MUSICIAN Jools Holland is Medway's king of the castle as he settles into his new pad at Cooling. The pianist and bandleader bought the crumbling medieval ruins of Cooling Castle, which date to 1386.

The former Squeeze musician has told Cooling parish council that he is a new neighbour in the tiny village, but is believed to want to keep a low profile. The Rochester Bridge Trust charity regarded the castle as a financial liability and put it up for sale with an advertisement in Country Life back in 1999. Speculation about buyers has been rife ever since.

Estate agents Cluttons Daniel Smith were asking £50,000 to £100,000 for the gatehouse, inner wards, fortified keep, two towers and seven acres of land.

The 600-year-old collection of stones attracts hundreds of tourists each year as part of the landscape that inspired Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.

Mr Holland, 44, who owns a house in Blackheath, London, is thought to have also bought the part of the castle with a private 17th century manor house and gardens, previously owned by the Knight family. He has had a string of international hits such as Cool for Cats and Up The Junction and is now on tour with his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, as well as fronting the latest series of Later...with Jools Holland on TV.

Betty Brook, clerk of Cooling Parish Council, said: " He is a very nice man who keeps himself to himself and we respect that."