Inside Ann Widdecombe’s Peaceful Life on Dartmoor: The Home She Chose for Her Final Chapter

Long before her death, Ann Widdecombe had already decided exactly where she wanted to spend the rest of her life. After decades in British politics and an unexpected second career in entertainment, the former MP found happiness far away from Westminster in the quiet countryside of Dartmoor.

In 2011, shortly after her hugely popular appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, Widdecombe welcomed journalists into the Devon home she had purchased following her retirement from Parliament. The interview offered a rare glimpse into a woman who, despite her reputation for being outspoken and uncompromising in public life, appeared completely at peace with the slower pace of rural living.

Her house, located in Haytor on the eastern edge of Dartmoor National Park, was more than simply a retirement property. It represented the fresh start she had long hoped for after leaving frontline politics.

The former Shadow Home Secretary bought the home in 2008, attracted by its spectacular countryside views and easy access to some of Britain’s best walking routes. For someone who had spent years immersed in political debates, television appearances, and parliamentary responsibilities, the open landscapes of Dartmoor offered exactly the kind of tranquility she had been searching for.

Even before stepping inside, visitors were reminded that Widdecombe remained someone who appreciated straightforward rules.

Pinned prominently to the sitting room door was a sign carrying two simple instructions: “No outdoor shoes. No foul beasts.”

The notice reflected the famously direct personality that had made her one of Britain’s most recognizable politicians. Whether addressing fellow MPs, challenging a Prime Minister, or later facing the judges on Strictly Come Dancing, Widdecombe had never been known for softening her opinions.

Yet despite her formidable public image, those arriving at the house were greeted by a remarkably warm host.

On the day of the interview, Widdecombe was busy managing a steady flow of activity throughout the property. Household staff, contractors, and tradespeople moved from room to room while phone calls arrived from television producers trying to reach her.

Even amid the obvious bustle, she immediately welcomed her guests with offers of coffee and biscuits before directing everyone else to continue their work so she could devote her attention to the interview.

Inside the sitting room, two green sofas overlooked enormous windows framing sweeping views across Dartmoor. It was clear that the scenery had played a major role in her decision to settle there.

Although the interview had been expected to fit within a limited schedule, Widdecombe showed little interest in watching the clock.

Instead, she appeared genuinely relaxed, happy to talk for as long as necessary while reflecting on a period of life that she described as unexpectedly fulfilling.

Much of that newfound happiness stemmed from the freedom retirement had brought.

Only a year earlier, Widdecombe could never have imagined appearing on one of Britain’s biggest entertainment programmes.

Her participation in Strictly Come Dancing surprised both political observers and television audiences. Despite entering the competition with little dance experience, she became one of its most memorable contestants thanks to her determination, sense of humor, and willingness to laugh at herself.

Looking back, she admitted that if someone had predicted the sequence of events a year beforehand—including dancing live on national television, touring arenas across the country, and eventually performing in pantomime—she would have dismissed the idea as completely ridiculous.

Yet that unlikely journey became reality.

Retirement, she explained, had fundamentally changed the way she viewed herself.

For years, every public appearance had been shaped by the expectations attached to being a Member of Parliament. Once she left politics following the 2010 General Election, however, she no longer felt constrained by those expectations.

While some commentators questioned whether a former senior politician should appear on a programme like Strictly Come Dancing, Widdecombe saw no contradiction.

In her view, the criticism overlooked one simple fact: she was no longer an MP.

The moment she ceased being an active politician, she believed she was also free from the obligation to behave according to political conventions.

That realization opened an entirely new chapter.

Instead of carefully protecting a political reputation, she embraced opportunities purely because they sounded enjoyable.

Her popularity on Strictly created offers she never expected to receive, including the chance to appear in London’s West End production of Grease.

She revealed that producers had invited her to play the strict headmistress, a role she felt would have suited her perfectly. Unfortunately, the production schedule clashed with the Strictly live tour, forcing her to decline the offer.

Although disappointed, she laughed about what might have been, describing a West End performance as something she would have thoroughly enjoyed.

Another theatrical opportunity soon followed.

During the Christmas season, Widdecombe agreed to appear in pantomime at Dartford’s Orchard Theatre alongside former Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood.

She was cast as “Widdy in Waiting,” serving the Wicked Queen portrayed by Horwood himself.

The pairing promised plenty of comedy, especially given the entertaining exchanges the two had shared throughout Strictly Come Dancing. Widdecombe expected many of her former constituents from Maidstone, whom she had represented in Parliament for 23 years, to attend the performances.

Despite venturing into entertainment, she had no intention of abandoning writing.

At the time, Widdecombe revealed she was working on her fifth novel while also beginning plans for an autobiography.

She admitted she had no clear roadmap for retirement, but that uncertainty delighted her.

Rather than following a rigid schedule dictated by politics, she intended to embrace whatever interesting opportunities presented themselves next.

One ambition that failed to materialize, however, was a seat in the House of Lords.

Following her retirement from the House of Commons, Widdecombe believed she was a strong candidate for a life peerage.

Given her lengthy parliamentary career, numerous ministerial positions, and years serving as Shadow Health Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary, she expected to continue contributing to public life from the upper chamber.

She even had ideas for future work, including examining the practices of debt collection agencies.

When the appointment never came, she admitted feeling disappointed.

Still, she insisted there was little point dwelling on it.

Reflecting on the situation, Widdecombe acknowledged that then-Prime Minister David Cameron evidently did not see her as someone he wished to appoint.

She speculated that her opposition to aspects of the Conservative Party’s modernization agenda may have played a role.

Throughout her career, Widdecombe often found herself at odds with sections of her own party.

She had publicly supported Ken Clarke in the Conservative leadership contest, famously describing Cameron as too young for the leadership during one radio interview.

Her political positions also differed from mainstream Conservative opinion on several issues.

She opposed fox hunting, maintained firm anti-abortion views, and objected to the ordination of women as priests. That final issue ultimately prompted her decision to leave the Church of England in 1993 and convert to Roman Catholicism.

Whether those positions influenced Cameron’s thinking remained uncertain, but Widdecombe believed her traditional outlook probably counted against her.

She also made little effort to disguise her feelings about coalition government.

Although she strongly disliked coalitions in principle, she accepted that the Conservative-Liberal Democrat partnership formed after the 2010 election had been necessary.

Given the country’s difficult economic circumstances at the time, she argued that a minority government would have created even greater instability.

While she hoped the coalition would survive the parliamentary term, she made clear she would not have wanted such an arrangement to become permanent.

Cameron did attempt to offer Widdecombe another prestigious role.

She revealed that she had been considered for the position of British ambassador to the Holy See at the Vatican.

Although interested, several factors ultimately prevented her from accepting the appointment.

Around the same period, she suffered a detached retina, and the resulting health concerns helped convince her that remaining in Britain was the wiser decision.

Choosing where to retire had originally involved only two serious contenders.

Widdecombe considered both Dartmoor and the Highlands of northwest Scotland before making her final decision.

In the end, Devon’s dramatic landscapes, peaceful atmosphere, and exceptional walking routes proved impossible to resist.

Looking back, it was evident that Haytor represented far more than a place to live.

It was the setting where Ann Widdecombe exchanged the pressures of national politics for long countryside walks, creative writing, unexpected television adventures, and the personal freedom she had long desired. Surrounded by the moors she loved so deeply, she built a retirement filled with independence, purpose, and contentment—exactly the life she had hoped to find beyond Westminster.