Buckland Manor

Buckland Manor is a 13th-century manor house in the hamlet of Buckland, a few miles from Broadway, set beneath the escarpment with ten acres of gardens around it. The village church stands beside the house, its tower rising behind the gables. It was a family home for centuries and is now one of the Andrew Brownsword Hotels, with 15 rooms and suites, which keeps it small enough to take whole.

Exclusive use gives a party the house, the gardens, the dining rooms and every bedroom from arrival to breakfast the next morning, so a milestone birthday or a wedding weekend runs as a private house party. The house states events for up to 45 guests. The Dining Room, double aspect with views over the gardens, is licensed for ceremonies and holds 40; the Morning Room, facing the rear gardens with an open fireplace, takes 12.

The cooking is led by head chef Joe Cerrato, formerly of the Royal Mail Hotel in Victoria, Australia, on produce from the Vale of Evesham. Afternoon tea is served in the lounges or overlooking the gardens.