RESPONSIBLE TRAVELLER
February • 2022
It Begins with The Soil:
Travelling and Eating The Plant-Positive Way place to redefine the idea of a country hotel. “As we respect this 250-yearSituated along the beauty of old history, we look forward the Hampshire countryside to a 250 year new plan,” he in England, in an elegant said. “Heckfield Place is a Georgian family home, sits land sculpted by many hands, Heckfield Place, an organic minds, and ideas over hundreds farm estate and luxury hotel. of years. Today we act as custoHeckfield Place opened its dians of this remarkable estate.” doors four years ago with a simple goal: to reconnect its The home has been restored to include various activities for home and farm to the local community. To do so, they guests, including a screening room, which is open to both opened to welcome guests to stay in the historic house and residents and outside visitors. introduced a certified bio-dyThe screening room plays films, live screenings, and film namic market garden and organic farm, commonly known festivities and is available for private events. as the Home Farm. “Everything we do relates to The rooms available for booking vary in size and look, nature—from the house itself, which, like so many grand including signature rooms, masEnglish houses, is positioned ter rooms, chamber rooms, and to align with the movement of more. There are six signature the sun, to our fully certified rooms, the Long Room, Lake biodynamic market garden, Room, Heath Room, Coppice farm-to-fork offering, and Room, Ochre Room, and the natural skincare line,” General Church Lodge. Each offers picManager Kevin Brooke turesque views of the grounds explained. “In an increasingly and different designs for a turbulent world, this is a place unique and homey feel. that feels timely in its pursuit. The Church Lodge is A place that stands out of time, a separate cottage on the seeking to impart wisdom and grounds, tucked away with its inspire change. own gardens and surrounding The home itself was built in landscapes. The cottage is built the 1760s and has been lightly with a black and white timrestored to breathe new life into bered gatehouse with a gentle the 250-year-old home, being palette and details to match the referred to by the owners as a surrounding landscapes. ALLIE MURRAY
© ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF HECKFIELD PLACE
Heckfield Place operates on 438 acres of land and is working towards a zero carbon footprint. Spread across the home and the farm, the staff have planted hundreds of trees and cared for cows, pigs, chickens, and an abundance of crops. With their all-natural skincare line, Heckfield Place opened The Little Bothy Spa, with a focus on offering all-natural treatments and exclusive products from the line, called the Wildsmith Skin range. Similarly, the spa opened spaces for personal training, yoga, and pilates classes. “In the sanctuary of the spa, the emphasis is on wellness and a deep connection to our natural surroundings, with ingredients drawn from our apothecary garden and juices and infusions made fresh each day,” Brooke explained. To expand their belief that good stems from the soil, Heckfield Place fosters a positive mindset on our inner soil: the mind and body. In 2022, The Little Bothy Spa is expanding to open Bothy Spa, a space to encourage reconnecting with nature. Bothy Spa is found on the grounds just off of the walled garden and focuses on the power of healing and movement. The new-and-improved spa is set to open in 2022, but in the meantime, The Little Bothy
Spa is still welcoming guests in with open arms. While staying at the house, meals are prepared from the crops grown onsite to foster a healthier lifestyle and reduce food waste, with, of course, a strong focus on the flavour of the food they offer. The essence of the home is to be a place where food, company, and philosophy coexist seamlessly. The farm is seen as the soul of Heckfield Place—it provides everything for the house, from food to flowers, honey, and so much more. In 2020, they expanded the farm even further, opening seven new greenhouses to grow a variety of produce, as well as seasonal flowers. The farmers also opened a dairy farm, which is home to 42 cows to create cheese, milk, cream, butter, and yogurts for the house, as well as 59 Suffolk sheep. “Every ounce of produce that comes from our market garden and home farm is precious,” Brooke said. “And as such, we’ve committed to a zero-waste policy. From preserving gluts into cordials or preserves, to championing unloved and overlooked bits like carrot tops in our Earth menu, our aim is to either consume or reuse as compost for our living soil.” The Heckfield Place teams
believe that everything begins with good, clean soil. With this mindset, they work towards standing up for our planet and working to be a plant-positive place not only with the work they do but also by giving back to the community. “The market garden, Home Farm, and no-waste philosophy capture the essence of our approach—starting with good, clean soil, standing for something planet-positive and joyful, and giving back to the community and the planet,” he shared. On the property, Heckfield Place boasts five eateries: the Marle, Hearth, Glass House, Moon Bar, and The Cellar. Each is unique to its own flavours but remains locally grown. The Cellar is nestled beneath the house and is home to wines from established and emerging producers. Again noting the power of the soil, the wine available at The Cellar is diverse in region and variety and features a selection of wines that are perfect for everyday enjoyment or even the rarest of blends. “In a time of unbelievable discoveries and unprecedented modernity, we find ourselves looking to forgotten skills and lost ways of living,” Brooke said. “Heckfield Place is an antidote to modern living. A way of seeing luxury in a new way.”
