A secluded retreat in glorious South Devon, Dartington Hall is a place you’ll remember for its heritage and beautiful grounds alone. Sat in 800 acres of Grade 2 listed gardens, the 50 bedroom hotel and wedding venue has origins dating back to the late 14th century and also hosts the headquarters of the Dartington Hall Trust, a charity that specialises in the arts, social justice and sustainability.
The trust was set up some 80 years ago in order to run the 1,200 acre estate and currently runs 16 charitable programmes including Schumacher College and the Dartington International Summer School. Also on site is the award winning White Hart Bar and Restaurant, The Barn Cinema and the aforementioned picturesque grounds, which are the winning element for me. Comprising of ancient trees, sculptures, the clear waters of the River Dart, woodlands, a Japanese garden, eye catching flower beds and so much more, the vast area of beauty is visited by many locals simply for the walks alone.
I visited to make use of the hotel, enjoy a dinner in The White Hart and to discover what the estate had to offer. The rooms sit around a medieval courtyard, which has a beautiful Swamp Cypress guarding the grounds. We spent the night in one of the spacious deluxe rooms, which held a large bed offering us a very comfortable night’s sleep as well as an open fireplace. There were two armchairs on which to relax, a desk with a kettle and tea and coffee, and the white walls had framed poems and images of flowers hanging on them. It was cool in the room, which was quite pleasant during the summer heat and the medieval courtyard offered a lovely view to look out onto and was a peaceful setting. A small but modern en suite had a dark brown tiled floor and brown stripe tiles behind the bath and walk in shower. The shower was powerful and easily accessible but the small sink ensured the task of face washing got water everywhere!
During our visit to The White Hart, my guest, Nick, and I enjoyed a few drinks outside with some locals, who were very friendly (there was no space in the bar inside). It was raining but warm under a canopy and was a nice sociable start to the evening. The restaurant holds 2 AA rosettes and is proud to serve up traditional British dishes using produce from local sources that are organic, free range and fair trade, where possible with plenty of vegetarian and gluten free dishes also sitting on the menu. This is to reflect the ethos of the Trust. Head chef Anuj Thakar comments: “My philosophy is to use the best local ingredients and create dishes that showcase the best of the county.”
When we had been seated inside we perused the menu, which included such classics as potted ham hock, smoked salmon and lamb rump. We were informed that four items on the menu were unavailable as it had been a busy week with the start of the four week summer school taking place on the estate from the following day. It was a bit of shame as Nick wanted to order two of the missing items but there were plenty of other tasty looking things to choose from over six starters, eight mains and six desserts.
To begin my meal I chose the potted ham hock and black pudding with pickled vegetables and grilled sourdough. I thought this dish had great textures and nice flavours with the sweet and tangy vegetables. I’m not sure where the black pudding was and, although serving the food in a glass pot on a wooden board looks nice, it is not practical as I ended up with some food on my lap! Nick’s starter of Brixham crab and Lyme Bay scallop with a watercress purée and crispy Serrano ham won a score of 8 out of 10 from him. Nick thought the scallops were perfectly cooked and the white crab meat, refreshing purée and salty, crispy ham were the ideal accompaniment, creating an uplifting summery and colourful dish.
For our main course we both opted for the 8oz rib eye, which was 21 day aged and hailed from nearby Hill Head Farm. These were served with cherry vine tomatoes, a large mushroom, thick chips and Dartington cider onion rings and I opted for a red wine sauce to go with it. Nick was offered my tomatoes and happily accepted and I tucked into my lovely juicy piece of meat. I had requested medium to well done and I got medium, which was actually perfect and I absolutely loved the divine, crispy onion rings, fat crispy chips and mushroom. A glad of red wine with this was just what was required and the hearty portion filled us up both pleasantly.
We took a break before desserts and admired the space, which is split up into smaller rooms. We were seated next to a big fireplace, which had plenty of wood waiting for winter. Beams hung from above and thick light wood tables sat on a slate floor. Pictures of locals enjoying the nearby area hung on the white walls in light wood frames and the low lit space had a homely, welcoming feel to it.
Nick ended his meal with a plate of local cheeses (Sharpham Brie and Rustic, Devon Blue and Quickes Cheddar), home-made chutney, crackers and grapes, while I opted for something sweeter to appease my sweet tooth. A vanilla panna cotta with poached rhubarb, rhubarb sorbet and almond crumb caught my eye and the sweet, fruity, light dessert was a great summery dish to finish off the meal. Presented on a round plate the delicate panna cotta, which had a perfect wobble, sat in the middle surrounded by the tangy rhubarb and much needed crispy crumb.
The food is simple but tasty and I like how much local produce is used. In general the staff are nice but the odd few could do with a bit of training and seemed a little unprepared/not bothered, however the feel of the place is very relaxed, which is perfect for such a picturesque location.
After a delightful night’s sleep we returned to The White Hart for a buffet breakfast, which had hot and cold offerings. The bar has an interesting timeline etched onto the front of it and the high ceilinged room offers a unique setting, as do many other parts of the building.
In a nutshell
Dartington Hall is a place where days turn in to weeks and you would still be enjoying its beauty. A self sufficient haven that welcomes 800,000 visitors a year, it is certainly worth a visit.
Address: Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6EL / 01803 847000
