While Boris Johnson's political ambitions may have been thwarted – for now at least – plans for his nine-bedroom Grade ll-listed home, Brightwell Manor, are coming along swimmingly. On 26 September the former PM and his wife Carrie got the good news that their planning application to build a pool at their £3.8 million ($4.6m) Oxfordshire home has been approved. They were granted the go-ahead despite initial concerns that the luxurious addition might impact upon a local population of great crested newts, which are a protected species in the UK. Boris even vowed to create a 'newtopia' to sweeten the deal – click or scroll on to find out more...
Plans for the 36-foot-long outdoor pool had stalled in July after a local countryside officer flagged that there were known populations of great crested newts in the village and believed there was a "reasonable likelihood" that the creatures were present in Johnson's three-sided moat or large garden pond. Despite bemoaning "newt counting" for holding back housebuilding while he was PM, Boris took to his Daily Mail column to vow to do whatever was necessary to protect the increasingly rare amphibians. "If we have to build little newt motels to house them in their trips past the swimming pool, then we will. If we have to create whole newt-friendly bunds to stop them falling in, we will. We will excavate new ponds in which they can breed. We will make a Newtopia!"
Luckily for Boris and Carrie, who live in the beautiful manor house with their three children, Wilfred, Romy and Frank, such elaborate steps weren't needed. Permission was granted on the condition that the Johnsons enhance a nearby area of orchard to compensate for the loss of green space, create "deadwood habitats" for the newts, ensure the pond and moat aren't disturbed in any way and buy a council license. The conditions also require an archaeologist to oversee the construction works, as the house, which dates back to 1605, stands on the site of a 12th-century siege castle, according to The Times. Now we know the newts are safe, let's take a tour around the high-profile couple's house...
Boris and Carrie's grand home features a moat, guest cottage and tennis court, which should satisfy the pair's love of grandeur, particularly as they no longer have Chequers or 10 Downing Street to enjoy. Their new swimming pool will be tucked away behind the guest cottage, so as not to spoil the view from their numerous large windows.
Johnson may appreciate the peace at Brightwell Manor. After he was succeeded in September 2022 by Liz Truss (who became the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history), he attempted a political comeback but failed to match Tory support for Rishi Sunak. He was then found guilty of deliberately misleading the House of Commons over the Partygate scandal according to an official inquiry by the privileges committee, causing him to resign as an MP. He now enjoys an altogether slower pace of life, writing a column for the Daily Mail.
Steeped in history, the £3.8 million ($4.6m) property is said to have been built on the site of a moated castle constructed by King Stephen in the 1150s. Three sides of the five-acre estate are still bound by the moat and there is also a walled garden, a large pond and mature trees, including a chestnut tree grown from a conker taken from Windsor’s Royal Mile, which leads to Windsor Castle.
The house retains many of its period features and you’d be forgiven for thinking you had stepped into a scene from Bridgerton in this elegant drawing room, with its original fireplace and traditional sash windows. Home to the same family for almost 50 years, Brightwell Manor was previously owned by eminent theologian and writer William Inge, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize for literature on three occasions and retired here in 1934.
Part Tudor and part Georgian, the manor encapsulates two distinct periods of architecture linked by an extension added in the 1950s by William Inge. The oldest part of the property, which dates from the early 1600s, sits at the heart of the house and originally formed a modest farmhouse. It now comprises a living room, an oak-panelled bedroom suite and a family room.
The manor also features an elegant dining room, where Boris can hold court. The former PM has been raking in the cash since leaving office, earning a whopping £4.8 million ($5.8m), largely on the lucrative international after-dinner speaking circuit, as well as securing a £510,000 ($616k) advance for his memoirs. Whether or not he returns to politics, Boris can play lord of the manor to his heart’s content in this Cotswolds kingdom.
Read on to take a look back at Boris Johnson's property journey so far...
The tide may have turned on his political fortunes, but Boris Johnson is doing very nicely on the home front. As we've seen, the former prime minister became lord of the manor by purchasing a moated manor house in Oxfordshire. But the father of eight is used to the high life, inhabiting some truly desirable dwellings in his time, including his flat in Downing Street. Let’s take a closer look…
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson was born on 19 June 1964 in New York City. Moving around as a young boy, Johnson lived in London and Brussels before attending Eton College and later Balliol College at Oxford University. In 1987, aged 23 he started as a reporter for The Times and forged a career in the industry, eventually becoming editor of The Spectator in 1999.
In 1994, Boris' father, Stanley Johnson bought this four-bedroom Georgian townhouse, following time in Brussels and Oxford. Stanley lived in the home for 10 years with his second wife, Jenny, and their two youngest children, Julia and Max. Although not lived in by Boris, the home was the base of his successful bid to become London Mayor in 2008. As a child in the 1970s, Johnson lived in Primrose Hill, London and attended a local primary school with political rivals, Ed and David Milliband.
Johnson bought this four-bedroom country house in Oxfordshire – known as the Old Farm House – with his ex-wife Marina Wheeler in 2003 for £690,000 ($830k). The property was previously offered as a long-term let for £4,250 ($5.1k) a month, and it's currently believed to be rented out.
