We are off to interview Tim Heywood perhaps one of the worlds most prolific super yacht stylists. He lives and works in Rural Rutland.
The journey from our own rural retreat in the New Forest will take us nearly four hours which is too far to go and come back from in one day if we are to do an in depth interview so we will be staying over night in Hambleton Hall a stunning hotel that is one of the Relais & Chateaux collection.
This is one of Britain’s finest country house hotels and one that will find favour with super yacht owners who want to visit Heywood on his home turf.
The lakeside setting is spectacular and only some two and a half hours north of central London (England). The restaurant is a haven for gourmets and wine lovers and the rooms combine comfort and style.
It was built in 1881 as a hunting box by Walter Marshall a man whose fortune was derived from a brewery business of the same name, but he came to Rutland to enjoy the fox hunting.
He did so at a time when the area was the Mecca of fox hunting, rather like St. Tropez is today for super yacht owners.
The house provided an ideal base for hunting with the Cottesmore, Quorn, Belvoir or Fernie hounds and participation in the intensive social activities centred on outlying estates and houses.
He left his house to his younger sister Eva Cooper. Although she started life as a keen devotee of the chase, from the age of 50 onwards she presided over a salon of bright young things including Noel Coward, Malcolm Sargent and Charles Scott Moncrieff.
After her death, Lord Trent, Dr. Brockbank and Major and Mrs. Hoare enjoyed the house in their turn until the 1970′s.
It was transformed into a small hotel and restaurant for discriminating diners in 1979/80.
Watch out for our review of this stunning hotel.