Old Downton Lodge, Bucknell

Having won countless plaudits for their award winning hospitality business, Willem and Pippa, saw the potential to create a unique venue that defies any attempt to categorise it.They have created somewhere that is fascinating, intriguing and mesmeric.

The bedrooms are unforgettable; luxurious, packed with history and designed to make you smile. The hospitality is relaxed and genuine. The food is exceptional and the wine list inspired.

Parts of Old Downton are so ancient that history merges with legend: its renovation so sympathetic and creative that you may confuse fact with fiction. The sitting room is redolent of its previous incarnation – there is no hiding the fact that this was once an impressive stable. Mighty timbers that once fronted stalls now provide seating from which to watch the roaring log burner, socialise and enjoy a drink from the bar – or in summer to contemplate the spectacular sunsets over the Shropshire hills.

Fashioned out of ancient stables and barns, you certainly won’t encounter uniformity here: A mixture of exposed beams, high ceilings, alcoves, malt shoots and hidey holes have all been incorporated in varying combinations in one room or another. The dining room is in its pomp when set out for a party of twelve or eighteen, but it is equally atmospheric when laid out with table of two or four. It has the feel of a grand medieval hall.

Although modern roads will lead you to its doorstep, Old Downton Lodge is well off the beaten track – and far away from light pollution.
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