Midsummer in Somerset: Part I
At the end of June, Julie hopped on a train to Somerset to meet up with Arran, who was working on Glastonbury. After a glorious weekend in Dorset earlier in the month, we were looking forward to another staycation to explore the best of the British countryside. We checked into our hotel for the weekend – Homewood – and enjoyed their spa facilities before dining in their restaurant.
Our first day began at Hauser & Wirth in Bruton. It is a hidden gem and one we discovered by chance while perusing an art book about amazing gardens back in February. Fortunately, we had made a note of its location and found ourselves a thirty minute drive away in late-June. Hauser & Wirth has a world-class contemporary art gallery, an exquisitely landscaped garden, a wonderfully stocked farm shop, a bookstore and two excellent restaurants.
We started our visit with lunch in one of their restaurants: Roth Bar. The bar, itself, is a work of art. Designed by artist Oddur Roth, the bar is composed of all sorts of objects and salvaged materials from local reclamation yards. On first glance, the items appear like junk, but the installation is designed incite conversation and joy. As the artist said: ‘The objects you see are things you might know from childhood or have had in your home. It gives it a comfortable atmosphere, inviting you to stay and lose track of time’. We shared a charcuterie board loaded with locally sourced cheeses, cured hams, spiced chutney and sharp pickles, followed by a scone lathered in clotted cream and raspberry jam.
After doing some damage in the art bookshop, we ventured into the gallery space. The gallery is free to enter, and they regularly rotate the art on show. The season’s exhibition – ‘Unscripted’ – celebrated the art of Phyllida Barlow. Barlow created imposing installations that play with scale and perspective and the main gallery space displays a collection of her large-scale works that engage with the artist’s interest in urban destruction and unrest, reflecting her memories of bomb-damaged London. The sculptures fill the white walls creating a very striking and immersive viewing experience. The exhibition is superbly curated, and we feel very lucky to be able to access world-class art for free in such a beautiful setting.
The art is not confined to the walls of the gallery. Venture into the garden – known as Oudolf Field – and you find yourself instantly transported to an inspiring place. Hauser & Wirth’s gardens have been designed by the renowned Dutch landscaper, Piet Oudolf. Interlocking beds form a perennial meadow, and a gravel path dotted with oval mounds of grass guide you through the landscape. As you reach the end of the garden you are greeted by the Radić Pavilion, a cocoon-like form that organically complements its setting. Designed by Chilean architect Smiljan Radić, the enveloping installation is the perfect place to rest and admire the rolling hills and grazing cows in the adjacent fields. It’s an enchanting place and the ethereal, whimsy and feathery landscaping makes you feel as if you have stepped straight into an Impressionist painting with a side of Surrealism.
Our afternoon was spent at Stourhead, the breathtaking creation of one family – the Hoares – who built a home here 300 years ago. The family were a banking dynasty and acquired Stourton Manor in 1717. Once purchased, Henry Hoare I replaced the existing building with a new Palladian-style villa that would become known as Stourhead House. Henry Hoare II (the first owner’s son) made a number of changes to the house when he inherited it, including adding a grand saloon and collecting many works of art by famous painters and sculptors of the day. In 1785, Henry Hoare II’s grandson, Sir Richard Colt Hoare, inherited Stourhead on the condition that he left the family banking business and cared for the estate. He made further changes to the house, including adding two wings to accommodate a picture gallery and library. He also developed the gardens, adding a Pelargonium collection to the charming walled garden. In keeping with the original architectural designs drafted by celebrated Scottish architect Colen Campbell – who had transformed the property from Stourton Manor to Stourhead House – the next member of the family to own the property added a portico to the front of the house.
The estate’s 300 year history is rich and colourful, and you get a taste of it while touring the house. Highlights include the Regency library, which is home to over 6,100s book and a spectacularly ornate cabinet with over 150 drawers that once belonged to Pope Sixtus V. Another particularly poignant artefact is the painting of Penelope and Euriclea by Angelica Kauffman. After 140 years, the oil painting, which captures the scene from Homer’s Odyssey of servant Euriclea waking Penelope with the news that her husband Odysseus had returned from fighting in the Trojan War and a ten year journey home, returned to its rightful place. Rising debts forced the owner to sell the painting in 1883 but work by curators and conservators at the National Trust secured the painting at auction in 2023. Every room is a feast for the senses.
After the house we explored into the sprawling gardens. We took the long route around the estate’s famous lake, taking in the spectacular views of the landscape’s classical landmarks, including the Pantheon and the Temple of Apollo. It was a warm day, so we cooled off in the estate’s grotto. Stourhead is a landscape garden inspired by the painted masterpieces of the past. The Hoares’ Palladian mansion is impressive, but the real paradise is the surrounding environs that the property is situated. The landscape garden was the vision of Henry Hoare II. Inspired by the work of artists like Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin, who captured rural and bucolic vistas in paint, Henry created a living work of art by arranging trees, temples and architectural features around a grand lake. Each aspect was thoughtfully designed, and Henry Hoare II’s grandson Richard Colt Hoare continued to evolve the gardens. Fir trees were removed in favour of broad-leaved trees, including tulip trees, beeches, acers and oaks. The trail around the lake concludes at the ornamental Palladian Bridge, designed to create the illusion that a river flows through the village and under the bridge. The landmark is a fitting conclusion to our visit since it gestures to Stourhead’s original history.
After Stourhead we headed to the idyllic town of Frome for dinner. We wandered the quaint cobbled streets that are lined with independent shops and picturesque details. We loved, for example, Valentine’s Lamp which is dedicated to St. Valentine and is lit every year on 14 February. We arrived at golden hour and caught the last rays of sun catching the Bath Stone of the buildings.
We did not have a reservation for dinner but managed to get seated at Bistro Lotte, an informal but elegant French bistro. While we were sadly placed on their mezzanine level, meaning we missed out on the atmosphere downstairs, the hand-painted walls with scenes of more tropical climes and the flickering candlelight meant that we created our own ambiance. French onion soup, bouillabaisse and steak frites were ordered and we enjoyed a glass of wine while reflecting on a jam-packed day.
We concluded a wonderful day back at our hotel with an evening night cap sitting on their terrace as the sun was setting and then retreated inside to play some board games and indulge in pick and mix sweets.
Continue reading about our ‘Midsummer in Somerset’ with Part II of our blogpost.