Johnny Depp lifts lid on unexpected new life in southwest England

Johnny Depp has opened up about his new quiet life . Photo / AP

Johnny Depp has opened up about his quiet new life in southwest England in the wake of his high-profile defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.

In a new feature for the Somerset Life magazine, the Pirates of the Caribbean star showed off the grounds of his 850-acre Somerset estate, which he bought in 2014 for $23.9 million.

The stunning property features a dairy farm along with a 19th-century-style mansion with 12 bedrooms and eight bathrooms, where Depp, 59, now resides.

“I just love places with character,” Depp told the April issue of the magazine.

“I have various houses in various places and they all mean something special. I don’t have them just to say I own them, I have them for use and because they are a bit special.”

Depp also revealed that his low-key new lifestyle suited his “shy” personality.

“I just love places with character. British people are cool and will greet you as if you are a neighbour — without going over the top. I like going to places, seeing things and meeting people — but I’m not the great extrovert that people think,” he admitted.

“In truth, I’m quite a shy person. That’s one of the great things about Britain, and especially Somerset. I can just be me — and that’s nice.

“I can go into shops without being surrounded by people wanting selfies. I don’t mind that up to a point, but sometimes it gets a little too crowded.”

The actor added that “one of the great many things I love about Britain” is that “everywhere you go there is history and buildings with great character”.

Depp was newly-engaged to Heard when he first purchased the Somerset estate.

The pair went on to marry in 2015 before divorcing in 2017.

The actor sued his ex-wife last year in a high-profile, months-long case over an op-ed she wrote in the Washington Post in 2018 that implied she was a victim of domestic abuse.

While Depp wasn’t specifically named, he claimed it had impacted his career nonetheless.

In June last year, a judge ruled that the Aquaman star had defamed Depp and awarded him $15m in compensatory damages, and $7.5m in punitive damages.

Meanwhile, Heard was awarded $3m in compensatory damages.

One month after the initial verdict, Heard’s lawyer filed a notice of appeal, citing “errors” made by the court, but withdrew the application in December.