Landmark stays near vineyards

Header image: Stopham Vineyard in Sussex. Daniel Alford for Sussex Modern.

Where historic buildings and wine regions meet, the landscape tells its story twice. Discover Landmark stays set within reach of some of England and Wales’ leading vineyards.

If terroir describes the way a wine expresses its place, our historic buildings offer something similar. Built from local materials and shaped by regional traditions, they embody the landscapes from which they emerged. Pairing a Landmark stay with a visit to a local vineyard offers a rewarding way to explore that sense of place, discovering how both buildings and wines are rooted in the character of their region.

England and Wales are home to more than 1,100 vineyards and around 250 wineries, producing some of the world’s most acclaimed cool-climate still and sparkling wines. Set amid rolling countryside, many offer tours, tastings and exceptional places to eat. Here are some Landmark properties within easy reach of renowned wine estates.

Wilmington Priory

East Sussex

Photo: Rathfinny Wine Estate 

Nestled in the rolling South Downs, just a few miles from the sea, Wilmington Priory is an ancient place of striking contrasts. Built on a sacred prehistoric site and lying beneath the gaze of the Long Man of Wilmington, it combines the atmospheric remains of a medieval priory with the comfort of later Georgian additions. Today, its warm and characterful interiors include a large farmhouse kitchen, elegant living spaces and inviting bedrooms, making it a unique and memorable retreat.

From here, Sussex’s celebrated wine country is within easy reach. A short drive (or pleasant walk across the fields) brings you to Rathfinny Estate, with its restaurant, tours, tastings and vineyard trails. Slightly further afield, near the arty village of Ditchling, you can explore a cluster of acclaimed wineries, including Ridgeview, Artelium and Sugrue South Downs.

Goddards

Surrey Hills 

Photo: Denbies Wine Estate

Hidden away among the sunken lanes and rolling valleys of the Surrey Hills, Goddards is a remarkable Arts and Crafts house designed by Edward Lutyens in the early 20th century, with gardens created by Gertrude Jekyll. Originally conceived as 'a Home of Rest to which ladies of small means might repair for holiday', it is now a peaceful and restorative retreat, ideal for groups of friends and families seeking a relaxing escape.

Just 15 minutes away, on the outskirts of Dorking, Denbies Wine Estate is one of England’s largest vineyards. Open year-round, it offers daily indoor wine-tasting experiences and outdoor vineyard train tours, alongside a restaurant with some of Surrey’s most spectacular views, stretching across Box Hill and the North Downs. 

The Ruin

North Yorkshire

Photo: Dunesford Vineyard

This playful little 18th-century folly is dramatically perched above a steep wooded gorge deep within the wild and romantic Hackfall Gardens, where it enjoys one of the finest vistas in North Yorkshire. Staying at The Ruin puts you in direct and regular contact with the great outdoors, the only way to get between the rooms being to step outside into the open air, and take in the miles of Yorkshire countryside, woodland and waterfalls that roll out before you. At night, flitting between the two wings across a starlit terrace is an otherworldly experience.

The surrounding landscape and villages are rich in country pubs and beautiful gardens, as well as a cluster of vineyards creating cool climate wines in the vale of york. Around 30 minutes away, Dunesforde is one of the most northerly vineyards in the UK - a four-acre, boutique vineyard making distinctive, characterful English wines, with a terrace and wine bar open on Fridays and Saturdays.

Cobham Dairy

Kent

Photo: Balfour Wine Estate 

Nestled within the picturesque grounds of Cobham Hall, Cobham Dairy is a beautifully restored ornamental dairy designed by one of the 18th century’s most influential architects. Now an idyllic retreat for two, it offers a peaceful base from which to explore Kent, one of England’s most celebrated wine regions, whose chalk soils and temperate climate have helped establish it as a producer of world-class sparkling wines.

Several excellent vineyards lie within easy reach. Just a few miles away, Silverhand Estate combines extensive organic vineyards with tours, tastings and countryside walks. Nearby Meopham Valley Vineyard offers a more intimate experience, with award-winning wines and a warm family-run atmosphere. A little further afield, Balfour Winery is one of England’s leading wine destinations, pairing acclaimed sparkling wines with woodland walks, a restaurant and a wide range of tours and tastings.

Fox Hall

West Sussex

Photo: Wiston Estate 

Set amid the rolling South Downs, Fox Hall was once the Duke of Richmond’s hunting lodge. Today, this small yet stately building has been transformed into an elegant country retreat, with richly decorated interiors that evoke the grandeur of an 18th-century aristocratic residence. While the hunting days are long gone, there is beautiful countryside to explore and some of West Sussex’s finest vineyards nearby.

Closest is Ashling Park, a 50-acre estate on the outskirts of Chichester offering tours, tastings and a restaurant overlooking the vines. A little further afield, Stopham Vineyard provides a charming rural setting for wine tasting, while the acclaimed Wiston Estate combines award-winning wines with regular winery tours and the excellent Chalk Restaurant.

Llwyn Celyn

Monmouthshire

Photo: Sugar Loaf Vineyards

Set in the heart of the Black Mountains, this medieval hall house in the Llanthony Valley is surrounded by some of Wales’s most beautiful countryside and finest vineyards. Within easy reach of Llwyn Celyn, a handful of award-winning estates offer intimate tours, tastings and the chance to discover Welsh wine at its source.

Just down the valley near Abergavenny, Sugar Loaf Vineyard produces acclaimed still and sparkling wines, with self-guided vineyard walks and wonderful views of the Sugar Loaf mountain. Around 40 minutes away, White Castle Vineyard is one of Wales’s leading wine estates, known for its award-winning wines and welcoming tours and tastings led by the owners themselves.

More Landmarks near vineyards

Other Landmarks in close proximity to vineyards include Kingswear Castle for Sandridge Barton, Warden Abbey for Warden Abbey Vineyard, and The Prospect Tower for Chartham Vineyard. If you know of any more, do get in touch!