About Us
Welcome, dear traveller, to Brownsover Hall, a sanctuary for the weary, the curious, and the delightfully indulgent. Here, you can unwind in surroundings that manage to be both luxuriously modern and deliciously marinated in history.
Once a family home brimming with all the intrigue, triumphs, and eyebrow-raising dramas that such houses inevitably collect, it now delights in presenting its past with a playful wink rather than a firm handshake.
Today its character is the product of obsessive treasure-hunting: antiques unearthed from distant corners of the country, wallpapers painted by hand to whisper (or, in some cases, gleefully proclaim) the juiciest chapters of its past, and the deft touch of Watts1874 wall coverings. The owners of Watts1874 are the great-grandchildren of George Gilbert Scott, the very architect responsible for the manor’s grand 19th-century incarnation.
Within these storied walls lie 48 uniquely dressed rooms; some intimate, some gloriously expansive. The Egerton Suite, for instance, tempts guests with a spiral stone staircase coiling up into turret chambers that survey the estate like benevolent sentinels.
You’ll also find Scotts, the place for discerning diners, Boughton’s, home of indulgent afternoon teas and Franks Bar, where expertly crafted cocktails, a great selection of local spirits and delicious wines fuel long nights.
Step outside and you’ll find gardens that positively insist on exploration: full of nooks, crannies, and secret spots that lend themselves to contemplation, and harmless dawdling. Do keep an eye out for the muntjac deer that have taken up residence.
The tale of Brownsover begins with the Boughton family, who owned the estate since the late 15th century when they managed, through good luck or shrewd judgement, to pick the winning side in the English Civil War.
Their tenure, naturally, included a smattering of scandal. One particularly dramatic episode in 1780 involved the unfortunate Sir Theodosius Boughton and a brother-in-law with more ambition than scruples. This macabre moment, immortalised on our handpainted wallpaper, serves as a reminder that history is rarely dull.
By 1877, the house was rebuilt in the grand Gothic Revival style you see today by George Gilbert Scott the Younger. A member of an architectural dynasty responsible for such national treasures as St Pancras Station, Westminster Abbey, Christ’s College Cambridge, Liverpool Cathedral, Battersea Power Station, and, of course, the iconic and rather splendid red telephone box.
During the Second World War it was used by the Power Jets Ltd under Sir Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine, and later the deeply unromantic confines of the English Electric Company.
Thankfully, the 1970s saw Brownsover Hall reborn as a hotel and in recent years a thoughtful restoration has polished it back to brilliance.
Today, the Hall stands proudly as part of Distinct Group, a collection of hospitality enthusiasts who share an incurable passion for places with personality. Brownsover Hall Hotel is once more ready to charm, intrigue and envelop its guests in a most delightful blend of comfort and history.