The fairytale cottage comes equipped with 2,659 square feet of inside space spread over two floors, including a large sitting room, a dining area and a spacious galley kitchen, with a small breakfast zone at one end, where it would be easy to create a cool coffee station or at-home bar. The property is just a 25-mile drive from his new manor house in South Oxfordshire.
Nestled amongst rolling hills and picturesque fields, the quiet hamlet of North Weston presents a quiet alternative to the stresses and strains of city life and it's no surprise that Boris has had no problem in renting it out.
The master suite is one of the home's most enticing areas, thanks to its decorative timber accents and adjoining bathroom. Imagine waking up to this bright and beautiful space every morning! As you would expect, the home is worth a pretty penny. According to The Evening Standard, the farmhouse is estimated to be worth upwards of £1.2 million ($1.5m) so Boris has already doubled his money.
The beautiful backyard boasts unobstructed views of the surrounding countryside and comes complete with a tennis court and swimming pool. Despite its bucolic setting, it offers quick and easy access to the M40 motorway, as well as the national railway line that can reach the central London station in Marylebone in approximately 35 minutes, making it perfect for commuters.
Boris was based at the property when he launched his leadership bid to become head of the Conservative Party in 2018. Here he is seen bringing tea to photographers who had been camped outside the house all day in what he called "a humanitarian mission", according to the Evening Standard.
Of course, Johnson has also owned residences in the heart of London, where he lived before moving into the official PM residence on Downing Street. He shared this house, in the traditionally Labour-held seat of Islington, London, with his ex-wife Marina Wheeler from 2009 until their split in 2018. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, actor Emma Watson, singer Lily Allen and writers George Orwell and Oscar Wilde have all at some point in time called Islington home too.
While not exactly Downing Street, his former North London townhouse is far from modest. Boasting five impressive storeys with plenty of stunning living spaces, it will go down in history as a site for Johnson’s Brexit strategy meetings, attended by the likes of David Davis and Michael Gove.
The historic home dates back to 1841 and spreads over an impressive 3,300 square feet of living space. There's a light-filled lounge, a dining room and a contemporary kitchen. Key architectural features include original Georgian windows, ornate fireplaces and parquet floors.
The master bathroom is almost the size of an average studio apartment in London. It comes equipped with a tub, a walk-in shower and a huge window that lets in plenty of natural light. Many of the rooms also overlook neighbouring Regent’s Canal, adding to the home's many charms.
The property also offers an enviable exterior balcony where Johnson no doubt enjoyed many an evening cocktail. The chic townhouse landed on the market in June 2019 for just under £3.8 million ($4.6m) and sold in November of the same year for £400,000 ($483k) below the asking price. Many have suggested that one of London's iconic commemorative blue plaques will one day adorn the front of the building, joining the other 1,000 found across the capital.
Johnson bought this four-bedroom, semi-detached house in Camberwell in South-East London with his third wife Carrie Symonds, the former Head of Communications for the Conservative Party, for £1.2 million ($1.4m). It was purchased at the time Boris became prime minister in July 2019, however, he's thought to have never actually lived in the property.
The quintessential London Victorian terrace, it has 2,100 square feet of living space and plentiful original features such as wooden shutters, wooden flooring and cast iron radiators. Boris and Carrie remortgaged the property in 2021, reportedly to help fund the much-reported renovation of his Downing Street apartment, and it's thought they rented the house out before putting it on the market in summer 2022 for £1.6 million ($1.9m).
Alongside two of the bedrooms on the second floor, there's a sizeable family bathroom with handsome wood flooring and attractive, dark tiling. According to The Mirror, a neighbour of the South London property remembers seeing decorators in the house. The pair reportedly spent “at least £50,000 ($60k) on the place.”
Elsewhere, the four-bedroom home hosts a spacious open-plan kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, plus a dining room with large patio doors leading out onto the 100-foot-long garden. The couple are reported to have accepted an offer of £1.4 million ($1.7m) in March 2023, which is £200,000 ($241k) under their £1.6 million ($1.9m) asking price, enabling them to purchase their latest country pile instead.
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds moved into Downing Street after Johnson took over from Theresa May as party leader and prime minister in July 2019. Since 1735, it has been the official residence of the Prime Minister of Great Britain and the black front door of 10 Downing Street is famous across the world. Its black oak door was replaced by a bomb-proof metal one in 1971 following an attack by the Irish Republican Army in which a bomb exploded in the garden.
While they had the option of living in the flat over 10 Downing Street, the couple opted to move into the much larger apartment at 11 Downing Street, usually occupied by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. However, Boris spent the majority of his days in 10 Downing Street and the bigger grander building behind it, which houses a warren of government offices and meeting rooms.
Beyond the front door, you'll find the grand reception hall, which leads through to the main staircase. The 18th-century black and white chequerboard floor was added during Lord North's residency, who was prime minister from 1770 to 1782.
The grand hallway and staircase feature portraits of former prime ministers. They line the walls in chronological order and when the latest leader leaves Number 10, the pictures are moved down one by one to make room for a new portrait. The walls have been painted a colourful yellow, while the first floor features a regal red carpet.
