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Abandoned mansion owned by wealthy banking Brits and used in iconic film left to rot

A former mansion, once on of the grandest houses in the UK currently lies empty and desolate

[The estate is near Leighton Buzzard in Buckinghamshire]

The estate is near Leighton Buzzard in Buckinghamshire(Image: PA)

One of the greatest houses of the Victorian era owned by one of the richest families in the UK has been left frozen in time after it was used as the Waynes mansion in the Batman films.

Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire acted as Bruce Waynes home in the 2005 blockbuster Batman Begins, but has now deteriorated. The once magnificent country estate was built in the 19th century for Baron Mayer de Rothschild, and was considered amongst the "greatest houses of the Victorian era."

After the baron died, the mansion was passed down to his daughter Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery, with later Earls of Rosebery taking ownership of the estate. In 1999 until the building was bought by billionaire property tycoon Simon Halabi.

Halabi had planned to transform the stately home into an upmarket hotel, with planning consent for this granted in 2004. These proposals never came to fruition, with Halabi's property business being severely affected by the 2008 housing market crash.

And as of 2024 the formerly grand manor remains empty. Mentmore Towers was deemed "at risk" by Historic England, who declared that the building was in "poor" condition with "immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric."

[Mentmore Towers circa 1896]

Mentmore Towers circa 1896(Image: The Print Collector/Getty Images)

The organisation added: "The service wing roof is in very poor condition and the deterioration of the main house is accelerating with areas of water ingress into the main hall and adjacent reception room."

The property is still privately owned and is currently vacant as successive developers plans stall. The dilapidated interior can be seen in footage uploaded to Instagram by urban explorers visiting the site. One such clip was posted by Our Hidden Earth.

Detailing the property's history and their discoveries within, they said: "It had over 70 rooms with antiques, wine, and beautiful furniture just left behind. We even found hidden passages and secret rooms behind bookcases.

"In some of the rooms there was real gold in the tapestry. The house was once owned by the famous Rothschild family, before being sold to a property developer."

The Rothschild family's wealth is estimated at approximately $1 billion, according to last the Sunday Times Rich List. They are known to contribute millions of pounds to Jewish causes, education, and the arts, which frequently triggers antisemitic stereotypes from both right and left-wing quarters.

[Mentmore Towers, 1977]

The once lavish Mentmore Towers is now falling into disrepair(Image: Sydney O'Meara/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was amongst the political and cultural figures who paid their respects to Jacob Rothschild, when he died in 20204, describing him as a "towering figure in Britain's Jewish community" and commending his efforts in promoting peace in the Middle East.

Jacob, born in Berkshire, west of London, attended Eton College before going on to read history at Christ Church College, Oxford University.

Following his stint at the Rothschild bank, he assumed control of Rothschild Investment Trust, now recognised as RIT Capital Partners. He served as chairman of this company, amongst the biggest investment trusts on the London Stock Exchange, until 2019.

He also established the J Rothschild Assurance Group, presently called St James's Place, alongside Mark Weinberg in 1980. He occupied additional positions as well, including serving as deputy chairman at what was then BSkyB Television.

Within the arts and culture sphere, he chaired the board of trustees at London's National Gallery and headed the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Rothschild Foundation, the charitable organisation that maintains the family's former residence, Waddesdon Manor, revealed that Jacob Rothschild's daughter Hannah will assume its chairmanship.

Jacob was married to Serena for over 50 years until her death in 2019. The couple had four children, Hannah, Beth, Emily, and Nat, along with many grandchildren.

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