Broadchurch star selling £1.8m Cotswolds mill house after 60 years

ITV's Broadchurch. <i>(Image: Colin Hutton / ITV)</i>
ITV's Broadchurch. (Image: Colin Hutton / ITV)
This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.

A Broadchurch star is selling her "magical" mill house in the Cotswolds for £1.8m after 60 years there.

Actress Daphne Neville has put her long-time Gloucestershire home on the market after moving into a specialist care home for veterans of the entertainment industry.

The 89-year-old, who appeared in ITV drama Broadchurch as Charlotte Rampling's on-screen mother Margery Knight, is selling Bakers Mill, a Grade II-listed property in the Cotswolds, for £1.85 million.

The actress and wildlife campaigner spent more than six decades at the secluded home near Stroud, where she raised her three daughters and became known locally for keeping tame otters.

READ MORE: Top Gear boss slams BBC 'moronic' over Jeremy Clarkson departure

Bakers Mill sits in almost 12 acres of land in the Golden Valley between Stroud and Cirencester. The property includes a private lake, woodland, paddocks and frontage along the River Frome.

The estate also features a former Georgian silk mill which has been converted into additional accommodation.

Estate agents Knight Frank describe the home as a "magical Cotswold mill house" and a "truly exceptional country retreat in one of the Cotswolds' most enchanting valleys".

According to the sales particulars, the property occupies around 11.78 acres and stands within what is known as the Golden Valley, an area said to have been named by Queen Victoria because its sheltered landscape allows trees to retain their autumn leaves for longer.

The house includes a drawing room, dining room and kitchen opening onto a south-facing York stone terrace overlooking the River Frome. Bedrooms enjoy views across the gardens, lake and surrounding woodland.

READ MORE: Clarkson's Farm star quits show and buys £1.7m farm of their own

The listing also highlights the property's private lake, which can be used for swimming and rowing, while a range of wildlife including kingfishers and mallards can be seen around the grounds.

For many years, however, some of the most unusual residents at Bakers Mill were Ms Neville's otters.

She adopted her first otter, Bee, in 1980 after being told the converted 18th-century water mill would provide ideal conditions for the animals.

Over the years she cared for 10 otters, with the last, Rudi, becoming a familiar sight on television and at public events.

In a 2019 interview, Ms Neville described her bond with the Asian small-clawed otter.

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson breaks silence on BBC Top Gear reboot and reveals secret

She said: "With Rudi, I've had him since he was three weeks old. He thinks I'm his mum. I'm a part of him, and he’s a part of me."

The actress added: "I've shown people you can have incredible bonds with these creatures. Touch wood, we have never had an accident.

"I wouldn't want to be a risk to anyone. All my otters have been immaculately behaved. I wouldn't dream of taking them out otherwise."

Rudi later appeared on television productions including The Durrells and even featured alongside Ms Neville on Come Dine With Me. The otter retired to New Forest Wildlife Park and died in 2024.

Ms Neville has now moved to Denville Hall in north London, a charity-run care home for people who have worked in the performing arts and entertainment industries.

Former residents have included actor Richard Attenborough, Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs and singer Marianne Faithfull.

Get involved
with the news

Send your news & photos