David Gilmour bought Hook End Manor near Checkendon in 1980, at the height of the band's fame, and used the on‑site studio for work linked to the band. Originally built in 1580 for the Bishop of Reading, the Elizabethan house was later extended and remodelled. Newspaper and urban‑explorer images show that, despite this glittering history, the Oxfordshire mansion has been left to crumble behind its high hedges. The Pink Floyd star used to live at the Oxfordshire mansion. Acts including Rod Stewart, Tom Jones, The Cure, Marillion, Manic Street Preachers, Spandau Ballet, Jamiroquai and the Kaiser Chiefs all recorded at Hook End, living on site while they worked.