The Place
An unconventional new entry, not much known outside its neighbourhood. The charm is in the way the huge conservatory dining room – a masterpiece of shabby-chic interior decoration – interfaces with the huge 18thC walled garden. Out of sight behind a hedge at the bottom are the six comfortable, heated bell tents, set up for ‘glamping’: comfortable beds, fresh linen, a large covered dining area, breakfast bar, kitchenette, smart WCs and hot showers, open from March to October.
The tenting comes into its own in summer, of course, when in fine weather the terrace will be your sitting rom. If you want to be indoors, hang out in the homely coffee shop area with its nicely displayed homemade cakes and biscuits.
The four seasonal menus offer simple, traditional British kitchen garden food, cooked inside on the stove or outside over a beechwood fire pit. They vary a little each day depending on what the gardener brings in – one of the most popular items is the Garden Board, reflecting just that. The fire pit is a major feature, with meat and fish expertly and deliciously cooked or smoked. The whole set-up artfully satisfies city dwellers’ nostalgia for the good life and its homegrown trappings – every area of paint deliberately left peeling, every painted (or unpainted) chair – contributes something.