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  • Stay With Us
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History

Hambleton Hall was built in 1881 as a hunting box by Walter Marshall.

Marshall’s fortune was derived from a brewery business of the same name, but he came to Rutland to enjoy the fox hunting.

Tim and Stefa Hart bought Hambleton Hall in 1979 and opened as a hotel and restaurant in July 1980. Tim had spent 10 years in finance after taking a philosophy degree at Cambridge University. The move to Rutland enabled him to indulge his enthusiasms for food, wine, gardens, country living and hospitality.

Tim is still closely involved with the hotel. His wife Stefa practices as an interior designer but in 1980 was too busy with small children to undertake the Hambleton project, and instead asked her friend Nina Campbell to take charge. Nina’s schemes still survive in the bar and private dining room. Elsewhere Stefa’s touch is evident throughout.

History Stefa

It is hard to imagine today that in Walter Marshall’s time Rutland and Leicestershire had something of the atmosphere of a resort area. Melton Mowbray, the Mecca of fox hunting, meant the same to enthusiasts as St. Moritz might to skiers or St. Tropez to beach-lovers in modern times. Hambleton Hall provided an ideal base for hunting with the Cottesmore, Quorn, Belvoir or Fernie hounds, and participation in the intensive social activities centred on Melton, Market Harborough and outlying estates and houses.

Noël Coward

Some time ago Tim Hart had the good fortune to receive, on loan, Walter Marshall’s scrap book. This document consists of a compilation of clippings mostly of a scandalous or scurrilous kind reflecting his interest in gossip, scandalous divorces, demi-mondaine girls (some revealing their arms and ankles) and spicy tales from the ‘pink-un’.

Marshall remained a bachelor and when he died seems best remembered locally for the excellence of his table and cellar, and the convivial if slightly ‘racey’ company he kept.

He left his house to his younger sister Eva Astley Paston Cooper. Although Eva 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 Noël Coward, Malcolm Sargent and Charles Scott Moncrieff.

In his autobiography ‘Present Indicative’ Noël Coward describes Mrs. Astley Paston Cooper in the following terms: "Mrs Cooper was gay company. Her principle pleasure was to lie flat on her back upon a mattress in front of the fire and shoot off witticisms in a sort of petulant wail."

History Forest

Mrs Astley Patson Cooper’s granddaughter has suggested that Noël Coward’s rather uncharitable remarks about his benefactor were somewhat influenced by the fact that the young Noël was made to spend most of his waking hours here chopping down trees for the good of his health!

After Mrs Cooper’s death Lord Trent, Dr. Brockbank and Major and Mrs Hoare enjoyed the house in their turn until the 1970s brought two big surprises. The creation of Rutland Water in 1976 (to provide water for the inhabitants of Peterborough and Northampton) transformed the outside environment, while Tim & Stefa Hart transformed the inside in 1979/80.

The house has come full circle. As a small hotel and restaurant for discriminating diners and travellers, the house has returned to a very similar convivial use to that for which it was built.


Instagram

Our latest Instagram posts, visit our Instagram page for more.

