1976
The Bamford Family Begins Organic Farming
‘When I married, we lived on a farm in Staffordshire and it was there that I was first struck by the idea that things needed to change. I was in the garden with my first baby Alice and noticed that my newly planted roses were beginning to wilt. I went to see the farmer next door and he told me they were spraying Roundup. I learned later that Roundup is a strong herbicide and its toxins had been carried by the air and had caused my roses to wilt. As a new mother, I was frightened and horrified, and I knew we couldn’t carry on farming as we were, harming the earth in this way – it wasn’t right for the health of my children and it wasn’t right for nature and the land.
Organic farming isn’t the easy path – crops fail, the weather interferes with your plans and you have to pick yourself up from the ashes sometimes – but I’ve never looked back.’
– Carole Bamford, founder
2002
The First Daylesford Organic Farmshop Opens In The Cotswolds
‘We opened three weeks before Christmas on a frosty morning, selling homemade soups, sandwiches and tea, alongside our meat, cheese, a few vegetables and our bread. I didn’t think anybody would come.
Like any business, we’ve had our setbacks and challenges. Despite that we’ve managed to grow and we now have five farmshops. The shops are all set within old buildings – be that a barn or an eighteenth-century London townhouse – and I like to appreciate and respect the features of the buildings, but also bring something new and modern to them.’
– Carole Bamford, founder
2013
The Wild Rabbit Opens
The Wild Rabbit is a modern British inn set in the heart of the village of Kingham. The restaurant menu is inspired by the seasons and produce is sourced from growers, farms and producers in the local area who share its values of seasonality and sustainability. The bar serves a mix of artisan beers, alongside more familiar ales, while the wine list is a map of the most important wine regions in the world. Rooms and cottages have been individually designed to reflect local elements of raw, rural simplicity and are furnished with natural linens, wool blankets and antique pieces of furniture.
2022
The Fox Opens
The Fox is a nineteenth-century coaching inn nestled in the Gloucestershire countryside in the village of Oddington. It is a village pub at the heart of the community with crackling log fires, a seasonal restaurant, a garden terrace and six bedrooms, as well as a welcoming bar specialising in local beers and cocktails. A living roof above the restaurant has been planted with a mix of 36 native British wildflowers and four species of grass, providing a habitat for pollinators and aiding biodiversity while also acting as an absorbent rainwater buffer. A circular ethos is also reflected in the interior design. Hides from Daylesford’s organic beef cattle were used to make leather window seats, cushions and seat pads for the bar and rooms.
2022
Daylesford Village Opens
Our hamlet of Cotswold cottages is nestled in the 2,500 acre Daylesford Estate, surrounded by picturesque Gloucestershire countryside. The cottages, village hall, schoolhouse and church were rebuilt in 1868 by Harman Grisewood for his tenants. Constructed in local stone, the buildings are architecturally decorative, heavily influenced by the Tudor Gothic style. Just a stone’s throw away from Daylesford Organic Farm, the cottages overlook the rolling hills of the estate. Each self-contained cottage is individually furnished, retaining its own distinct character. Cottages range in size from one to four bedrooms.
2023
The Bell Opens
On the edge of the Wychwood Forest within the Evenlode Valley, The Bell is set in the picturesque Cotswold town of Charlbury. When restoring the fabric of the 17th century building, our in-house team of architects looked to the history of The Bell. Original features were sympathetically restored, and local and recycled materials were used for the construction to minimise impact on the environment. The interiors preserve the heritage of the inn, blending it seamlessly with all the modern comforts one would expect from the exceptional standards of a Daylesford Stays property. Our bar forms the heart of the pub, crafted using ash from the Daylesford Estate, while inviting inglenook fireplaces offer a welcome spot to enjoy a meal by the fire. Each bedroom combines comfort with exceptional attention to detail, drawing inspiration from the neighbouring ancient woodland.
2023
The Three Horseshoes Reopens
An eighteenth-century pub set in the heart of the Cotswolds’ beautiful Windrush valley. The Three Horseshoes is renowned for its warm welcome and generous community spirit. Serving local beers and ales, an eclectic wine list and comforting pub food made from seasonal ingredients, the pub has six rooms and a large garden with views across the rolling Cotswold hills. Since 1726, the pub’s innkeepers – farriers by trade, replaced the horseshoes of travellers passing through the village. In 1977 it was renamed The Maytime. Today the pub has returned to its roots, becoming The Three Horseshoes in honour of its history and heritage.
2024
Heritage House Opens
Built from the ground up, Heritage House takes inspiration from its surroundings, with our picturesque Market Garden and the wild countryside beyond the walls informing the design within. Every detail is imbued with influences from the Cotswolds landscape, from the locally sourced materials and sustainable building methods to the elegant high ceilings and monumental proportions which honour the setting. With three versatile, dynamic spaces and an awe-inspiring presence set within nature, there is simply no other events venue like it.
