The Cotswolds Celebrity Safari: Where the Stars Live, Eat & Hang Out

There was a time when people came to the Cotswolds to see sheep.

You still can.

It's just that the person standing next to the sheep might now be David Beckham.

The Cotswolds has somehow become home to an extraordinary collection of actors, musicians, models, television presenters, footballers and actual royalty.

And because this is Absolutely Cotswolds, we thought we'd investigate.

Not by hiding behind hedges.

That would be weird.

Instead, this is our guide to the villages, pubs, farms and places with genuine celebrity connections — and where you can actually go yourself.

Welcome to the Absolutely Cotswolds Celebrity Safari.

1. GREAT TEW — WHERE HOLLYWOOD MEETS HORSE MANURE

If there's a centre of the celebrity Cotswolds universe, Great Tew has a pretty convincing claim.

It's ridiculously beautiful: thatched cottages, honey-coloured stone, rolling countryside and the sort of village views that make people immediately start looking at Rightmove.

The Great Tew Estate itself covers around 3,500 acres, and the area has become a magnet for both celebrities and television productions. The estate lists productions including The Crown, Grantchester and The Woman in Black 2 among those filmed there.

Then there's one of our favourite pubs.

The Falkland Arms

The Falkland Arms is a proper old Cotswolds pub in Great Tew — and it has also become associated with the world of MobLand, the Paramount+ crime drama starring Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren.

Which sounds very glamorous.

Dad remembers it slightly differently.

Harriet says:

“Daddy says he used to ride over from Duns Tew and tie his horse up outside the Falkland Arms when he went there on a hack.

Apparently this was before he became old and boring.”

Dad says:

“I'd like to point out that arriving at the pub on horseback is still considerably cooler than arriving in a Range Rover.”

Fair point.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can you actually go? Yes.

Worth visiting even if Tom Hardy isn't there? Absolutely.

2. THE BECKHAMS — THE COTSWOLDS' OTHER ROYAL FAMILY

David and Victoria Beckham have become almost synonymous with celebrity Cotswolds life.

The family bought their Great Tew-area country property in 2016 and David has subsequently spoken publicly about transforming the house, gardens and surrounding land into the family's country retreat.

We're obviously not going to tell you where their house is.

You don't need to know.

But their presence has helped turn this little corner of Oxfordshire into something approaching the Beverly Hills of the Cotswolds.

Except with considerably more mud.

And tractors.

And sheep.

Dad has another concern.

Harriet says:

“Daddy says the Beckhams must get really annoyed when there's a big car event and people go speeding down the road towards Soho Farmhouse.

He says this every single time.

We know, Dad.”

Dad says:

“If David ever wants to form a residents' association, I'm available.”

We suspect he's probably fine, Dad.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can you visit their house? No. Don't be weird.

Can you visit Great Tew? Yes.

Likelihood of seeing an expensive Defender: Approximately 147%.

3. SOHO FARMHOUSE — CELEBRITY HQ

And then there's Soho Farmhouse.

Set across around 100 acres of Oxfordshire countryside near Great Tew, Soho Farmhouse has become one of the defining destinations of the modern celebrity Cotswolds.

It's the place where London meets wellies.

Famous visitors reported over the years have included actors, musicians, models, royals and enough other recognisable faces to make staring at people over breakfast a particularly dangerous activity.

There's one slight problem with putting it in a tourist guide.

It's a private members' club.

So you can't simply arrive because Harriet told you to.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can everybody wander in? No.

Likelihood of somebody wearing £700 boots specifically designed to look muddy: High.

Dad says:

“Nothing says escaping London quite like going somewhere containing everybody you know from London.”

4. JEREMY CLARKSON — CHIPPING NORTON'S MOST FAMOUS FARMER

This one is considerably easier.

Jeremy Clarkson bought the farm that would become Diddly Squat in 2008, and Clarkson's Farm subsequently turned it into possibly the most famous farm in Britain.

