Work has begun on the former home of disgraced television presenter Rolf Harris, following its sale for £1.6 million. Deborah Developments International Ltd purchased the property, located on the River Thames in Bray, Berkshire, earlier this month. Neighbours have observed workers starting to clear the dilapidated mansion, which had become overgrown with vegetation during its years of vacancy.
The property was initially listed for £4 million but saw its price reduced. It later went to auction with a guide price of £1.95 million, but failed to meet its reserve, with bidding stalling at £1.52 million. The house was eventually sold to Deborah Developments International, a company involved in catering for major film productions.
Rolf Harris purchased the riverside home in 1980. In his final years, he was bed-bound on the ground floor of the mansion before his death from neck cancer at the age of 93. The curtains, which remained closed during this period, have now been removed.
Harris was convicted in 2014 of 11 counts of indecent assault against four female victims, aged between eight and 19, and sentenced to five years in prison. Following his conviction, he was stripped of his honours and served nearly three years before his release on license in 2017. He returned to live at the property until his death.
After Harris's death, his wife Alwen passed away in 2024 following a stroke. The property was inherited by their daughter, Bindi. A neighbour expressed a sentiment shared by some, stating that the house "should be torn down" due to its association with the entertainer's crimes.
