Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has spent Ј6million on a 16th century mansion despite rumours its top floor nursery is haunted.
The 43-year-old British telly star, his wife Jools, 44, and their five kids are due to move in the recently-bought manor house next month. A friend described the home as “an amazing place” and claimed “the whole family fell in love with it at first viewing.”
The mansion is a 70-acre estate in Essex, with a six-bed farmhouse, three-bed lodge, converted stables and a cart shed.
The house, dating back to 1570, had been owned by the same aristocratic family since the 1700s. Spains Hall is in the heart of North West Essex, within walking distance to Finchingfield, which is considered one of England's most picturesque villages.
The main features of the mansion were built in the 1580s, with the Dutch gables added in 1637 and a final wing in the same style added in the 1890s.
In the roof above the dining room there is still a part of the house from medieval times.
Jamie has bought the house after he was recently forced to plough Ј13million of his money into his restaurant chain Jamie's Italian. Last year he reported losses of Ј20million and had to shut 12 of his restaurant's branches.