Diddly Squat Farm Shop opened in 2020 and is somewhere you can actually visit.

And people do.

A lot.

Our relationship with Clarkson's farm is slightly different.

Harriet says:

“When Daddy flies from Enstone, we sometimes fly over Clarkson's farm.

Which is probably the only way to visit Diddly Squat without joining a queue.”

Dad says:

“I'm just checking the crops.”

Harriet says:

“You're really not.”

If you're a fan of Clarkson's Farm, Diddly Squat is an obvious stop.

Just don't expect it to be deserted.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can you actually visit? Yes.

Tractor probability: Extremely high.

Queue probability: Also extremely high.

5. KATE MOSS — SUPERMODELS NEED WELLIES TOO

Kate Moss has been one of the best-known celebrity residents of the Cotswolds for years, with her country home widely reported as being around Little Faringdon.

Which somehow makes perfect sense.

London Kate Moss:

Fashion icon.

Cotswolds Kate Moss:

Presumably wellies.

Little Faringdon sits towards the eastern side of the Cotswolds near Lechlade and is considerably quieter than the Great Tew/Chipping Norton celebrity universe.

There isn't a Kate Moss Experience.

Nor should there be.

Go because this part of the Cotswolds is lovely.

If you happen to see Kate Moss buying a pint of milk, that's between you and the milk.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can you visit the village? Of course.

Can you visit Kate? Obviously not.

6. LIAM GALLAGHER — DEFINITELY MAYBE... THE COTSWOLDS?

Even rock 'n' roll eventually wants a log burner.

Liam Gallagher confirmed in early 2026 that he was moving to the Cotswolds, adding Oasis royalty to an already fairly ridiculous collection of local residents.

This news particularly amused Harriet.

Harriet says:

“Daddy is so old he remembers Oasis the first time around.”

Dad says:

“I was there.”

Harriet says:

“Exactly.”

For Harriet and Georgie, Oasis are legendary old rock stars.

For Dad, they're apparently contemporaries.

We haven't decided which is more worrying.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Most likely Cotswolds activity: Walking to a pub while looking slightly annoyed.

Dad nostalgia level: Unbearable.

7. SIR PATRICK STEWART — DAD'S GEEK MOMENT

Sir Patrick Stewart has also been publicly associated with the Chipping Norton/Little Tew part of the Cotswolds.

For most people, this is an interesting celebrity fact.

For Dad, this is considerably more important.

Because Dad loves Star Trek.

Harriet says:

“Daddy LOVES Star Trek.

He pretends he's a serious businessman but he's actually a massive geek.”

Dad says:

“Patrick Stewart is Captain Picard. This is entirely different.”

Georgie says:

“It really isn't.”

If we ever see Patrick Stewart in a local pub, Dad has been given strict instructions.

No Vulcan salute.

No asking him to “Make it so.”

And absolutely no discussing warp drives.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Harriet excitement: ⭐⭐

Dad excitement: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

8. ELLEN DEGENERES & PORTIA DE ROSSI — ACTUAL HOLLYWOOD

The Cotswolds celebrity invasion eventually reached the point where people started moving here from actual Hollywood.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have been widely reported as making the Cotswolds their UK base.

Which means somewhere along the way somebody presumably swapped Californian sunshine for Gloucestershire drizzle and thought:

“Yes. This is better.”

Dad, naturally, has another historical connection.

Harriet says:

“Daddy says he actually used to watch Ellen's television show years ago.”

Dad says:

“It wasn't THAT long ago.”

Harriet says:

“He also says that about Oasis.”

Game over.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hollywood factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Weather adjustment required: Significant.

9. ELLIE GOULDING — CIRENCESTER

Singer Ellie Goulding has also been associated with the Cirencester area.

Fortunately, Cirencester is somewhere we'd recommend visiting regardless of whether you spot anybody famous.

You've got independent shops, restaurants, cafés, Roman history and Cirencester Park.

