If we know anything about the Beckhams, it’s that they absolutely love country life in the Cotswolds. The family has enjoyed their home away from their London home for many years now – and honestly, at this point, we can only imagine how many tweed flat caps are in David’s wardrobe!
It isn’t just the Beckhams though, as the charming region of South West England has become a favourite among some of the hottest celebs, with stars from Kate Moss to Ellen DeGeneres unable to resist the lure of the delightful chocolate box villages, which are also within a reasonable drive from busy London life.
© Getty Images
With Beyoncé and Jay-Z among the latest stars reportedly looking to settle down in England’s green and pleasant land, I just had to go and check it out for myself. So what are all these celebrities getting up to in the rolling fields and glens of the quaint Cotswolds – and how can you do a long weekend there to rival the rich and famous?
Here’s what happened when I packed my wellies and headed to the area to try out some celebrity-approved activities – and the top tips I learned along the way…
Pick an exclusive stay
We were invited on behalf of Rural Retreats to stay at The Old Mission Church in Paxford, Chipping Campden, and given a taste of how the other half live.
The building is a star in its own right, having appeared in George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations back in 2022, and was the perfect spot for our weekend of kicking off the Cotswold lifestyle.
Like many of the ultra-exclusive properties in the area, the property perfectly fit the charming, antiquated buildings that the Cotswolds are known for – but with its own amazing twist.
The building is actually a converted church, which was originally constructed back in 1866 as an infant school.
© Simon Foster
Made of Cotswold stone and appearing to look every inch the historical church from the outside, the inside has been renovated into a spectacular open-plan home, complete with a designer kitchen, a spacious living and dining area, and two bedrooms (one with its own free-standing bath, an Instagram dream), while the other was housed in a spectacular glass mezzanine pod overlooking downstairs’ gorgeous interiors.
The vaulted ceiling, winding staircase, and original doors giving some privacy to the downstairs bedroom had us wandering around in awe as we took in the attention to detail it must have taken to transform the property into a modern yet period-style home.
© Simon Foster
We were most taken by the original stained glass window, which has been preserved from the church, making it one of the most unique stays I’ve ever experienced. With a welcome hamper including treats from a homemade Victoria sponge to a bottle of crisp white wine, we were seriously being given the VIP treatment already! As a Londoner, it was also a dream to stand in the property’s huge outdoor area and look at the acres of unspoiled scenery and feel a little closer to nature. Book it for yourself here.
Visit the iconic Daylesford
Based in Chipping Campden, our new home was a stone’s throw away from some of the Beckhams’ favourite haunts, including the famous organic produce and homeware store, Daylesford Organic.
While I wasn’t too interested in essentially visiting a shop, everyone seemed to get a dreamy, faraway look in their eyes while explaining Daylesford – and it is a popular spot for the Beckham family – with David even taking little Harper for a day of foraging and autumn wreath-making at the store.
Daylesford feels like a cross between doing your weekly shop and attending a particularly boujee wedding.
The outside is peppered with sheep-shaped topiary, opposite the car park (peppered with Range Rovers), and there is an outdoor log fire burning away even on a warm summer’s day. Inside, the homeware ranges from incredibly elaborate wildflower displays to elaborate dinner party set-ups to an entire section of plaid fashion for dogs. Be prepared to overpay for a Daylesford-stamped candle – they smell too good to resist!
The organic food area was also divine; full of jamón ibérico, a refrigerated cheese store, and rows of rosé wine. Any foodie would be lost for hours window shopping through the beautifully thought-out produce, and we accidentally spent almost £100 on treats for our evening picnic before settling in for a cosy matcha latte in their greenhouse cafe area.
Take lunch at Soho Farmhouse
It wouldn’t be a celebrity-inspired visit to the Cotswolds without hanging out at Soho Farmhouse, the ultimate getaway for the rich and famous with stars including Meghan Markle and Sabrina Carpenter among prior guests.
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While we were very happily situated in our Chipping Campden church conversion, we did visit the famous residence for a spot of lunch.
With its outdoor heated pool, collection of famous green bikes free for anyone who would like a cycle around the area, and the spattering of ‘piglet’ bedrooms – Soho Farmhouse excels in its moniker of countryside charm – and we couldn’t have been happier in the main restaurant as we tucked into their British cuisine menu of chicken, chips, and gravy and took part in some people watching. Sadly, there was no sign of Victoria, Romeo, and Cruz – this time.
Put on your wellies and go on a country walk
After a hefty lunch, it is a necessity to go for a long, bracing walk – and for us, it meant putting the wellies to good use and paying a visit to the village of Broadway.
In the Cotswolds, you’re never far away from a Grade-listed building, and so history buffs might be interested to visit the Grade II-listed 18th-century folly Broadway Tower, which was built in the 1700s by the 6th Earl of Coventry. It was also a regular haunt for artists including William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. All we were missing was a loyal beagle in a plaid jacket to traipse the land with us!
Pop to Diddly Squat Farm
Perhaps this is a slightly more touristy thing to do, but the home of Jeremy Clarkson’s hit show Clarkson’s Farm – Diddly Squat Farm – has become an increasingly popular must-visit during a weekend in the Cotswolds – and you can almost guarantee bumping into at least one or two characters from the hit Prime Video TV show!
The farm is usually very busy with food stalls and a packed farm shop full of treats, either from the farm or locally produced, and during my visit, I was even able to meander down to the fields and meet Jeremy’s adorable collection of piglets (alongside his very loud goat).
The Cotswolds conclusion
Even without a reservation for a Soho Farmhouse facial, a Land Rover, and a mansion complete with a gym, pool, and a Spice Girl, this destination is well worth the visit. While some of the Beckhams’ favourite activities are, of course, slightly out of reach on the average budget, the allure of the Cotswolds is one truly accessible to everyone – be it taking a simple country walk, visiting a local farm, or settling in for pub grub.
MORE: Ellen DeGeneres’ massive $18m Cotswolds home is like something from a movie — see new photo
No matter what kind of country escape you plan, you’ll still feel like you’ve had the VIP experience thanks to the area’s timeless beauty and rural charm. And you never know when you might bump into David in the meats and cheeses section of Daylesford.
