The Cottage Orné Quilt

The Cottage Orné Quilt
Click the picture to visit my other blog

Saturday 9 July 2011

The orginal Daylesford

When browsing blogs,  I sometimes get confused with place names as so many are taken from towns and villages here in the UK.  For example just before I went on holiday, I saw a post entitled "Return to Daylesford" and immediately clicked on it.  It wasn't "my" Daylesford but one in Australia - very confusing!  However it gave me the idea to share with you one of the places I enjoy visiting.

My Daylesford is a most fabulous organic farm shop in the Cotswolds.  It is very expensive, as all the great and the good with weekend homes in that up-market area of the North Cotswolds, shop there. I'm talking about Kate Moss, Hugh Grant, Liz Hurley etc.  I go just to have a cup of coffee and look!

It is the brain child of Lady Bamford whose husband's company is JCB.  Apparently she was inspired by the Duchess of Devonshire's farm shop at Chatsworth and decided to open one herself.  However, when I visited her inspiration last week I thought it very different.  It is a much more practical and work-a-day set up and I could actually imagine myself using is regularly if I lived near, Daylesford is a much more decorative establishment -




This is the original - Daylesford House, where Sir Anthony and Lady Bamford now live.


It was a medieval manor house but was remodelled in 1788 for Warren Hastings, who had been the Governor General of India.  It has had other well known and wealthy owners since. Viscount Rothermere, the newspaper magnate, restored the house with the help of the interior decorator John Fowler, and Baron Heinrich Thyssen also lived there for many years. 

I would love to have a peep inside but it's not open to the public, so have to content myself with visiting the Farm shop, which is uber stylish!
http://www.daylesfordorganic.com/engine/shop/page/our+shops

4 comments:

Sue said...

Mary I am fortunate to live very near Daylesford. Although it's not where I do my weekly shop I do have to buy some must haves from it.
Lady Bamford has done a fabulous job creating what has become a bit of a tourist attraction here in the Cotswolds even if they just go for a coffee. It has got a very tranquil relaxed feel about it which after struggling round Tesco's in Stow a coffee here revives the spirits.
The garden has been open under the NGS in the past but it's located a long way from the house so their is no chance of a peek through the windows.

Little Welsh Quilts and other traditions said...

Lucky you Sue, I wish I lived nearer! Have you seen any of the names I dropped! I wonder if they do actually shop there or is it just "paper" talk? Perhaps much more like to see them in Tesco in Stow!

Sue said...

Never seen anyone famous at Daylesford, But have seen Liz Hurley, Princess Anne, Zara Phillips and often see Pam Ayers in Cheltenham. She always smiles at you . I would Love to know what little quilting poem she would come up with for me.

Just read locally that Kate Moss asked for flights from Brize Norton be stopped whilst her wedding was going on so as not to disturb the service . I think they politely said No as our troops come first. Welcome to the real world Kate.

Nicky said...

I have the same problem - even in the UK - there is more than one Shipley - the other one is N England! There is also another Horsham in Australia.

Be careful when asking for a weather forecast too!