Which brings us to an important principle of the Absolutely Celebrity Safari:

Never go somewhere solely because a famous person might be there.

Go somewhere brilliant.

Then if somebody famous walks past, that's a bonus.

And if nobody famous walks past?

Have some cake.

10. PRINCESS ANNE — DAD'S FAVOURITE

Forget Hollywood.

Forget footballers.

Forget rock stars.

We've reached Dad's favourite.

Princess Anne.

The Princess Royal has lived at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire for decades and the estate is closely associated with equestrian sport.

Dad has actually met her.

And technically...

So has Harriet.

Harriet says:

“Princess Anne is Daddy's favourite.

He's met her.

Technically, so have I.

I was just in Mummy's tummy at the time, so I don't remember much about it.”

Dad says:

“She was considerably better behaved.”

Harriet says:

“I HADN'T EVEN BEEN BORN!”

It's difficult to argue with that.

Celebrity factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Royal factor: 👑👑👑👑👑

Dad approval: Off the scale.

And Then There'S The Film Crew...

Living around here also means you occasionally discover that the Cotswolds has become somebody else's version of England.

The Great Tew Estate actively offers locations for filming and lists The Crown, Grantchester and other productions among its screen credits.

The wider Cotswolds has provided locations for a remarkable number of films and television programmes.

So you can be driving through somewhere you've known for years and suddenly discover a production crew has arrived.

One minute:

Sheep.

Next minute:

Hollywood.

Then the sheep again.

Which has given us another idea.

The Cotswolds You've Seen on TV is going to need its own Absolutely guide.

How To Do The Absolutely Celebrity Safari

Don't spend an entire day trying to find celebrities.

That's both disappointing and slightly creepy.

Instead, we'd make a day of the places themselves.

Start around Chipping Norton, investigate Clarkson country, head towards Great Tew, wander the village and have something at the Falkland Arms.

Explore some of the surrounding countryside.

If you're lucky enough to have access to Soho Farmhouse, that's an obvious addition.

If not, don't worry.

There are approximately four million other good places to eat around here.

And if you don't spot David Beckham, Jeremy Clarkson, Kate Moss, Liam Gallagher, Patrick Stewart or anybody else?

Congratulations.

You've still spent a day in one of the loveliest bits of England.

The Absolutely Rule

We do have one rule.

DON'T BE WEIRD.

This is not a guide to celebrity houses.

We're not publishing private addresses.

We're not telling you which gate belongs to whom.

We're not suggesting you drive repeatedly past someone's home.

And we're definitely not recommending hiding behind a hedge with binoculars.

We're interested in public places, businesses, villages, filming locations and publicly documented connections.

Visit Great Tew because it's beautiful.

Have a pint at the Falkland Arms.

Visit Diddly Squat because you love Clarkson's Farm.

Explore the places you've seen on television.

And if David Beckham happens to be standing next to you?

Be normal.

The poor bloke is probably just trying to buy something.

Harriet'S Celebrity Safari Verdict

I thought this guide was going to be about famous people.

It turns out it's mostly about Daddy.

Daddy used to ride his horse to the Falkland Arms.

Daddy worries about people driving too fast near the Beckhams.

Daddy flies over Clarkson's farm.

Daddy remembers Oasis.

Daddy loves Captain Picard.

Daddy watched Ellen.

And Daddy has met Princess Anne.

Apparently.

Georgie says:

“Is this Daddy's guide?”

Possibly.

The Absolutely Verdict

The Cotswolds now contains Hollywood actors, rock stars, supermodels, television presenters, football royalty and actual royalty.

But that's not really the best bit.

The best bit is that none of it seems particularly unusual here.

Because however famous you are, eventually you'll find yourself on a single-track Cotswolds road with a Range Rover behind you, a horse coming towards you and a tractor doing 14mph in front.

At which point celebrity becomes completely irrelevant.

Welcome to the Cotswolds.

Where even the celebrity gossip somehow ends up being about Dad. 😂