The chocolate box cottages and picturesque fields of the Cotswolds have been attracting A-listers looking for their own slice of rural idyll for decades.
Kate Moss, the Beckhams, Elizabeth Hurley and of course Jeremy Clarkson have all become known for their country estates away from the hustle, bustle and prying eyes of London.
But this summer, Britain’s rich and famous have been joined by celebs from across the pond in search of a holiday home or permanent residence in ‘The English Hamptons’.
Kourtney Kardashian, Ellen DeGeneres and JD Vance have shared gushing social media posts about a certain charm that can – according to them – only be found in the English countryside.
Kourtney dedicated an entire Instagram post to what she described as a ‘dreamy storybook fairytale enchantment’ stay at Estelle Manor, a super-exclusive hotel in Witney.
Encouraging fans to visit by sharing carefully curated and oh so English snaps of a dainty teacup, sunflowers and swans.
However, this love affair appears to be one-sided and the locals, it seems, are not thrilled by their new neighbours.
Residents from Witney told the Daily Mail that the ‘invasion’ of ‘obnoxious’ Americans, who disregard British culture has driven them ‘insane’ – even forcing them to avoid the pub.
US Vice President JD Vance and his family are spending the week at a sprawling manor house in the area. Pictured: US Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha, daughter Mirabel and sons Ewan and Vivek
Kourtney Kardashian recently gushed to her 217million Instagram followers about her ‘dreamy storybook fairytale enchantment’ stay at Estelle Manor
Keith Masters, 73, (pictured) told the Daily Mail that he would rather steer clear of the Americans ‘invading’ his home
This summer, the charming town has attracted celebrities from much further afield with a string of high-profile US figures descending upon the Cotswolds
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi (pictured) moved to the Cotswolds last year to avoid living under the Trump administration
US Vice President JD Vance has been enjoying a visit to the UK including this fishing expedition with Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Sevenoaks, Kent, on Friday
The pair have been holding talks at Chevening ahead of Mr Vance’s trip to the Cotswolds
Resident Laura, who has lived in Witney for 36 years, said she makes sure to avoid visiting any restaurants or pubs that could appeal to American tourists.
She fumed: ‘Places that were local restaurants have now inflated their prices and they’ve all been tarted up. They’re only catering for tourists and neglecting its residents. We’re avoiding where they go to’.
Unfortunately for residents like Laura, avoiding American’s keen to immerse themselves in British culture could prove increasingly difficult as celebrities continuously romanticise British village life.
Just last week Eve Jobs, the daughter of late genius Steve tied the knot with her British Olympic equestrian champ Harry Charles at Estelle Manor, a super-exclusive hotel in Witney.
Edward Walker, 80, has certainly noticed the influx of American’s visiting and residing in the Cotswolds.
He said: ‘They’re slowly swarming in but there’s a massive culture clash.
‘We had an American buy a property near us but she left because it flooded, they just can’t take the reality of living in Britain, it’s alright in the sun but not in the winter.’
Keith Masters, 73, added that he would rather steer clear of the Americans ‘invading’ his home.
‘It would drive me insane to talk to these people because they never admit when they’re wrong.’
Posh and Becks (pictured) bought a £6 million property in the village of Great Tew in 2016
Jeremy Clarkson (pictured) has a home in Chipping Norton, he highlights his picturesque rural life on the TV show Clarkson’s Farm
Diane Smith, 59, (pictured) who works at a local newsagent told the Daily Mail: ‘The locals are not happy with it but they’re never happy with anything’
Pictured: A traditional English teacup that Kourtney Kardashian shared with her Instagram followers
Pictured: Estelle Manor where Eve Jobs, the daughter of late genius Steve tied the knot with her British Olympic equestrian champ Harry Charles
Popular holiday destinations in the Cotswolds include the ‘golden triangle’ of villages, comprising of Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Norton and Burford
But even though locals would rather American’s stick to their side of the pond, the area has undoubtedly catered to their needs.
Multiple luxury resorts and private members’ clubs have opened, including Soho Farmhouse, The Lakes by Yoo, The Club by Bramford and Estelle Manor.
Lexie McConnell, 21, who works at The Hollybush gastropub in Witney explained that Americans treat service staff very differently compared to British customers.
‘They’re often the most difficult customers,’ she explained.
‘They’ll go and seat themselves even if there’s a sign asking them to wait, they interrupt me while I’m serving other people, but they are always thankful and tip even when service is included.’
