At 51, David Beckham has traded the roar of stadiums for the clucking of chickens. The former soccer star and his wife, fashion designer Victoria Beckham, have turned their £12 million estate in Great Tew, Oxfordshire, into a countryside retreat that blends luxury with rural life in the most unexpected ways.
Through social media, David recently gave fans a peek at his latest obsession: a chicken coop that rivals some human homes. Perched in a fenced-off section of the sprawling garden, the structure features its own window and a wooden ladder for easy access—a far cry from the basic pens most of us imagine. Surrounded by dreamy greenhouses and raised beds for organic vegetables, the coop has become the centerpiece of what fans are calling the couple's "luxury farming" phase.
The 'Peking Palace' and the 'Peckhams'
The internet, as it often does, had a field day. British wit quickly christened the coop the "Peking Palace," a nod to its ornate design, while others suggested the chickens should be known as "The Peckhams"—a playful mashup of the family name and the verb to peck. In videos shared by David, the birds follow him faithfully through the garden, adding a touch of pastoral charm to the estate.
"The greenhouse of my dreams," one follower commented, capturing the envy sparked by the idyllic setup. Since acquiring the property in 2016, the Beckhams have transformed it into a sanctuary where nature meets luxury, and the chickens are just the latest addition.
A Mansion Built for Comfort and Play
The coop may be the talk of the town, but the estate itself is a marvel. Spanning over 1,300 square meters, the farmhouse has been meticulously renovated to include nine bedrooms, four bathrooms, a private cinema, and a state-of-the-art gym. Outside, a full-size soccer pitch lets David and his kids keep up their practice, while a traditional Estonian sauna and plunge pool, added in 2018, round out the wellness circuit.
This countryside retreat stands in stark contrast to the couple's primary residence in London's Holland Park. Acquired in 2013 and redesigned by renowned interior designer Rose Uniacke, that mansion represents the Beckhams' urban sophistication. Despite rumors of excessive renovations—like identical hair salons for the couple—Uniacke has denied such claims, insisting the focus was on serene, refined spaces.
For David, though, it seems the Cotswolds have become his true sanctuary. Surrounded by nature, organic gardens, and his famous chickens, he's found a new rhythm far from the spotlight. While some celebrities chase the glitz of city life, Beckham has embraced the quiet pleasures of rural England—with a touch of luxury that only he could pull off.
This isn't the first time a celebrity mansion has made headlines for its quirks. From Nevada lake mansions sinking into unstable soil to Angelina Jolie listing her L.A. home for a move to Cambodia, the world of high-end real estate is full of surprises. But Beckham's chicken coop might just be the most charming—and certainly the most Instagrammable—of them all.
