day,” said Belles.
“The rose garden is full of mum’s favourite roses, Chandos Beauty”
The gardens were designed by Clara Gardens with plants that sing with the house.
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The grounds are also home to a 60-year-old beautiful beech woodland, which Belles has planted with snowdrops from the ancient woodland at Hedsor House.
The family have added a beautiful swimming pool and tennis court, which Belles says “was a winner in lockdown”.
Belles added: “Blenheim Farm has been the perfect home for the family.
“The children had an idyllic time, I became an accidental smallholder and enjoyed rearing lambs, cows, ducks and beekeeping.
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“There’s a wonderful fruit garden at the back of the barn, and mum helps me pick and prune.
“We pick blackcurrants and gooseberries in autumn, and mum takes her trug home and returns with warm blackcurrant jam by noon.
“Mum used to go ‘primrosing’ to collect primroses where she grew up in Bath when she was a little girl, and now I go primrosing in the woods here in spring and deliver them to her.
“Mum and Dad moved six miles from us in Henley just before lockdown, which is wonderful.
“They usually head over to us on a Sunday for a roast. Mum always brings the pudding!”
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Property agent Victoria Knight, head of office at Savills in Henley-on-Thames, said: “Blenheim Farm has been thoughtfully designed to maximise its scenic setting and bring the outside in.
“Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors frame the rolling countryside beyond, from the light-filled kitchen and living area to the principal bedroom, complete with a copper rolltop bath.
“The interiors are colourful and playful, with a vibrant Moroccan tiled fountain and bathrooms, contrasting with a polished concrete floor.
“With two kitchens, a swimming pool, tennis court and games room, this is a home perfectly suited to family life and entertaining on a grand scale.
“Tucked away down a quiet tree-lined country lane yet only 15 minutes from Henley, the location is hard to beat.”
Lifestyle website Muddy Stilettos has come up with a shortlist of towns and villages across the county so that people can vote and choose a winner.
Voting got under way on April 21 and is due to finish on May 26, with the result announced soon afterwards.
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On the shortlist of eight are Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford, Charlbury, Goring, Great Milton, Headington, Henley, Hook Norton, and Whitchurch-on-Thames.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie and family live in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell.
A spokesperson for Muddy Stilettos says: “Tucked between Didcot and Wallingford, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell has a ‘middle-of-nowhere’ feel and yet it’s just minutes from your pick of buzzy market towns and only 40 mins from Oxford city centre.
“You might even spot a certain mop-haired celeb down at the local; Boris and Carrie Johnson snapped up the nine-bedroom Brightwell Manor and are raising their growing brood in this picture-perfect village.”
Another village on the shortlist, Great Milton, also has a celebrity resident, chef Raymond Blanc, who runs Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons restaurant, which is closed for refurbishment.
The website writes: “Two Michelin-starred Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons (Le Manoir for short) is considered one of the best hotel restaurants in the whole of Europe, and has taken pride of place at the edge of the Great Milton village for 40 years.”
Headington is the only location in Oxford to be included on the shortlist, with Muddy Stilettos saying: “Oxford without the tourist buses, you say? Count us in.
“Leafy streets, a quaint old high street with more than a whiff of the Cotswolds, green space galore and – wait for it – a giant shark sticking out of someone’s roof: Headington is where Oxfordians come for laid-back city living with bags of character.
“Sitting pretty on Oxford’s eastern hills, Headington feels like a peaceful little pocket – yet hop on a bus (or bike, if you’re feeling virtuous) and you’re in the city centre in 10 minutes.”
The lifestyle gurus add: “Expect wide avenues, period homes, top-notch schools, and a friendly, village-in-the-city vibe.
“Doctors, academics, young families – everyone wants in.
“And with the excellent John Radcliffe and The Churchill hospitals right here on the doorstep (the John Radcliffe being a world-class teaching hospital, no less), there’s always a medic handy when the Prosecco bites back.”
Henley has also won praise on the shortlist.
A spokesperson for Muddy Stilettos said: “One of the loveliest riverside towns in Oxfordshire – and yes, you’ll pay for it – Henley has thrown off its blue rinse reputation in recent years and become a sought-after hub for families and urban exiles.
“They’re attracted to its arthouse cinema, gazillions of home turf festivals, the world-famous Regatta, well established literature and music fests, and its impressive foodie and shopping scene.”
Following Thursday’s vote, negotiations have been taking place to settle the question of leadership at the authority.
After the results were revealed, leader Andy Graham said he hoped that the West Oxfordshire Alliance would continue to run the council.
This is a “partnership administration” with Lib Dem, Green and Labour groups, which formed in 2022.
Now, confirming the arrangement will continue, Mr Graham said: “I am really pleased that the West Oxfordshire Alliance will be continuing to run the council, building on what has been delivered over the past four years.
“One of our council priorities is ‘Working in together for West Oxfordshire’ and it is incredibly important to me that we maintain this partnership in leading the council.
“It will enable this council to continue to deliver its ambitious council plan along with great council services for our residents and businesses.”
The three parties have all signed their commitment to the alliance today, May 13.
This gives the administration a total of 32 councillors and a majority of 15.
In the previous iteration of the ruling alliance, the council’s executive was made up of councillors from each of the three parties involved.
This news comes ahead of the council’s annual general meeting on May 20.
Following the election, there are 20 Liberal Democrat councillors, 16 Conservative, eight Labour, four Greens and one from Reform UK.
This means that no single political party gained an overall majority.
Prior to the polls, there were 21 Liberal Democrat councillors, 13 Conservatives, 10 Labour, four Greens, and one from Reform UK.
Of the 16 seats up for election this time round – about a third of the council – seven were won by the Liberal Democrats, seven by the Conservatives, one by Reform UK, and one by the Green Party.
Voter turnout was higher than last time – 45.9 per cent compared to 39.6 per cent at the district council election in 2024.
At the count, Tammy Abarno said she was delighted to win the Carterton South ward for the Conservatives.
And Green Party group leader, Rosie Pearson, was re-elected for the Brize Norton and Shilton ward.
Duncan Enright, deputy leader of the council, and leader of the Labour group, said he was disappointed for the Labour councillors who lost their seats.
“The Labour group wants to carry on doing its best for West Oxfordshire’s towns and villages,” he added.
The woman was running along the A4095 between North Leigh and Witney when the unknown man cycled past her at about 9.30am on May 2.
As he passed, he reached out and touched her before cycling away, looking back at her, police said.
A spokesman added: “Thankfully, the woman was not physically injured, but we understand this was a distressing incident.”
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The offender is described by Thames Valley Police as a white man in his early to mid 40s, with short black hair. He was wearing black clothing, including a jumper and possibly jogging bottoms.
“We recognise the impact incidents like this can have, and want to reassure the community that officers have been conducting enquiries since this sexual assault was reported, with work continuing to identify the individual involved,” the spokesman for the force added.
“We ask anyone who was in the area at the time, or who may recognise the description, to please come forward.
“If you were driving along the A4095 at around 9.30am, or have dash-cam footage, please check it.
“We are also keen to hear from anyone with CCTV or doorbell footage from properties along this route.
“Anyone with information or footage can call 101 or report online, quoting the reference 43260216156.”
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