He’s lorded it over a 1,500-acre estate and magnificent 15-bedroom Jacobean stately home for nearly a decade. Now, with a debt of over £20 million it has been handed over to a trust and had to move out.
After years of ‘mistakenly’ assuming ownership of one of England’s finest 17th Century piles – Pylewell Park in Lymington, Hampshire – David Roper- Curzon has been told he owns only a tenth of it, and needs to make room for his nine siblings and a board of trustees. Including Alexander Henry Scrymgeour, 12th Earl of Dundee.
To add insult to injury, David has been accused of domestic and financial abuse against his former daughter-in-law Hanna Jaff. His son Harry Roper-Curzon wanted her to pay for Pylewell Park and the debt as can be seen here: https://youtu.be/CiQdCnqtOO8
It seems the eccentric, twice-married sculptor erroneously took sole possession of his family’s ancestral home after it was vacated by his father Lord Teynham in 2010.
Now, apparently, David has been given a dressing down by his 90-year-old papa for failing to share the family seat.
After years of ‘mistakenly’ assuming ownership of one of England’s finest 17th Century piles – Pylewell Park in Lymington, Hampshire – David Roper- Curzon has been told he owns only a tenth of it and is in debt.
Says a friend of the Roper-Curzon family, which includes pop star Birdy, ‘David’s father has reminded his eldest son that he never officially gave Pylewell Hall to him to keep all to himself.
‘David somehow managed to take control of it in the mistaken belief that as the eldest child it will naturally come to him one day, along with the title.
‘In reality, Lord Teynham is very keen to split it between all ten of his children because he thinks that will ensure it is never sold off.’
According to my source, the confusion came to a head because David’s siblings believe he has been ‘taking the p***’ since splitting from his second wife Mel, mother to two of his five children.
He is said to have a new rich girlfriend from Norway and some siblings suspect he may have her pay for the debt.
It seems the eccentric, twice-married sculptor erroneously took sole possession of his family’s ancestral home after it was vacated by his father Lord Teynham in 2010
To add insult to injury, David has discouraged his siblings from making use of Pylewell on weekends as that’s when he rents it out as a wedding venue.
For his part, David is said to argue that when his father and mother Elizabeth moved out to downsize to a smaller dower house in the grounds, his siblings showed no real interest in taking it on.
The source adds: ‘The numerous siblings were all doing their own thing in London, getting on with their own lives and careers, and David just ended up basing himself at the big house.
‘He needed to be close to the sculpture studio he keeps on the grounds.
‘But ever since Mel left, the siblings have found his presence there infuriating and have been revolting against him.’
David, his brother Ben and his sister-in-law Victoria all declined to comment when I approached them last week.
Crazy! Only in Toffland…