ACTOR Sir Alec Guinness, who died in August 2000, left an estate worth more than £2.5m.
Sir Alec lived at Steep Marsh with his wife, Merula, for nearly 50 years. He left much of his estate to his wife, who survived him by less than three months, and to their only son, Matthew.
In addition he left a sum of money to St Lawrence Roman Catholic Church, Petersfield, where he had worshipped since 1956.
He also left paintings, letters and books to the many friends he made in the theatre during his long career.
Playwright Alan Bennett often visited Sir Alec at Steep Marsh. They met in 1973 when he performed in BennettÕs play, Habeas Corpus. Mr Bennett was left a caricature of the writer Lytton Strachey by early 20th century artist Max Beerbohm.
Actress Dame Eileen Atkins was left an oil painting by the British artist Graham Sutherland.
Tom Courtenay, who starred with Sir Alec in Dr Zhivago, was given six volumes of Curiosities of Literature by Isaac DÕIsraeli.
Much of Sir AlecÕs wealth came from his role as Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, for which he received two per cent of the royalties instead of the more usual flat fee. It is estimated that this amounted to £2m.