Actress Caroline Quentin, 66, has announced she is foregoing home ownership, having downsized from a six-bedroom farmhouse in Devon. Quentin and her husband, Sam Farmer, are currently renting a property in Somerset and stated they have no intention of buying again.
Quentin described her former Devon residence as having a two-acre vegetable garden, a two-acre orchard, and a pool, noting that the gardening alone was "exhausting." The couple moved to Somerset over a year ago with a more manageable garden and expressed happiness with their current situation. Quentin indicated they are looking for a cottage nearby where she can cultivate a new garden.
In a previous interview, Quentin mentioned that her extensive farmhouse and garden were becoming "a bit too much." She also spoke about selling many of her possessions, including a significant art collection and jewelry, stating that possessions are no longer important to her. The actress now lives in a rented house with minimal belongings, a decision she described as deliberate.
Quentin has previously credited nature with helping her manage her mental health, citing her own experiences with a "volatile emotional life" and her mother's bipolar disorder. She finds solace in nature, stating that simple acts like listening to birds and the wind in the trees help to calm her.
In addition to her lifestyle changes, Quentin, who left school at 16, has been accepted into the Courtauld Institute in London to study for a postgraduate diploma in the history of art, beginning her studies at age 65. She shared her excitement about pursuing higher education after decades away from academic settings.