Croydon Hall near Minehead is taking part in the Exmoor Food Fest for the very first time this year. The venue was purchased and extensively renovated and refurbished by Jeremy Millins in 2020 during Lockdown. The plan for the hotel is simple: to share the glorious setting, to welcome diners to the restaurant, families and friends to stay in the individually designed and appointed bedrooms and apartments, to host and help create bespoke events and memories for birthdays and celebrations, and to hire out the five-acre estate for exclusive weddings, helping to make dreams come true.
History enthusiasts will be interested in Croydon Hall’s wonderfully colourful and eclectic past – just what you’d expect from a building that’s been standing for over 800 years.
The earliest written record of Croydon Hall dates back to 1221, pre-Norman Conquest times, where it was reported to have been a farmstead for the Cistercian monks at Cleeve Abbey. In the 1500s, Croydon Hall became a family home for Landed Gentry.
A plaque on the front of the building from the 18th Century suggests that Croydon Hall was used as a Magistrate’s Court. It was during this time that the area become known as Felon’s Oak, named after the tree used for hanging felons.
The house was significantly rebuilt in the 1800s and again in 1907, when it was bought by Count Konrad von Hochberg, a German aristocrat who made many improvements to the property including adding the Italian Garden.
This elegant period of Croydon Hall ended abruptly with the outbreak of the First World War when the Count fled back to Germany.
Since then, Croydon Hall has had many uses, from a home for evacuees, a school for troubled teens to a Buddhist retreat. It fell into a state of disrepair when the last business fell on hard times, so it was ripe and ready for new owner, Jeremy Millins, to take it back to its former glory.
From Saturday 11 February to Saturday 18 February, Somerset born chef Andrew Pavey will be offering a special Exmoor Food Fest meal at lunch and dinner. This is a one-off opportunity which should not be missed!
Here are the details:
2 courses for £21 / 3 courses for £27
Sat 11th lunch and dinner
Tues 14th – Sat 18th lunch and dinner
Starter
Beetroot Bavarois
served with beet Bloody Mary & candied walnuts (Ve)
~
Pheasant Bon Bons
served with celeriac puree & roasted vegetables
~
Mackerel Fillet
served with black pudding, confit tomatoes & horseradish cream
Main
Stuffed Kale Leaves
stuffed with roasted parsnip & pine nuts, served with a country style broth (Ve)
~
Roast Venison Fillet
served with braised red cabbage, crushed roast potato & a red wine jus
~
Curried Monk Fish
served with a seafood & winter vegetable cassoulet
Dessert
Vanilla & Rose Infused Berries
served with candied nuts (Ve)
~
Rum Baba
served with crème fraiche & citrus fruits
~
Dark Chocolate Mousse
served with a praline crisp
For restaurant and room bookings please visit www.croydonhall.co.uk or call 01984 642200
After booking your table you’ll be sent a code for 30% discount off hotel accommodation.
Croydon Hall, Rodhuish, Somerset, TA24 6QT
info@croydonhall.co.uk
Exmoor Food Fest 