FOR MANY of those who have grown up in or near Rutland, Barnsdale Lodge will long have been a fixture. In my memory it played host to a hunt bash where I was taken with someone particularly unsuitable, but thankfully those murky days (well, they were also quite fun) are long past.
The lodge too has recently thrown off its past. Hector Ross, chief executive of The Signet Collection, added this Rutland venue to his growing hotel portfolio earlier in 2023, joining The Mitre near Hampton Court and The Retreat near Newbury. Rebranded as The Barnsdale, the hotel has completed the first stage of refurbishment: 45 individually designed bedrooms, each named after a fish or bird, with interiors (orchestrated by Ross’ wife Samantha) that boast an easy elegance and have the sort of flooring, fabric and furnishings that you’ll want to take note of. At the time of publication the second phase will be under way: a brand-new spa with swimming pool, treatment rooms and salons followed by a new barn, to be built using reclaimed wood with solar panels on the roof, for weddings and conference guests. The Barnsdale is set to be a hub, a destination and a meeting point. Think Cotswold chic finally making its way to Rutland. It’s an exciting prospect.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of The Field.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside
The gently spoken 51-year-old former Conservative Cabinet minister is a countryman at heart. That's clear: he even changes into a tweed waistcoat for the interview, which takes place at his London home and begins with a question about his precise career status. Having resigned from the Commons and the Conservative Party in 2019, the former diplomat and soldier has reinvented himself, first with an unconventional but promising run as an independent for the London mayoralty (abandoned because of COVID19 in 2020) and then as a media figure, co-hosting one of the country's most popular podcasts, The Rest Is Politics, alongside Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor.
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