James Corden ditches plans for a dream countryside retreat

James Corden has ‘scrapped’ ambitious plans to turn his dilapidated Oxfordshire bolthole into a lavish country retreat by selling the property for an undisclosed fee – more than six years after buying it. 

The actor originally bought the highly distinctive, art deco Templecombe House on the outskirts of Henley-On-Thames for £8million in 2020, with plans to raze the property and build a six bedroom mansion for his family in its place. 

While planning permission was granted in 2023 – the year Corden and his family relocated to England from the United States – his sprawling, horseshoe shaped home has remained empty and abandoned – and a popular target for local vandals. 

Instead, the actor, his wife Julia Carey and their three children reside in north west London, with an £11.5million property in the English capital their primary base for more than a year. 

A source told The Mirror: ‘James and his family have moved the property on. He’s just completed a successful stint on Broadway in New York and now he’s planning on returning home.

‘James and his family are settled in the UK. London is their family home.’ 

The source added: ‘The place is a mess, it is littered with rubbish and people have clearly been causing havoc in there. It’s going to take a lot to turn around.’ 

Corden was given the green light to begin work on the rural site – which boasts a prehistoric druid circle within its sprawling grounds – some three years after purchasing it.

Before the project could go ahead, his agents also had to agree on a series of ‘obligations’ through a section 106 legal agreement, with the local planning authority, Wokingham Borough Council.

Despite initial objections from the local council and English Heritage, an agreement was reached – meaning Corden was expected to start work on building his dream home.

But the site has remained unoccupied and has been the target of vandals and urban explorers in recent years.

Planning documents on the original application show he had originally wanted new leisure facilities including an indoor and outdoor pool, a sauna and steam room alongside the development.

However, his scheme was only given the go ahead once these aspects of his plans had been dropped.

Corden also had to make several concessions in the planning process, such as implementing lighting measures to protect bats, badgers, and glow worms.

Additionally, landscaping was ordered to be done to preserve the 45 granite megalithic stones on the grounds.

Corden was also ordered to commission a series of test trenches across the site and allow archaeologists on-site.

English Heritage had deemed the pool house to be too close to the historic collection of 45 vertical granite megalithic stones that form a circle in the Grade II listed grounds.

The Mont de la Ville ‘dolmen’ was first discovered on the island in the 18th century and given as a present to then Jersey governor Henry Seymour Conway in 1788.

Field Marshal Conway, as he later became, then had the dolmen transported to his Henley-on-Thames estate, where it was re-erected and remains to this day.

Officials in Jersey had earlier said they were hoping to return the monument back to the island and would seek support from the television presenter.

Corden acquired the Mont de la Ville dolmen when he purchased Templecombe House in Berkshire.

The original country house was built in 1869 and is believed to have been used as a boarding school from 1948 until it was demolished and replaced with the current house in 1961.

At the time the decision was made to approve the rebuild, Templecombe House had fallen into disrepair and had urban explorers entering the grounds.

Corden has planning permission to replace the home with a two-storey six-bedroom property with a basement, a large internal courtyard area, kitchen, living room, dining room and a breakfast room opening onto a large terrace area with playroom. It will also include two study areas, three bathrooms and a boot room

The first floor will be comprised of five ensuite bedrooms and a main bedroom with two ensuites and opening onto a balcony.

Documents showed the existing tennis court would be kept but extensive landscaping work would be carried out across the site.

Detailed construction details for the new building were also approved by the council in March 2024.

These related to the protection of animals and trees and flood mitigation measures prior to the construction.

It was previously reported that Corden, his wife, and their three children, had intended to move into the house on the border of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire as soon as possible.

But the actor has only just returned to the United Kingdom after spending 17-weeks in New York City for a Broadway production of ART, in which he stars with Neil Patrick Harris and Bobby Cannavale. 

Jayne Worral, landlady of The Bull pub in nearby Wargrave since 1980, recently said it would be ‘sacrilege’ for Corden to leave the property empty.

She told the Daily Mail: ‘He should live in it or sell it so a family can live in it. It’s shameful to buy anywhere with that sort of standing and then have no one benefit from living in it. He should be ashamed. It’s not fair.

‘I’m 72 and society has changed so much – it’s all money, money, money, me, me, me. We have a good community here, but so many local shops have closed down because people live such isolated lives.’ 

One resident said: ‘People like James Corden think they can do what they want. 

‘We need people actually living in the properties around here and then contributing locally. Not having grand plans and then leaving the country. We need certainty.

‘He created a huge fuss around wanting the plans to go through how he wanted. How he is leaving. What is going on?

‘That would be a lovely house and surroundings for someone local.’

Sue Harris, who has worked in a local shop in nearby Henley since 1997, agreed that it would be a shame if the celebrity left the house derelict.

She said: ‘It would be a shame if he left it empty, as we get a lot of characters wanting to live here. We’ve had Liam Gallagher come in with the kids, he was lovely. 

‘You never know who is going to walk through the door.’

Daily Mail has contacted a representative for further comment.