“Are we there yet?”
This is what I imagine my friend Claire’s dog ‘Yuki’, is saying as she pokes her head out of the car window and wriggles her wet nose in delight as she takes in the smells of the countryside. Destination? Bradford on Avon. More specifically, the Old Manor Hotel just on its outskirts.
Now, you could be mistaken for thinking I’m talking about Bradford in the North of England, but nope. This Bradford on Avon is a charming and architecturally stunning little town in the South West about 15 minutes drive away from its bigger brother, Bath.
All three of us arrive, thirsty and keen to check out our lodgings. Our room isn’t quite ready so we head to the chilling area of the dining room where our thirst is quenched with two shandy half pints and a doggy bowl of water for Yuki – she’s teetotal!
Left to right: Yuki, head chef Matthew Briddon and The Smokery
We have a bit of a chat with the owner Tudor and meet his dog, Camber. Camber’s big and beautiful and Yuki little and lively. After a few butt sniffs, the pair don’t quite hit it off so Camber is humbly whisked away. Tudor tells us of his plans for the Grade 2 listed Manor House, which he’s owned with his wife Lucy since July 2013. They’ve done a lot of work since they’ve been there, but it’s still a bit of a work in progress in parts, which can be seen in the unfinished games shed and acres of overgrown paddock at the back of the property where livestock will eventually roam the space. But what they have managed to do is create a homely, olde world, rustic vibe.
The Old Manor Hotel sits on a sizeable plot of land with 21 individually designed rooms, housed within and outside the manor. Our room, No.21, is outside in the bungalow. It’s a decent size with vintage furniture, crisp white sheets and a kilner jar of homemade complimentary flapjacks offers a lovely welcoming touch. And there’s no skimping on the toiletries in the bathroom with quality Neal’s Yard products.
Matthew Briddon, previously of River Café, heads the hotel’s restaurant, Milking Parlour. The hotel aims to be as self-sufficient as possible by growing a lot of the food themselves in the not only beautiful, but functional kitchen garden. And if that’s not possible, produce is very locally sourced.
Beef Cheek
Left to right: Chicken Skin, Beetroot, Smoked Salmon
and Treacle Tart
So, with a bevvy of home grown produce on tap, along with a smokery and honey harvested from their beehives, does the transition from garden to plate prove a positive one? In a word, yes!
Claire and I have the five-course taster menu – Claire the vegetarian option. There are some successful dishes like the Hay Smoked Salmon, which for someone like me who is not a fan of cured salmon, can still appreciate the fine expertly judged smoking of the fish. A Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese course is bursting with earthy sweet flavour and a honey rich Treacle Tart is simply divine.
The course that doesn’t work at all though is the Crisp Chicken Skin, it suffers from being overcooked and a charred burnt taste is the overriding unwelcome flavour. I was to later find out that Matthew was catering for a near full house of tables (around 30 covers) by himself that night, so it’s inevitable that errors will creep in. I can however, forgive this mishap as the highlight of all the courses is a lovingly slow cooked Beef Cheek – the meat is so achingly tender that it collapses in the mouth with hardly the need to chew.
Bungalow Room
Old Manor Full English Breakfast
After a great night’s sleep, morning greets us with the day’s papers, buffet of homemade cereals and even greater cooking in the form a superb Old Manor breakfast. Tudor and co. are doing a great job of bringing this once neglected hotel back to glory with passion and tasteful vision. I can’t wait to return to their relaxed dog-friendly lodgings.
Room rates are from £135 Bed and Breakfast, which include a full Old Manor breakfast in The Milking Parlour. Special packages and weekend rates are available on the website.
Food I Fancy was a guest of the Old Manor Hotel.
OLD MANOR HOTEL
Trowle Common
Trowbridge Road
Bradford on Avon
Wiltshire
BA14 9BL
Tel: 01225 777393
