With his natty tweed jacket and trilby hat, you'd be forgiven for thinking Nicolas Cage is getting into character for his latest movie.

But in fact the A-lister seems to have undergone a real-life transformation - from hard-drinking, drug-addled hellraiser to a polite English gent with a penchant for croquet and, erm, making marmalade.

As locals in deepest, sleepiest Somerset will testify, he has been spotted shopping at farmers' markets, is partial to a spot of jam with afternoon tea in his garden and enjoys quiet evenings listening to Aled Jones croon a song or two.

But just when we thought he was turning into a true Brit, he says he likes our washout summers. Surely, he must know complaining about the weather is a national pastime.

Other than that minor slip, it's an astounding turnaround for Nicolas, 45, whose rebellious antics were shocking even by Tinseltown standards.

The Elvis-obsessed actor married the King of Rock 'n' Roll's daughter Lisa Marie Presley for just 100 days before an acrimonious divorce amid rumours of cheating, rows and false pregnancies. He ate a live ****roach for a film and kept two pet king cobra snakes and an octopus as pets.

Today, however, he would rather spend his time riding horses on his sprawling countryside estate.

Dad-of-two Nicolas, who commands £15million a movie, has fallen in love with the English countryside and quaint lifestyle.

He bought 18th century Midford Castle, three miles south of Bath, for £5million in 2007 and has completely immersed himself in posh rural life - charming the locals and even sporting a handkerchief in the pocket of his tweed jackets.

MAGICAL

Neighbour Joanne Langford, 65, says: "Nicolas is doing up the castle and has told me he wants to spend Christmas there with the family.

"After that he'll move in permanently and his kid will go to school nearby. Nicolas is a laid-back man who's got a lovely manner about him.

"He told me soon after he'd moved in, 'I love being an English country gent. It's so peaceful and I want to ride my horses. I adore the countryside and the castle is magical.'

"I know he's going to put his son in school here so it's the real deal."

The Leaving Las Vegas star and third wife Alice Kim plan to send their three-year-old son Kal-El, who was named after Superman's birth name, to a nearby private school which charges up to £4,000 a term. But their fairytale castle has to be finished first and builders are furiously working on upgrading the estate before the family make it their full-time home.

One workman revealed that his Oscarwinning client has ambitious plans for a slice of the Good Life.

"He joked they could go self-sufficient by making marmalade with the oranges grown in the grounds," he says. "He was quite taken with the idea.

"Nicolas comes across as very polite and seems to love the castle."

The 1775 castle is set in 60 acres and is designed in the shape of the clubs symbol on playing cards. It has two cottages, a ruined chapel, priory and 11 acres of woodland.

Nicolas recently said: "Well you know I love England and I live here part-time.

"It's more like a castle of the imagination.

It's more of a Lewis Carroll-type castle actually. Quite fantastical."

He first moved to the UK two years ago when he bought a £4million Georgian townhouse in Bath. His house at The Circus was previously owned by 18th century Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder.

It is believed Nic's close friend Johnny Depp recommended the area to him. Nicolas sold the place a few months ago but is remembered with affection by his neighbours.

Student Faisal Hillo, 20, says: "He had a trampoline in his garden and was always playing with his kid.

"But I also saw him have afternoon tea in the garden which was very English. He played croquet a few times. He was always polite but would get mobbed whenever he walked out of the door."

Nicholas, who owns a £1million comic book collection, was spotted shopping in the city and eating pizza at Cafe Martini.

The American superstar has also been spotted at the city's farmers' market. Nicholas Simpson, 23, says: "I was shopping when we saw him. He bought some jam and cheese. He fitted in really well as he had tweeds on."

Nicolas, whose uncle is legendary movie director Francis Ford Coppola, recently attended the Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza, where Songs of Praise host Aled Jones performed.

In fact, the star seems totally taken with life in Britain... even the weather.

He recently said: "I like the rain. I'm spending more time over here and I like the gloomy clouds, plus I have never had much luck with my allergies and the rain keeps the pollen count down.

"I feel healthier and I can breathe better in England."

He added: "I love bangers and mash, although I'm not sure what bubble and squeak is."

The actor, who starred opposite Cher in Moonstruck, has fitted in so well that he has now been asked to switch on Bath's Christmas Lights. Nicolas said he was "excited and honoured" to be asked.

Mayor Colin Barrett, 73, said: "We're delighted to have him here as he's a real draw for the area. In fact, I guess he's become a country gentleman.

"He has supported a local conservation project so people can walk near his castle and I've heard that he quite likes his orangery there as well." This genteel, country image is a far cry from Nic's raucous reputation.

Aged 18, he was thrown out of a Los Angeles diner for throwing a ketchup bottle at a wall in a rage. And he has admitted to wild partying in his youth.

The Raising Arizona actor confessed: "Drugs make every single nightmare you ever had come true.

"In my 20s I went through a period of drinking and drug-taking.

"It didn't make me happy but I wanted to experience them to know how they would make me feel."

BOOZER

In 1988 he dated model Christina Fulton and they had a son, Weston Coppola, now 18. He proposed to first wife Patricia Arquette the first day they met and their marriage lasted six years until 2001.

Nicolas then tied the knot with Lisa Marie Presley, who went on to marry Michael Jackson, but they filed for divorce 100 days later.

He counts actresses such as Uma Thurman as exes and stunned Hollywood by marrying waitress Kim, 20.

Customers in local boozer the Hope and Anchor now expect he will soon pop in for a pint. Simon Johnson, 51, said: "He'd love the steak and kidney pie here."

As long as he keeps any pet snakes away from the labradors...

TOWN HOUSE

Cage recently sold his historic £4million Georgian house in Bath

THE RIGHT SCHOOL

Cage and his wife Alice are planning to send their son to a posh Somerset school which charges £4,000 a term

TWEED JACKET

Cage was the epitome of the English country gent at the Glastonbury Extravaganza last week

COUNTRY ESTATE

He bought 18th century Midford Castle, three miles south of Bath, for £5million features@mirror.co.uk