Fowlescombe Farm — hidden as it is in a secluded valley — offers a complete retreat from everyday life. The only noise is birdsong and the distant bleating of sheep. The site dates back to 1537; the regenerative farm rife with history — not least the ivy-covered ruins of the former manor house, rumoured to be the inspiration for The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Caitlin Owens (whose family took over the farm in 2019 and who previously worked for the Four Seasons group) and Paul Glade (a creative director with a background in architecture) lead a team that very much feels like a family — albeit one that will cook for you and fill your glass up at any time of day or night. As part of this home-from-home hospitality, guests are encouraged to engage with daily life on the farm; collecting eggs in the morning, gathering wild garlic for dinner, and scratching Basil the dog’s ears as you enjoy an afternoon cocktail and slice of cake al fresco.
A stay at Fowlescombe is about the whole experience; all food and most activities are included in your room rate. Prior to your visit, someone from the team contacts you in order to craft a bespoke itinerary that can include baking bread, feeding the animals, taking part in a preserving session or learning how to flower press. There’s also paddleboarding and foraging and beach swims.
When you arrive, there are homemade scones before a tour with farm manager, Rosie, to see the English longhorn cattle, friendly Boer goats and Manx Loaghtan sheep. You’ll also get the chance to learn about Fowlescombe’s slow and sustainable approach — to both farming and soil management.
Meals are served inside The Refectory — a converted shed that’s now dominated by a vast communal table and open kitchen. Conversing with the chefs, selecting your own ingredients and having a go at cooking your own meal is all encouraged. Breakfast is a hearty affair — pastries, toast and homemade preserves followed by wholesome hot options. An all-day menu consisting of soup, sandwiches and no-waste croquettes can be packed up for a picnic or snaffled late at night in the comfort of your own suite. In the evenings, guests gather to indulge in a seasonal set menu that showcases Fowlescombe’s own meat and garden-grown veggies.
Make sure you tour the gardens where there’s everything from the expected (broad beans, rainbow chard) to the more unusual (kiwi fruit, chickpeas). Head gardener Shelley and her team have created prosperous polytunnels, greenhouses chock full of seedlings and beds boasting both perennial and annual produce. Large containers flush with herbs are cleverly positioned beside the kitchen, for chefs or guests to gather. A giant greenhouse (the only purpose-built building on site) plays host to yoga and flower arranging classes, evening drinks by the roaring fire, and a multitude of edible plants.
Fowlescombe intentionally refers to the farm as a ‘retreat’ rather than a traditional ‘hotel’. The idea is that guests switch off from reality during their stay, enjoy the secluded location, and experience something new. The ten unique suites scattered across the farmyard buildings are designed to allow guests to simply choose long lie-in’s and breakfast in bed if they so wish. Refined and elegant, yet cosy, they feature warm wooden furniture and stone hand-carved from the farm’s on-site quarry, all with comfy places to sit and most with huge bathtubs. Amenities include Pelegrims’ antioxidant bathing salts. And there are a few hard-to-miss architectural features, such as the vast picture window framing the view in the Valley suite and the giant, skewiff solid oak door in Long Barn.
Fowlescombe may be a fledgling addition to the UK hospitality scene, but its unique offering, picturesque location and sustainable ethos are sure to see it soar.
What to do while you’re there
- Caitlin also manages The Millbrook Inn, located in nearby South Pool. Ask the team to book you a table for lunch
- Fowlescombe’s impressive collection of art highlights the work of more than thirty contemporary artists (most of whom live south-west). It’s all been curated by Claudia Kennaugh of Art & People
- Make the most of neighbouring Dartmoor: go stargazing, gravel biking or walking
- Vegetarian? Gluten-free? The Refectory’s evening offering is a set menu to reduce waste, but can easily be adapted to suit each guest’s individual requirements, with substitutes such as chargrilled golden beetroot in place of roast rack of hogget
- Prefer cooking for yourself? Most suites have their own kitchenette (the farmhouse has its own full-sized communal kitchen) where guests can try out the provided ‘cook your own’ kits which range from pistou linguine to a pie of the season
Room from £410 a night on a full board basis. The price includes breakfast, lunch, supper and a daily schedule of on-site activities
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