Kingham, a delightful village tucked away in the centre of Chipping Norton amongst the Cotswold Hills is an enchanting slice of quintessential British countryside. The tiny town draws celebrities like bees to honey, with royals, movie stars, musicians, footballers and politicians all calling the place home.
Popular lifestyle publication Muddy Stilettos declares: “This is a Cotswolds village that ticks all the boxes – pubs, shop, good schools, and that rarest of things – a train station on the line to London. Oh, and the odd resident A-lister”. Serving a population of under 1000 residents, local facilities encompass a shop and church, yet it’s the neighbouring Daylesford Organic farm shop that attracts the masses. This legendary venue, frequently dubbed Britain’s most upmarket farm shop, reportedly counts Princess Eugenie amongst its devoted customers – whilst Eddie Redmayne has also been glimpsed browsing its aisles.
Daylesford reportedly inspired former Top Gear and The Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson to embark on his own agricultural adventure with Diddly Squat Farm, and it even provided catering services for ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kingham has evolved into a culinary haven in recent times, featuring an array of dining establishments including Kingham Plough and The Wild Rabbit, both celebrated for their delicious cuisine – and a huge culinary/music festival has been taking place in the village since 2012, hosted by local resident, Blur’s bass player Alex James.
‘Feastival’ “brings together music from the UK’s biggest artists, Michelin-starred chefs, award-winning street food and an exciting array of family activities”. Come August, festival-goers can look forward to performances by Nelly Furtado, The Rizzle Kicks, and the Wombats.
James made the village his residence in 2003, and makes artisan cheeses at his 200-acre farm.
Neighbouring the quaint village, is Victoria and David Beckham’s Cotswolds bolthole. A cool £5.5 million was splurged in 2016 to transform their estate into a magical garden featuring a swimming pool, a personal spa, an enchanting treehouse, and naturally, a football pitch.
And Ellie Goulding and her former partner Casper Jopling were once residents of this idyllic locale, having relocated to the verdant countryside in 2021. They invested in a grand £1.3 million manor house, restoring its historic barn to its former glory before their recent split.
The village itself is a tapestry of history, boasting numerous properties that hark back to the 17th and 18th centuries. These time-honoured homes have been carefully maintained to blend their original charm with contemporary luxuries, as reported by The Sun.