We are actively recruiting for a couple of roles a We are actively recruiting for a couple of roles at Hambleton Hall and at Hambleton Bakery at the moment. The roles are explained in full on our careers page: www.hambletonhall.com/job-opportunities along with lots of information about working here. If you or someone you know has experience as a pastry chef, as a waiter or waitress for our restaurant, or receptionist/front of house role then please do share this post with them. Hambleton Bakery is also looking for a cafe manager, so do share this post with anyone relevant for that position. #hoteljobopportunities #luxuryhoteljobs #hospitalityroles #hambletonhall #relaischateaux #prideofbritainhotels #hotelrecruitment #hambletonbakery
Journalist and radio personality Bunny Guinness re Journalist and radio personality Bunny Guinness recently visited Julian Carter at Hambleton Bakery, who is her favourite baker for sourdough. Bunny recently started cooking her own sourdough and approached Julian and a raft of other experts to create the perfect loaf. You can watch the whole video by searching on YouTube for Bunny Guinness sourdough. 📹 thanks to Bunny Guinness Thanks to Julian and all the bakers at Hambleton Bakery. For more information about Hambleton Bakery’s products, shops and menus please search for Hambleton Bakery online. #artisanbread #hambletonbakery #realbread #sourdoughbaking #eatlocal
Aaron, Charlie and James share the same drive for Aaron, Charlie and James share the same drive for perfection in the kitchen. Every day they create incredible dishes to excite the eyes and the palate. It is a joy to watch guests share their delight with each other across the table when they try a new element on the plate. #michelinstardining #finedining #fivestarhospitality #sommelierrecommends #countryhousehotel #goodhotelguide
It won't stay this quiet by the pool for long with It won't stay this quiet by the pool for long with temperatures so high today! Enjoy your cooling swim if you are staying today, and don't worry about the rest of us, we are not envious at all 😉 #hambletonhall #luxurycountryhousehotels #summersunshine #summerinrutland #discoverrutlandwater #luxurypools #hotelswithpoolsuk #hotelswithpools#poolwithaview #poolwithalakeview
We are long-standing fans of Nevill Holt Opera as We are long-standing fans of Nevill Holt Opera as is Toby Young, associate editor of The Spectator, as he explains in his piece this week. Search Spectator "Why Country House Opera Is Just The Ticket" online or use the link in our Facebook post today to read his review.
Allow our restaurant team to spoil you for Father' Allow our restaurant team to spoil you for Father's Day. The restaurant may be full on Sunday already, but our beautiful gift vouchers make a brilliant present for most men. Order online today by searching "gift voucher Hambleton". #hambletonhall #luxurycountryhotel #michelinrestaurant #fathersday #fathersdaygift #fathersday2022 #fathersdaygifts #fathersdaygifts iftideas
Every overnight stay at Hambleton Hall includes a Every overnight stay at Hambleton Hall includes a full Hambleton breakfast. There is a wide choice of cooked dishes using eggs from nearby Windy Ridge Farm, milk and cream from Vine Farm Dairy and bread and baked goods from our sister business Hambleton Bakery. Baked a few hours earlier 2 miles away in Exton, bread doesn't come fresher than this delicious selection. #hambletonhall #dailybreakfast #hambletonbreakfast #vinefarmdairy #windrridgefarm #hambletonbakery #farmtoplate #buylocal #seasonalingredients #farmfresh #smallluxuryhotel #prideofbritainhotels #relaischateaux
Today we are having a look around House Martin, a Today we are having a look around House Martin, a lake-view room decorated with the Manuel Canovas range of Tania Carmin. House Martin has two armchairs and a breakfast table by the window, which enjoys a lovely southerly view over the garden and Rutland Water. This room is one of the two which are air-conditioned. To browse the 17 individually-designed bedrooms in the house please search 'Hambleton Hall Rooms' online. #hambletonhall #relaischateaux #deliciousjourneys #hotelstay #luxuryhotels #dreamvacation #travelaround #travelmoments #hoteldesign #travelgoals #instavacation #boutiquehotel #hotelview #hotellife #luxuryhotel #stayhotel #hotelgoals #hotelsofinstagram #hotelviews #hotellobby #weekendaway #traveluk #minibreak #travelandleisure #uktravel
Our appreciation for Amanda and David Wheatley is Our appreciation for Amanda and David Wheatley is fulsome today, as they praise our staff for crafting their memorable stay with us in April. Amanda and David, your kind words have been shared with the team who are grateful for the recognition. "We have just arrived home from a 2 night stay at Hambleton. We have to say it has been one of our best visits. This is mainly due to how well Rosh looked after us. He is always so cheerful, and has a great rapport with the guests. It was good to see Tony again, again so cheerful and smiley. The atmosphere in the dining room was very happy and lovely to experience, especially after Covid!!! The young waiters were excellent to. The experience we had in the bar was also exceptional. Theo made some great cocktails, a very personable young man. We realise he has his career plans ahead of him, so will leave at some point, but he was clearly well trained and had a great interest in the hospitality trade. Dennis, again he was very cheerful, and went out of his way to provide exceptional service. He undertakes ‘plumping’ the cushions with great enthusiasm! A final thank you to the receptionist who checked us in, and also showed us the Croquet Pavilion. She was very polite and extremely helpful. A further note is about the food. It was exceptional, the presentation and the flavours. Hambleton Hall maintains a consistent high standard. David was blown away by the crab starter and ended up having it both nights. As always Dominic helped us choose some great wines."
Today, for the 7th consecutive year, Hambleton Hal Today, for the 7th consecutive year, Hambleton Hall and Relais & Châteaux hotels around the world raised awareness of sustainable seafood for World Oceans Day, a campaign in partnership with Ethic Ocean and in alliance with the United Nations and Oceanic Global. Relais & Châteaux has been partners with Ethic Ocean since 2009, when Relais & Châteaux members signed a pledge at the Biarritz Rendez-Vous to stop serving bluefin tuna on their menus. The UN’s theme this year is “Revitalisation: Collective Action for the Ocean,” which raises awareness of the need to work together to create a new balance with the ocean that no longer depletes its bounty but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life. To amplify this theme, the Relais & Châteaux network is celebrating through the culinary medium of seaweed – a plant that is recognised for having a multitude of revitalising, regenerative properties. More than a superfood, algae is a marvel able to act as a carbon sink, depollute estuaries, decrease ocean acidification, fight coastal erosion, provide habitat for ecosystems of great biodiversity, and even create sustainable aquaculture jobs for restaurants to support. Find out more in our press release on our Media Hub page on our website. @UNWorldOceansDay @relaischateaux @ethic_ocean #RevitalizeTheOcean #UNWorldOceansDay #RelaisChateaux #seaweedsymphony #hambletonhall @undoalos @oceanic.global @unitednations
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    Hambleton, Oakham, Rutland
    LE15 8TH, United Kingdom
    +44 (0) 1572 756 991
    hotel@hambletonhall.com
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Hambleton Hall Limited Registered Office: The Old Hall, Market Overton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 7PL
Registered in England No.1125993