Faccombe Estates, with its 4,250 acres of luscious countryside, has sustainability at its heart, constantly tending to its environment, farms, forest, wildlife, and local community for years and generations to come.
Feeling like a hidden hamlet in Hampshire, Faccombe is nestled between Newbury and Andover, benefiting from the natural beauty of the North Wessex Downs on its doorstep. The estate is treasured and protected by a supportive community of farmers, foresters, and enthusiastic conservationists. Not to mention the residents of the village, who all play a part and passion in this picture-perfect dwelling.
No British village is truly complete though without a pub; and pubs don’t come much better than The Jack Russell Inn. As the bestowed name suggests, dogs are more than welcome in this stylish setting – infact, you’ll soon meet the resident pooches on arrival – typically snoozing in a nook adorned with old books and collectibles. The pub area feels old-worldly in the best possible way, with rich and cosy armchairs, a crackling fire, wood panelled walls and ambient lighting pocketed around. Keeping with sustainability, some of the sips on offer are even foraged from the estate’s berries, including homemade sloe gin and raspberry vodka.
Food is at the heart of The Jack Russell Inn, with a strong focus on the seasonality and locality of ingredients. Head Chef Andy Watts has been brought in to crank up luxury pub dining, and boy does the menu deliver. Finding a perfect balance between hearty and contemporary, the dishes are country classics with artful twists, each plate packed with flavour. As you’d now expect, much of the produce is sourced from the estate, including lamb, venison and game birds, seasoned by the pub’s very own herb garden.
You’ll be forgiven for wanting to stay in Faccombe rather than a fleeting visit, so luckily there’s 11 bedrooms on offer, with three in the main building and eight in the stand alone ‘Dog House’. Don’t be fooled by the name though, as this is perhaps the most enviable and stylish quarter – home to a speakeasy type lounge complete with pool table, honesty bar and an epic fire pit. Your Instagram feed is about to light up.
After a hearty breakfast, the surrounding Hampshire awaits your discovery, including the location house of Downton Abbey and quirky buzz of Winchester. Or you could easily spend another day lazing and daydreaming in The Jack Russell Inn gardens – with immediate views of a duck pond and deer grazing in the field nearby, this country pub feels a million miles away from civilisation – nothing better!