Ms McConnell does see the benefit of the influx of Americans who have caused businesses to boom, but also acknowledged that locals have been ‘fuming’ over the high-profile visitors near their homes.
She said: ‘People want the Cotswolds to be the Cotswolds. American culture does not work with Cotswold culture.’
Diane Smith, 59, who works at a local newsagent added: ‘The locals are not happy with it but they’re never happy with anything’.
Ellen and Portia (pictured) currently live in a modern hilltop home, which they moved to following a series of disasters including flooding at their previous abode
Just last week, Eve Jobs married her British Olympic equestrian champ Harry Charles (pictured) in Witney
Edward Walker, 80, (pictured) has certainly noticed the influx of American’s visiting and residing in the Cotswolds
Pictured: Ellen DeGeneres’ new-build mansion in the English countryside
Britain’s rich and famous have been joined by celebs from across the pond in search of a holiday home or permanent residence in ‘The English Hamptons’
Pictured: The Grade-II listed landmark Estelle Manor, which only opened last summer and has quickly become the celeb hotspot of the UK
But it seems locals are going to have to learn to coexist with their American counterparts as an increasing number of yanks choose to settle in the region.
The most high-profile move was by Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi, who moved to the Cotswolds last year to avoid living under the Trump administration.
The couple currently live in a modern hilltop home, which they moved to following a series of disasters including flooding at their previous abode, a $20 million (£15 million) Cotswolds farmhouse, which DeGeneres said is now on the market.
The former talk show host has not exactly been inconspicuous and Andrea Shepherd, 75, thinks this ‘American’ personality trait is one of the reasons they should reconsider residing near her home.
Ms Shepherd told the Daily Mail: ‘I don’t think it works, they are too brash and I don’t think they understand the reserve that English people have especially in a place like Witney. They shouldn’t come to the pubs.’
Yet others welcome the influx of celebrities buying multi-million mansions.
Sue Bowsher, 60, said: ‘A lot of celebrities buy properties here. We have to move with the times.
‘It’s nice to be out on the map and it’s good for businesses it brings more money in and if they’re buying, it’s great for the local economy.’
JD Vance is renting a sprawling Cotswolds manor house (pictured) a mile away from Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat farm
The house JD Vance will be renting is just miles from Jeremy Clarkson’s (pictured) Diddly Squat farm
Sue Bowsher, 60, (pictured) thinks locals need to ‘move with the times’ and welcome celebrities to the area
The daughter of Bill Gates, Jennifer Gates Nassar,(pictured) at Eve Jobs’ wedding in Witney
locals told the Daily Mail that the ‘invasion’ of ‘obnoxious’ Americans, who disregard British culture has driven them ‘insane’ – even forcing them to avoid the pub
Multiple luxury resorts and private members’ clubs have opened in the region, including Soho Farmhouse, The Lakes by Yoo, The Club by Bramford and Estelle Manor
JD Vance is renting a sprawling Cotswolds manor house a mile away from Jeremy Clarkson‘s Diddly Squat farm – just months after they exchanged an angry war of words over Britain’s military capability.
Former Top Gear host Clarkson labelled Mr Vance a ‘t***’ who has ‘no clue about history’, after Donald Trump’s deputy described the UK as ‘some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years’.
His comments discrediting the efforts of British soldiers who fought with the US in Iraq and Afghanistan came when discussing how the West could tackle the threat of Russia.
Writing in his column in The Sunday Times at the time, Clarkson hit back: ‘Now I don’t want to stoop to his level, but I’m going to.
‘Vance is a bearded God-botherer who pretty much thinks that women who’ve been raped should be forced to have the resultant child.
‘I’ve searched for the right word to describe him and I think it’s ‘t**t’. He also has no clue about history.
‘Because far more recently than 30 or 40 years ago, as Vance claimed last week, our brave young men were being blown to pieces in some godforsaken desert to support whatever madcap scheme the American president had embarked upon that week.’
The sprawling historic manor where Mr Vance is staying was built in the 18th century and costs £8,000 a week – while being not far from Clarkson’s own Cotswolds home, Curdle Hill Farm, better known as Diddly Squat Farm.
Located in a tiny hamlet and set behind a 15 feet high stone wall with six acres of sprawling gardens, the home is perfect for a private getaway.
So whether your itching for a relaxing countryside getaway or have considered fleeing the city for a quainter life, just expect to hear the often loud drawl of an American accent.
