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.”
Mourners, including members of the Royal Family, travelled to a small village in the county for the funeral of Lady Pamela Hicks on Saturday (June 13).
The service for the 97‑year‑old took place at St Bartholomew’s Church in Brightwell Baldwin, between Wallingford and Watlington.
Lady Pamela died last week at her home in the village, where she had lived for many years with her late husband, interior designer David Hicks.
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Among the mourners were Lady Helen Taylor, daughter of Prince Edward, and Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
There was no sign of King Charles or Queen Camilla, though, as the funeral came on the same day as Trooping the Colour, the King’s official London birthday parade.
Nevertheless, mourners paid their respects outside St Bartholomew’s Church as the coffin was carried inside, before following the procession for the service.
The small parish church is close to The Grove, the family house that became her long‑term base in Oxfordshire.
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According to the published order, the funeral was arranged in line with Lady Pamela’s wishes, with rousing hymns but no formal sermon or eulogy during the service.
Lady Pamela was a first cousin of the late Prince Philip and a great‑great‑granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
She was also a bridesmaid at the 1947 wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten.
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The 97-year-old later served as a lady‑in‑waiting to Queen Elizabeth II and accompanied the then Princess on the 1952 tour of Kenya.
This was when news came through of King George VI’s death and Elizabeth’s accession to the throne.
Following her death on June 5, King Charles paid a warm tribute, saying he was “greatly saddened to learn of the death of Lady Pamela Hicks, a sorrow tempered by the fondest memories and deepest gratitude for her long life and loyal service to Queen Elizabeth.”
In the statement released by Buckingham Palace, he added that her “warmth, wit and perspicacity always made such an impression” and that she would be “so dearly missed by all those who knew and loved her.”
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Lady Pamela is survived by her three children, Edwina, Ashley and India, and several grandchildren, many of whom were expected to attend today’s village service.
Brightwell Baldwin is a small rural parish in South Oxfordshire, about four and a half miles north‑east of Wallingford and close to the foot of the Chiltern Hills.
The village, whose name comes from the Old English for “bright spring”, had a population of just over 200 at the last census and is centred around a handful of stone cottages, farms and the church.
St Bartholomew’s itself dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries, with later medieval additions, and is regarded as one of south Oxfordshire’s most interesting historic churches.
Led by manager Daley Cross, a renal and transplant youth worker at the Churchill Hospital, the England men’s side claimed the title with a 9-1 win over Scotland in the final.
The tournament, held in Dingwall at the Global Energy Stadium, brought together more than 60 transplant recipients from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with each team showcasing the life-changing impact of organ donation and the resilience of transplant recipients.
Mr Cross said: “While it’s fantastic to bring the trophy home, the most important thing is the message behind the tournament.
“This is about showing what organ donation makes possible. Every player is living proof of the difference it can make.”
Among the England squad were two kidney transplant recipients cared for at Churchill Hospital – defender Robert Collins, 23, who received a kidney from his uncle in 2009, and goalkeeper Adam Martin, 35, who received a transplant from his sister in 2023.
Mr Collins, from Bedfordshire, said: “I’ve always loved playing football. When I was ill, I couldn’t play at all and I really missed it.
“Having a transplant has given me the chance to get back on the pitch and enjoy the game again.
“Being part of this team makes it even more special. There’s a real bond between us, one that extends beyond football – we’ve all been given a second chance.
“Every time we play, it’s a celebration of that. Scoring goals and winning along the way also helps.”
Mr Martin, from Banbury, said: “Representing your country is always an honour, but doing it alongside all the other transplant recipients – and in recognition of our donors – means so much more.
“I’ll always be forever grateful for the support the team offers and also to my sister for giving me a second chance at life.”
England finished the tournament unbeaten, securing dominant group-stage wins against Scotland (10-0), Northern Ireland (8-2), and Wales (7-0) before winning the final.
Mr Cross, who has worked at Oxford University Hospitals for 11 years, said: “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved on the pitch, but above all we want to raise awareness and encourage more people to consider organ donation.
“It truly saves and transforms lives.”
The tournament also featured public outreach to encourage sign-ups to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
England’s transplant team will now set their sights on the Transplant Football World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany, taking place later this year.
The competition will bring together teams from around the world to promote organ donation and celebrate the achievements of transplant recipients on a global stage.
The actress, who was born and grew up in the city, is well known to audiences around the world after starring as Professor Sprout in several of the Harry Potter films.
Known for her character actor work across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese’s 1993 film, The Age of Innocence.
Ms Margolyes was awarded an OBE in 2002 for services to drama, but there were calls for this to be taken back last year.
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The 85-year-old, who is Jewish, has said that “people don’t like Jews” whilst speaking at the Hay Festival in Powys.
Ms Margolyes added that her Jewish identity has shaped her “whole life” and added: “What your parents teach you and what you learn from the community you live in.”
Addressing concerns about rising antisemitism, she told the audience: “Nobody likes me to say this, but I’m going to say it – people don’t like Jews.”
She reflected on how, after the Holocaust – “when millions of Jewish people, and people from other backgrounds, were killed by the Nazis during World War Two” – there was a period when people “realised that they couldn’t say nasty things about Jews because terrible things happened to Jews and they must be sympathetic, so it stopped.”
However, she added that, over time, when “people with no morals who happened to be Jewish” appeared in public life, “the knives came out again, and they have never been put away.”
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