Is Tom Cruise really moving to the Scientology headquarters in the U.K.? According to a report in The Sun from Wednesday (April 6), the 53-year-old actor may be moving there after selling his London house that he purchased with ex-wife, Katie Holmes.
Since Scientology’s inception in 1954, the religion has been involved with numerous controversies and rumors.
The Sun reported that aerial shots had been taken of the United Kingdom headquarters, Saint Hill Manor, and the 100-acre castle’s renovation costs are said to total $16.0 million. New extensions will include a gymnasium, a fully decked-out spa and a high-end restaurant—sounds fancy! Another report by The Sun said the Church has flattened woodland surroundings around the property to make way for new buildings and has also acquired a school close by that will be turned into a training complex.
A source told the Daily Mail that “Tom is relocating to England and uses the Scientology manor as his base. It’s the highest recognition to live where L. Ron Hubbard [Scientology’s founder] did, and [Church leader David] Miscavige clearly believes giving Tom this access will keep his faith in the Church for decades to come.” The source added that Cruise and his fellow believers think the Church could be “as influential as the [British] Royal family.”
A source told the Daily Mail that “it might sound like a deluded dream, but with bottomless cash and ongoing renovations they believe that, in time, Saint Hill Manor will overshadow Buckingham Palace.”
Scientology is said to give the believer a total and complete understanding “of one’s true spiritual nature.” But, in order to achieve such a feat and access the highest levels in the Church hierarchy, staggering payments need to be made. Many of the Church’s key members are wealthy and famous, like Cruise and even John Travolta, to whom Scientology was introduced.
Members are skeptical of modern medicine and psychology and believe in cleansing their own spirit, free of intervention.
According to the Daily Mail, the Church finished construction on the first part of the project last summer and was forced to use a car park that belonged to East Grinstead Rugby Club, opposite the Scientology entrance, because of how many trucks were needed to do the work.
The grounds of the sports team are adjacent to Saint Hill Manor and recent renovations meant that the Church’s grounds weren’t enough for all the cars and trucks. The Mission Impossible actor, as a sign of gratitude for disrupting the team for six months, personally invited the director of rugby, Phil Major, to their annual gala. Cruise also donated $10,000 to the club in order to cover its costs—what a nice guy!
It’s extremely rare for non-members to be invited to the annual Scientology ceremony held at the U.K. headquarters, but Major was lucky enough to get privileged access. Cruise even took a picture with the rugby director, thanking him for his help.
Speaking of the event, Major told Daily Mail, “In the conference they kept being critical about psychologists; it was very anti-drugs and anti-medicine.”
Though these are all rumors so far, we do wonder what direction Tom Cruise’s career will go in if he ever does decide to move across the pond!
