* This article first appeared here in YOURLUXURY Africa
Barely two months ago, I was driving through the gates of Babylonstoren, and today, I was entering the gates of the farm’s overseas sister, The Newt, a beautifully reimagined country estate. An estate I would soon discover as England’s veritable garden of Eden. Like Babylonstoren, The Newt has garnered a devoted following across the UK. And it’s not only the Brits who think so; last month, the hotel earned a coveted spot as one of England’s top ten country hotels in Conde Nast Traveller’s Reader Choice lists.
Named after the native salamanders discovered on the estate, The Newt spans 900 acres of Somerset countryside—mythically beautiful land. From the farm, a glance at the nearby Cadbury Castle reveals one of the three likely sites believed to be Arthur’s Camelot, only adding to the sense of myth and majesty.
Arthur Cole, head of programs at The Newt, took me on a tour of the estate, helping to contextualise the farm’s soil-to-table philosophy. Barely minutes in, Arthur said, “Look, there’s our farmer, Cameron.”
Standing on the elevated walkway of the beautifully designed roundhouse barn, we easily admired the herd of pedigree registered British White cattle, of which The Newt currently has around 10% of the world’s population. This is in addition to the 400 breeding sheep, a herd of water buffalo, and 600 acres of arable crops. “In all honesty, our desire with all this is to leave a legacy,” said Cameron Knee. “Much of this involves a focus on regenerative agriculture, enabling The Newt to produce food in the most sustainable way”.
Alan Stewart, Head of Food at The Newt, continued the journey at the butchery, where I witnessed not only traditional skills and methods being employed but also an active apprenticeship program to revive the dying art of butchery. This emphasis on training applies to all departments on the farm, imparting valuable skills.
The last stop on the tour was meeting head gardener Harry Baldwin. His career has been meteoric; Harry’s degree in horticulture, six-year tenure at Kew, and private garden experience have all prepared him for his important role. The daunting task is made easier, of course, by his team of 37 fellow gardeners.
His vision is to continue The Newt’s ethos of blending hospitality and learning, with the gardens playing a role beyond mere aesthetics. The boundaries of horticulture for guest experience are changing: visitors can go from simply looking to picking, touching, tasting, or nibbling. And yes, everything tastes better; the reason is the minimal time from picking to the tastebuds, which in my case, while nibbling through the nurseries, was mere seconds.
While undoubtedly impressive and expansive, the gardens are surprisingly minimalist, using texture, shape, and form to create a cornucopia of outdoor space without being imposing. Plus, there are no signs or set paths – getting lost has never been as fun or beautiful.
Like Babylonstoren, the gardens offer a variety of discoveries waiting to be explored, including a Beezantium, a Roman Villa, a grotto, Farm & Home Shops, the Viper treetop walkway, The Story of Gardening Center, Garden Café, and The Creamery.
As if the gardens and hotel aren’t enough, The Newt is also home to a living history museum. Paying homage to the Roman ruins discovered on the site, the Roman Experience is a museum and accompanying life-size villa, where geo-triggered headsets and virtual reality goggles bring history to life.
Comparing Babylonstoren and The Newt is not a case of apples to oranges, but more accurately, grapes to apples, since Somerset is proudly cyder country (a small etymological shift from the usual cider – the older term emphasising intentional craft production over mass production).
While the South African property boasts hectares of fruit-laden vines, The Newt is home to 3,000 apple cyder trees. Sixty heritage Somerset varieties are grown as part of safeguarding their genetic heritage. The Newt offers a comprehensive cyder tasting where you’ll sample a range of cyders, including The Winston, a champagne method cyder and, impressively, an Ice Cyder – one of only two in the world.
Rooms are spread across the farmyard and Hadspen House – the original 17th-century Georgian manor house. Hadspen is also home to the Botanical Rooms – The Newt’s prime dining space offering tables inside or the glass-enclosed conservatory. There are also several lounges, a bar, and an underground cellar for cyder tastings.
Taking a moment to breathe in all the beauty, one thing remained: to don a gown and saunter through the farmyard to the spa. Swimming through the opening in the glass wall that separates the inside and outside sections of the heated pool, I climbed onto one of the seats with built-in water jets. Eddies of steam rose from the warm water, creating more of The Newt magic where a playful panache shows there is room for the convivial cool alongside haute heritage. thenewtinsomerset.com
