In the heart of the English countryside, a new chapter may soon be written for one of music’s most celebrated couples. Reports emerging on September 8, 2025, from outlets including The Times, Daily Mail, and the Oxford Mail suggest that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are in the final stages of securing a sprawling 58-acre plot in the Cotswolds, a region increasingly dubbed the "Hamptons of the UK." The property, perched on the edge of Wigginton in Oxfordshire, has already received planning permission for what insiders call a "spectacular rural estate," placing the Carters among a constellation of celebrity neighbors in one of Britain’s most exclusive enclaves.
The move, if finalized, would see the couple join a growing roster of high-profile homeowners in the area. Great Tew, a stone’s throw from their intended plot, is already home to the likes of David and Victoria Beckham, Simon Cowell, and Ellen DeGeneres. The Cotswolds, with its rolling hills, thatched cottages, and discreet luxury, has become a magnet for global stars seeking privacy and refined country living. As property consultant Owain Jones told The Times, "The appeal is self-evident: absolute seclusion balanced with seamless access to a curated lifestyle." He added, "From the discretion of nearby familiar members’ clubs such as Soho Farmhouse and Estelle Manor to the organic offerings of Daylesford Farm, this location places you at the heart of the Cotswolds’ most refined community. It is the complete package — land, lifestyle, and legacy — in a form that almost never reaches the market."
The estate itself is set to be nothing short of lavish. Architectural designs shared with The Times and Oxford Mail reveal plans for a seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom mansion that overlooks a private lake. The property, initially listed with a guide price of £7.5 million (about $10 million), is expected to soar in value to more than £18 million (over $24 million) once construction is complete. Owain Jones remarked to the Daily Mail, "This location places you at the heart of the Cotswolds’ most refined community."
The Carters’ interest in the Cotswolds is hardly a secret. Earlier in the summer, during a break from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter World Tour, the couple reportedly took a helicopter tour over Oxfordshire to view the property. According to a source who spoke to the Oxford Mail, "In the past week, Beyoncé and Jay-Z flew via helicopter between her London gigs to view a 58-acre plot of land. Located close to friends Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, and with Simon Cowell and the Beckhams as neighbours, she felt it would be an ideal UK home for her family, away from the city when they’re in the country."
It’s not just the Carters who are drawn to this bucolic enclave. The region has seen an influx of American celebrities and power players in recent years. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, for example, stayed in a £3.3 million Great Tew property during the European leg of her Eras Tour in the summer of 2024. Even U.S. Vice President JD Vance reportedly chose the Cotswolds for a family holiday, staying in an 18th-century manor house for £8,000 a week. The area’s allure is further burnished by its ties to the so-called "Chipping Norton Set," a group of political, media, and show business elites that includes former Prime Minister David Cameron, TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, and billionaire Lord Anthony Bamford.
Yet, not everyone in Wigginton and its surrounds is rolling out the red carpet. The prospect of two global superstars moving in has elicited a range of reactions from locals. Gerry Barrago, a 77-year-old Wigginton resident, told The Times, "I don’t give a flying toss," adding that his wife had seen the pair drop into Burford Garden Centre in their Range Rovers. Barrago continued, "When someone points them out to my wife, her first reaction is to ask who they are. Some of these so-called celebrities I’ve never actually heard of." Another resident summed up their feelings as "madness — I’m not interested," while a more enthusiastic neighbor said they couldn’t wait to see Beyoncé at the village fête.
Some locals have expressed concern about the impact of celebrity arrivals on the community’s character and affordability. Thomas Winter, who has lived in Wigginton for two decades, lamented to The Times, "The prices of everything have gone up a lot and people tend to stick another two zeros onto things such as fixing fencing or walls just because of where we live. If I wanted to buy a larger property around here then I wouldn’t be able to afford it as these celebrities have priced me out, which is not good." The transformation is visible in places like Daylesford Farm, once described as a "shed" but now a gourmet destination frequented by the region’s elite. Winter noted, "The ethos around the area has slightly changed as well."
Despite these concerns, the Cotswolds continues to thrive as a hub for the affluent and influential. Jonathan Bramwell, a leading buying agent in the region, explained to The Times, "The opening of Daylesford Organic in 2002 and the gastronomic pub boom around this, the rise of the Chipping Norton set, and the opening of Soho Farmhouse in 2015 soon made this the most fashionable countryside to be in." He added, "The market went even crazier after Covid, with domestic and international buyers competing for the best. For entertainment, horses and hunting have been replaced by horsepower and private members’ clubs, attracting the celebratory crowd who want to hang out together and billionaires who want a Cotswold pad to be part of their global property portfolio, like a house in the Hamptons."
For Beyoncé and Jay-Z, whose combined fortune is estimated at around $2 billion, the Cotswolds estate represents another jewel in a global property crown that already includes homes in Los Angeles and the Hamptons. An insider told Oxford Mail that while the couple "will always be based in LA, the UK is on the agenda. Beyoncé loves the UK because they support everything she does." With planning approvals in place and negotiations reportedly nearing completion, it appears only a matter of time before the Carters become the latest—and perhaps most dazzling—additions to the Cotswolds’ glittering roster of residents.
As the countryside readies itself for a new set of famous faces, the story of Wigginton’s transformation, for better or worse, is still being written—one Range Rover and private helicopter at a time.
