Dame Jilly Cooper was one of the UK’s most beloved novelists. We have her to thank for the witty and scandalous Rivals, which was made into a TV show by Netflix last year and caused us all to fall in love with her astute and humorous take on 1980s suburban glamour. Jilly was incredibly involved in the project, acting as executive producer on both the first and (soon to be released) second series. Among her many other works of non-fiction and romance, How to stay married, Riders and The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, have become constant sources of wisdom and amusement for her large and loyal readership. As the sad news breaks of her death, we take a look at the life, homes and influence of theis magnificent woman.
Jilly Cooper was born in 1937 in Hornchurch, Essex, before moving to Yorkshire and eventually the Cotswolds, where she settled in Bisley, Gloucestershire. According to a story in The Times, the house’s decoration was strongly influenced by her love of dogs, with cushions, woven dogs and dog portraits seen around the house, where her beloved rescue greyhound Bluebell with a constance presence until her death in 2021. Canine decorations aside, the house – named the Chantry – is a quintessential example of Cotswold architecture that attracts so many to the area. Built in the 14th century, the 10-bedroom house has charming interiors, with roaring fires and (unsurprisingly) heaving bookshelves.
In an interview with The English Home, Jilly described her style as ‘haphazard’ – a word suggestive of the bold eclecticism that defines the classic English style. Indeed, she was a fan of William Morris, one of the cornerstone figures of the Arts and Crafts movement, and chose his popular ‘Willow’ pattern for curtains and fabric around her house. Rooms were named not for their purpose but after the colour on the walls. The blue room, she said, is ‘solid books, books, books’, while the orange room, painted in a pale apricot, is populated by greenery.
She made no secret of her fondness for the Cotswolds, which served as a setting and a backdrop for the first series of Rivals. The rolling hills, thatched cottages and grand country houses are all hallmarks of the area. Jilly Cooper died at the age of 88 on October 5, 2025.
