Tudor Farmhouse in the Forest of Dean review: A profusion of rustic elegance
Burrowed among wildflower-dotted meadows and storybook thickets, this Grade II listed, 13th century stopover must be seen to be believed, writes Attitude’s Jamie Tabberer
Of England’s 6,000 villages and small settlements, how many are completely unremarkable? And how many are so lovely, it’s baffling they exist?
Cue Gloucestershire’s Clearwell, home to just 350, burrowed among the wildflower-dotted meadows and storybook thickets of the Forest of Dean.
Minuscule though it may be, Clearwell has more going for it than most English towns. Think soul-soothing pubs, an 18th century castle-turned-wedding venue, an actual spring and well in the centre, and finally, some truly staggering natural wonders nearby.
Firstly, Clearwell Caves, covering 250 acres and formed 180 million years ago. Secondly Puzzlewood: a patch of woodland with soil so minerally enriched it has sprouted an abundance of unusual rock and tree formations. Such unearthly beauty has attracted many TV and movie productions, including Star Wars, Doctor Who and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
To explore all this and more, you’ll need a base. Tudor Farmhouse, the Forest’s most comfortable and charismatic stopover, is walking distance from both attractions. Time appears to have stopped in this Grade II listed, three-storey homestead, dating back to the 13th century. Despite extensive renovations, and the gentlest of modern interior design touches, the main building features just the right amount of weathered rusticity.
Here, warmth and cosiness emanate from every nook and cranny, all ridiculously steep staircases and comically low doorways and ceilings. Timeworn masonry and robust beams bring the essence of the Forest indoors.
Also capturing the spirit of the wider locale is Head Chef Gavin Roberts’s menu. There are homegrown vegetables aplenty, and even culinary plants foraged from the garden. Then, there’s the uncompromising commitment to artisan ingredients, ideally sourced within 20 miles. Local suppliers include Huntsham Farm beef, Trealy Farm cured meats and Severn & Wye smoked fish.
This is by a country mile the finest of dining options in the Forest. Even the full English breakfast is delicately presented and finely flavoured, the menu offering a full and fascinating breakdown of where everything was sourced, from your coffee (Greenhill Coffee Roasters, Cinderford), to your jam (Preservation Society, Chepstow), to your butter (Netherend Farm, Woolaston).
Dinner menus are seasonal, and stand-out dishes currently include seared sea bream with braised leeks, rapeseed oil pomme puree, and wild mushrooms, plus the pot roasted cauliflower with caramelised cauliflower, coriander cream, tenderstem broccoli, and toasted almonds. Attitude, visiting in balmy September 2023, dined al fresco among moss-laden stones and charming water features in the truly exceptional courtyard and garden. The entire outdoor space (including ample parking) has a cheering backstory, having been conceptualised and crowdfunded during lockdown.
We stayed in The Roost: a spacious suite on the third floor, all timber beams, plush furnishings, and luxurious linens. We almost stole our royal blue velvet lampshade, and were obsessed with the woodland view through the Velux Skylights. Other pluses include free fibre-optic Wi-Fi, Nespresso coffee machine, and fabulous Bramley bathroom products. We opted for a roll top bath, a classic style of freestanding tub, over the monsoon shower. It felt the height of opulence.
Nominally a three star, and therefore not extortionately priced, the finish of Tudor Farmhouse is of four star, or even five star quality. It’s pretty spectacular, and the whole enterprise could rely on this and its historical clout to get by, but impressively, has one foot in the present. This is especially evident in its high-gloss website: both a masterclass in design and a treasure trove of information. (Although oddly lacking in one key area: room descriptions.) Gen Z are well catered for, with the huge non-alcoholic cocktail menu (utilising home brand NoLo) and inspired suite of social media-friendly ‘experiences’ on offer. Wild sleeping in a bell tent? Check. A massage in a shepherd’s hut? Check. Easily booked stargazing and wildlife safaris? Check.
Elsewhere, across the hotel’s 14 acres of Special Scientific Interest, you’ll find an orchard and working farm, home to sheep, ponies, chickens, and runner ducks. Attitude borrowed some wellies from reception and explored it all on one of the hotel’s easiest proposed walks, but eventually turned back after getting freaked out by insects, scratched to oblivion by brambles and, well, lost. This is the sort of rugged rurality you’re dealing with in the Forest – and it’s thrilling. Especially when you have somewhere this nice to lay your head afterwards.