02 October 2023 , 11:09
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A small, arguably unassuming town just outside of London is home to one of the biggest A-listers in the world.
When Mission: Impossible actor Tom Cruise decides to escape the hustle and bustle of Hollywood and launch himself off enormous cliffs in the pursuit of some gnarly footage, he has the perfect place to retreat to.
The famed fictional jet fighter heads to Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley. The town is famous for being one of the highest points in Greater London, rising to over 210 metres, and being home to an airstrip and air show.
Biggin Hill is home to 10,817 residents, according to the 2021 Census, and a military memorial museum that displays video footage of the airfield and surrounding areas during the Second World War. Nearby Down House in Bromley was home to evolution boffin Charles Darwin, with his former home now operating as a museum and shrine to his life.
Biggin Hill Airport is known both for its spectacular air shows and providing private planes to clients, which will come in useful when Cruise jets out on any adventures. According to an insider close to the actor he enjoys living in England and loves the culture.
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The lovely village of Biggin Hill (Alamy Stock Photo)"He’s American, but he has spent so much time here and has English heritage. Tom has only recently moved to this new home, which feels like it's practically in the countryside. He sees it as his rural bolt-hole, away from the hustle and bustle of London where he had been before," the pal said.
If you fancy walking in the footsteps of Cruise, Biggin Hill is about an hour away via public transport and by car from the centre of London. The Kings Arms Hotel in nearby Westerham and the Caterham Travelodge are two of the cheaper places to stay if you're looking to make a weekend of it.
Cruise has a love affair with England and even bought a six-bedroom property in East Grinstead, West Sussex, selling it in 2016 to the Australian singer, Peter Andre, as reported in the Daily Mail. The reason why a member of the Hollywood elite has found himself in the town best known for its proximity to Gatwick Airport has been widely speculated upon.
One suggested reason is that it is home to Saint Hill Manor, which was constructed in 1792 and was later bought by L. Ron Hubbard, who made it the British headquarters of the Church of Scientology. The stunning building sits in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and was home to the organisation's founder. According to its website, he made "many of his discoveries" there.
Back in 2006, the Cruise forked out around £3 million on a sprawling 11,000 square foot house in East Grinstead. Since then, he's been pictured in the county on many occasions and it is believed he even spent the first national lockdown in the town.
While the acting legend's whereabouts may be quite well-documented, fewer people know about the very ordinary life of his daughter. Isabella Kidman Cruise, 29, daughter of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, has resided in South London for a while with her British husband Max Parker.
According to My London, the pair have lived in Croydon for a while where they share a pet reptile. Back in 2020 it was reported that Cruise's daughter, Bella, didn't want to live at her father's £342,000-a-month penthouse in London.
Instead Tom and Nicole's adopted daughter decided that a life out of the spotlight was more for her, and she chose to settle in London. It's reported the actor owns a property at the historic Corinthia Residences in London with four-bedrooms, an indoor pool and incredible views of the cityscape.
The posh pad is thought to be just a while away from 10 Downing Street in the heart of London, but it's reported that Bella and her husband Max decided to relocate to Croydon in October 2017 so they could be nearer Max's parents.