Rowan Atkinson, a renowned British actor and comedian, famously known for his roles as Mr. Bean and Blackadder, owns a striking and modern country estate in Oxfordshire, England. His house is a testament to contemporary architecture and personal taste.
One of the 50 funniest actors in British comedy invested in the Ipsden property in 2006 after starring in the movie Keeping Mum. The actor splurged 3.3 million alone to buy the land with the 1930s quaint English home known as Handsmooth House. The English village, which has ‘remarkable beauty and character,’ is not far from London, PA. The original site included a main house, garage, tennis court, and several other buildings. The actor planned to live there with his former wife, a makeup artist, Sunetra Sastry, with whom he had two children, Ben and Lily . However, his plans changed after their divorce in 2015.
The actor spent 6.7 million dollars to build a new estate. Overall, Mr. Atkinson invested nearly 10 million dollars in his dreamy home near Wallingford, Oxfordshire.
The residence, known as the “Handscombe House,” was designed by the architect Richard Meier. Its design is a significant departure from the traditional English countryside architecture, featuring sleek, modern lines and an abundance of glass which allows for extensive natural light and sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. The house is predominantly white, standing out amidst the greenery of its rural setting.
Constructed in the early 2010s, the house sparked some controversy due to its ultra-modern design contrasting sharply with the more conventional and historical buildings typical of the area. Despite the debates, the home reflects Atkinson’s preference for modernist architecture and his willingness to embrace bold and distinctive designs.
The construction was finished in 2017, but Rowan Atkinson moved there only in 2022. First, the actor had to cut ties with his former country home, The Old Rectory at Waterperry, Oxon, which he bought in 1982. The actor put it on the market for 3,6 million dollars in 2015.
His new house in Ipsden is located in the Chiltern Hills, around 1.5 hours by car from London. The Chiltern Hills is an area of incredible natural beauty.
Now, the actor shares the Ipsden home with his partner Louise Ford, 43, known for her role in the comedy soap opera The Windsors. They have a child, Isla, born in 2017.
It’s a three-story, nine thousand-square-foot modern house with a flat roof, plenty of living space, and natural lighting. Mr. Atkinson’s sanctuary features five bedrooms. Apart from the main house, there is also a one thousand five hundred-square-foot guest house on the Ipsden property. The guest house comprises two separate bedrooms. The main house and the guest house are constructed of white steel and glass and connected by a bridge that arches over the property.
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