The Cabinet Room, which is located upstairs, is home to regular cabinet meetings which are chaired by the prime minister. However, the rooms became the ‘scene of the crime’ in May 2022, when images of the prime minister celebrating his birthday here in June 2020 emerged and formed part of Sue Gray’s so-called Partygate report – the investigation into the alcohol-fuelled gatherings at Downing Street during lockdown, which eventually spelled Boris' political demise. Photos from another illegal gathering during Covid restrictions were also included in the report.
The former prime minister darted between meetings in the rabbit warren of offices at Downing Street, but spent a great deal of his time working on important affairs in his private office. Boris's desk sat beneath towering, ethereal ceilings and neutral cream walls, flanked by a Union Jack flag. In this snap, Boris is on the phone with the then-newly elected US President, Joe Biden.
At the height of the pandemic, Johnson updated the public on the spread of the virus in a wood-panelled meeting room at 9 Downing Street. A slick White House-style makeover was unveiled in March 2021, which cost £2.6 million ($3.1m) and was generally thought to be a waste of tax-payers’ money.
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds broke tradition when they moved into Downing Street in 2019, becoming the first unmarried couple to reside at the iconic address. Soon afterward, they announced they were engaged and expecting their first child in summer 2020. Their son Wilfred was born on 29 April 2020 and daughter Romy was born on 9 December 2021, while Boris was still in office. Their youngest, Frank, arrived on 5 July 2023.
Downing Street will have a special place in Johnson’s heart, not least because he celebrated his wedding to Carrie Symonds here in May 2021, following a small ceremony at Westminster Cathedral. This makes him the first prime minister to marry in office since Lord Liverpool married Mary Chester in 1822. Just one official photograph was released, showing the couple in the garden at 10 Downing Street in the hours following the ceremony.
Over the past two decades, 11 Downing Street has undergone a whole host of renovations. The flat was said to be stuck in the 1960s until Tony Blair and his family began living there in 1997. It was reported that the family spent £127,000 ($153k) on refurbishments between 1999 and 2005, including £3,500 ($4.2k) on a bed.
When David Cameron took up residence in 2010, after Gordon Brown and his family, the next set of renovations began. Changes included a £64,000 ($77k) makeover, which involved extensive work on one of the bathrooms and huge updates to the kitchen, pictured here when the Obama family visited the Camerons.
Here, Samantha Cameron and two of her four children enjoy the designer kitchen in the home. Updates included the installation of a £3,400 ($4.6k) Britannia range cooker and a Dualit toaster. Theresa May, who was the next prime minister to stay in the home, is thought to have been satisfied with the décor and didn't make many changes.
Boris Johnson meanwhile, clearly expected to remain in his apartment in Downing Street for some time, judging by the staggering amount he spent on its refurbishment. According to The Express, a leaked invoice from interior designer Soane Britain reveals a total cost of £208,104 ($251k) for works at the property, including sanding the floorboards and installing new furnishings and fittings.
According to a report in Tatler, Johnson and his wife had wanted to transform the flat from a "John Lewis furniture nightmare" into a "high society haven". The pair engaged the services of interior designer Lulu Lytle, who founded Soane Britain, and splashed out on items such as “Espalier Square design” wallpaper for the entrance hall, which cost £2,260 ($2.7k) for ten rolls.
The prime minister is entitled to spend up to £30,000 ($36k) a year on maintenance and improvements to his living quarters, but it was his lack of transparency that landed him in hot water. An investigation over the expensive revamp was launched and Johnson faced a backlash in January 2022, when it was exposed that he had failed to declare private text messages from his friend Lord Brownlow, who had contributed more than £50,000 ($61k) towards the refurbishment. While Johnson was cleared of breaking the ministerial code, critics said it was another clear example of his disregard for the rules.
After a series of scandals, from the investigation of the costly revamp of his Downing Street apartment to being fined by the police for breaking his own Covid rules, Johnson was finally forced to resign when more than 50 of his MPs quit, saying they had lost confidence in his leadership. Here, his wife Carrie, carrying their seven-month-old daughter Romy, puts on a brave face, as her husband makes his resignation speech, declaring he would stay on until his successor was elected.
Johnson had barely finished his resignation speech before he sparked indignation amongst his critics again. It was reported that his decision to stay in office was partly based on his plans to throw a party to celebrate the first anniversary of his wedding at Chequers, the official country residence of the British Prime Minister. The couple were said to have already sent out invitations to the bash on 30 July 2022 at the historic manor, which dates back to the 16th century.
The house sits on 1,500 acres of land and boasts landscaped gardens. Boris eventually sourced an alternative venue for the party, the Cotswold home of Tory donor Lord Bamford. Johnson is said to have particularly enjoyed his stays at Chequers, which has been the official country residence of the British Prime Minister since David Lloyd George took the keys in 1921. Boris recuperated from coronavirus there in April 2020.
Chequers is one of the world's finest country homes. It's been the scene of countless historic meetings between world leaders, including Donald Trump, Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton, who have all sat around this table. It's no doubt a much-missed perk for Boris, though it certainly looks as though he's found a grand family home that meets the standards to which he became accustomed during his time as prime minister.
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