Jamie Oliver beefs up security at his £6m Grade I-listed 12-bedroom Essex mansion - as he secures permission to install new fencing and metal gates

By Richard Eden for the Daily Mail and Callum Wells For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Jamie Oliver is beefing up security at his £6 million Essex Tudor mansion, Spains Hall.

The celebrity chef, 46, has secured permission to install new fencing and metal gates which combine remote-control modernity with classic design.

He bought the Grade I-listed 12-bedroom mansion in Finchingfield at the start of 2019, and it boasts a 70-acre estate.

Safety first: Jamie Oliver is beefing up security at his £6 million Essex Tudor mansion - as he secures permission to install new fencing and metal gates (pictured in 2020)

Safety first: Jamie Oliver is beefing up security at his £6 million Essex Tudor mansion - as he secures permission to install new fencing and metal gates (pictured in 2020)

His planning consultant, Stephanie Gray, told the Daily Mail's Eden Confidential: ‘Temporary gates were put in place as a security measure to prevent unauthorised access.'

The manor house boasts 12 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a large games room, great hall, dining room, two drawing rooms and a wine storage area. 

Its plush gardens are Grade II listed, and the Elizabethan country house was named after Hervey de Ispania, who owned the land in 1086. 

Since then the land has been owned by just three families - the de Ispania family, the Kempe family and the Ruggles family, and Jamie bought it from the latter - who had owned it since 1760.

Wow! He bought the Grade I-listed 12-bedroom mansion in Finchingfield at the start of 2019, and it boasts a 70-acre estate

Wow! He bought the Grade I-listed 12-bedroom mansion in Finchingfield at the start of 2019, and it boasts a 70-acre estate 

The large grounds are perfect for kids Poppy, 20, Daisy, 19, Petal, 13, Buddy, eleven, and River Rocket, five, and it has a kids' playroom, with toys stored in glass-fronted cabinets and comfy chairs.

Jamie and his wife Jools, 47, regularly post loving snaps of their children in the garden on social media. 

It comes after Jamie called for an 'Eton Mess' protest outside Downing Street if Boris Johnson does not undo his U-turn on key elements of the childhood obesity strategy.

The TV personality recorded himself outside the prime minister's residence today, saying he was 'upset' after the government reneged on plans to ban junk food TV adverts before 9pm and buy-one-get-one-free deals at supermarkets.

In a video uploaded to Instagram, he called on parents, teachers and campaigners to bring their own Eton Mess desserts to No.10 on Friday and to 'hold them up in solidarity.'

Family: Jamie and his wife Jools, 47, regularly post loving snaps of their children in the garden on social media (Poppy, 20, Daisy, 19, Petal, 13, Buddy, eleven, and River Rocket, five)

Family: Jamie and his wife Jools, 47, regularly post loving snaps of their children in the garden on social media (Poppy, 20, Daisy, 19, Petal, 13, Buddy, eleven, and River Rocket, five)

Speaking directly to the PM, Jamie 'begged' him to reverse course, telling him: 'I'm here at your front door and I want to give you a little message.'

He said the Johnson's U-turn had 'upset me and all the people that campaigned for child health', adding: 'I would love to give you the opportunity, if possible, to realise that it's okay to make a mistake...

'You've got 36 hours to go back on your U-turn on the law your own government put in place.'

He added: 'If you don't, I will call on parents teachers, chefs, campaigners, cleaners.... to walk down here at 12:30 on Friday for 15 minutes.

Passionate: It comes after Jamie called for an 'Eton Mess' protest outside Downing Street if Boris Johnson does not undo his U-turn on key elements of the childhood obesity strategy

Passionate: It comes after Jamie called for an 'Eton Mess' protest outside Downing Street if Boris Johnson does not undo his U-turn on key elements of the childhood obesity strategy 

'Why? Because we're going to bring Eton mess, that great dessert, invented in that very privileged place, Eton school, where our prime minister went.

'I'd love you to make your Eton mess, go to Tesco, Sainsbury's…get your Eton mess and bring it here in an orderly way for 15 minutes of fun, no mess, no shouting, just positivity, to show support that he needs and his government needs to take the childhood obesity strategy seriously.'

He added: 'This doesn't have to happen Boris, I think even though you were lucky enough to have the education at Eton, I went to a comprehensive school, but really my school was the pub I grew up in, and my main teacher was my dad, and he taught me three things: Actions speak louder than words, be true to your word, and never buy fish on a Monday.

'So Boris, I ask you, dare I say it I beg you, please re-consider backtracking on key parts of the childhood obesity strategy.

'This is one of the most profoundly important things as far as getting to the heart of levelling up and making this country a happier and healthier, more productive, fairer place.

'So Boris, over to you brother, with warm hearts, do the right thing.'

MailOnline contacted Downing Street for comment at the time.

Oh dear: Speaking directly to Boris (pictured in May 2022), Oliver 'begged' him to reverse course, telling him: 'I'm here at your front door and I want to give you a little message'

Oh dear: Speaking directly to Boris (pictured in May 2022), Oliver 'begged' him to reverse course, telling him: 'I'm here at your front door and I want to give you a little message'

Jamie Oliver

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