Property specialists have revealed the reasoning behind a significant reduction on Michael Caine’s former waterside residence in Oxfordshire.

The Grade II listed Rectory Farm House close to Wallingford originally carried an asking price of £10m, which has now been reduced to £9m.

The Oscar-winning performer, who portrayed Alfred in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol, sold the property in 2020.

At that point, it had been marketed at £6.95m, with the actor having occupied the home alongside his family between 1984 and 1999.

The traditional 17th-century English country house was re-listed last year through Savills, though the advertisement was removed the following month.

At the time, a Savills representative stated that the property remained available through private channels and would shortly return to the open market.

The residence in North Stoke village has now been reintroduced, though priced £1m lower than its previous incarnation.

Victoria Knight, managing the Savills Henley office, has now shared the justification for the reduced asking price.

She described the property as architecturally distinctive and Grade II listed, noting it represents a quintessential English country residence that blends historic character with contemporary amenities expected for modern living.

She explained that market conditions have shifted since the property first became available the previous year, and the price adjustment reflects the prevailing atmosphere in the current market. She characterised it as an ideal purchase for someone looking for a private estate on the edge of a village, featuring attractive gardens and direct access to 600 feet of river frontage along the Thames.

The Oxfordshire property’s particulars indicate that the residence successfully combines period features with modern conveniences, offering generous entertainment spaces and serving as an ideal countryside retreat for those desiring privacy away from the main thoroughfare.

Featuring 600 feet of frontage along the River Thames, the six-bedroom property includes a Moroccan-inspired jacuzzi, a sauna facility and a 100,000-litre swimming pool.

The residence also boasts two kitchens, five bathrooms, dedicated music and drawing rooms, along with multiple sitting areas.

On the ground floor, there is a utility room, gymnasium, plant room, boot room and two toilets.

Externally, the late Sir Michael substantially expanded the 17,000 square foot estate and cultivated numerous specimen trees across the grounds.

Victoria Knight noted that positioned along the longest uninterrupted stretch of the Thames between navigation locks, the property provides extensive opportunities for leisurely boating activities. Despite its considerable river frontage, the house remains invisible from the water, enveloped by attractive gardens and grounds.

The listing description mentions that beneath the manicured lawns, waterside meadows support diverse wildlife populations, including otters, swans, kingfishers, hedgehogs, sparrowhawks, buzzards, rooks and deer.

The grounds also encompass a separate cottage complete with a sitting area, kitchen, ground-floor bedroom suite and a mezzanine sleeping quarters, all included in the sale.

A three-bay timber-clad garage building offers three additional car parking spaces, a sizable machinery storage area, a log store and first-floor storage facilities.

Furthermore, a lodge on the estate currently serves as staff accommodation.