It’s the most wonderful time of the year and up here, high in the Surrey Hills at Botley Hill, it’s been a truly memorable one.

Whether you’re a regular visitor to our beautiful country inn or keep an eye on things from afar with future visits in mind, you won’t have failed to miss the launch of our gorgeous wedding barn venue, The Barn at Botley Hill.

Photo: Teddy Pig Photography

A spectacular new Surrey wedding venue

This summer we hosted our first weddings and exclusive events in this spectacular Surrey venue, which is found just behind Botley Hill Farmhouse in its own secluded gardens and enjoys panoramic views across the valley.

The culmination of years of dreaming and planning, we’ve had such a wonderful reception to this unique Surrey Hills venue. Many magical memories have already been made, and 2020 is looking like it’s going to be a hugely exciting year.

The Barn at Botley Hill has been featured in Surrey Life magazine and even hosted their sustainable Christmas photoshoot; the gorgeous interiors appeared on the cover of Your Surrey Wedding’s 80th edition; it’s graced the GetSurrey website (as have our Sheep Shed tea room and Farmhouse); numerous blogs have championed it and its Soho Farmhouse inspired design; and we love how quickly The Barn has captured people’s imaginations in Surrey, London and further afield.

The view from Botley 

At Botley Hill Farmhouse, meanwhile, we opened a new beer garden to the side of our country inn, as our previous one was repurposed for The Barn at Botley Hill project.

Our side terrace and new garden continue to be a Surrey hot spot for diners looking to enjoy delicious food and drink on warmer days of the year. You just cannot beat a sunset supper there, and we always look forward to seeing your beautiful photos of the sun dipping behind the valley.

People love the views across the valley, the lambs in the fields in the spring and the spectacular birds of prey and gliders soaring on the thermals throughout the year - so much so, in fact, that we were named among the Guardian’s top 10 beer gardens in Britain in the summer! What a privilege. 

“On the highest point of the North Downs Way, it’s no surprise that the views from this country inn’s beer garden near Biggin Hill are fantastic, made even more so if you’re lucky enough to be there on a summer’s evening, glass in hand, taking in the sunset,” they said.

Cyclists, walkers and afternoon tea hunters have kept our Sheep Shed tea room and terrace as busy as ever (who doesn’t love tea and cake?!), and we’ve enjoyed searching out new and unique items for our little shop too. It’s always worth popping in for a quick browse, as you never know what gems you’ll discover. 

Inside our country inn, the welcome has been as warm as ever. Thank you so much to everyone who loves Botley Hill Farmhouse as much as we do. It’s always a pleasure to have you join us for lunch, dinner, garden drinks and your special occasions (as well as breakfasts for those of you who join us on Sundays!).

Local beer from Titsey

Pride of place on the bar, our friends at Titsey Brewing Co have supplied a steady stream of excellent real ale and craft lager (including a few seasonal and limited edition beers) - all brewed only metres from our back door.

Craig and co moved into a brand new brewery this year on the Botley Hill site, and they have massively increased their output and stockists around Surrey and Kent. They were even named as one of three Newcomer of the Year finalists in the 2019 Surrey Life Food & Drink Awards.

It’s well deserved for all their hard work and we can’t wait to try Titsey Brewing Co’s latest brews in 2020. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve tried at Botley Hill Farmhouse, you can also now order their beers online from their brand new website as well as pick up gift packs from our Sheep Shed.

Moving forward, we’re hoping to bring our beautiful North Downs Shepherd Huts onto our Botley Hill site in 2020. Currently located just down the road from the Farmhouse, they are a luxurious countryside retreat and a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. A walk in the country, a glass of wine by the fire pit and a snug night with only the sounds of nature for company... bliss!

Our new sister inn in Kent 

Away from the Titsey Estate, we welcomed a new little sister into our family in the shape of the historic The Castle Inn in Kent. Found down winding country lanes in the quintessentially English and National Trust owned village of Chiddingstone, it’s a historic and cosy inn that’s doing some fantastic food and drink.

Our lovely team there have already made a name for themselves in the village with their Tuesday Socials and Locals Nights, which will start again in the New Year, and they are hosting a Burns Night Supper on Saturday January 25.

Found just round the corner from the spectacular Hever Castle & Gardens and with the beautiful Chiddingstone village and Kent countryside to explore, The Castle Inn is a great destination for a day out.

Thank you! 

Finally, from all of us here at Botley Hill, we’d like to thank you for all your amazing support throughout 2019 and we look forward to welcoming you again in 2020. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!   

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