The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat that’s just 90 minutes from London

"Никогда нельзя знать заранее, как впоследствии обернутся обстоятельства." Артур Конан Дойл

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Why stay?


Because this fresh, back-to-the-land opening in a sleepy Northamptonshire village about 90 minutes from London is livening up the place, cementing its status as a community hub while drawing wellness disciples with its restorative ethos. Set on the 10,500-acre, 16th-century Castle Ashby estate, The Falcon has undergone a thoughtful transformation, overseen by owners Lord and Lady Northampton, into a space for rest, recalibration and connecting to the environment.

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

Deluxe room at The Falcon

What is it?


A reimagined coaching inn built in 1594, set against a backdrop of rolling meadows, ancient woodland and Capability Brown-designed gardens. This is a snug, deeply rural spot, and a gathering place for the close-knit locals, with a serious wellness bent. Lady Northampton has drawn on her experience as a psychotherapist and yoga teacher to create a truly refined offering for rebooting and self-care: energy-aligning gong baths, yoga and meditation sessions are held in a former stable; grounding holistic massages by aromatherapist Tabitha Robertson in an on-site cottage; invigorating wild swimming in one of the estate’s bracing lakes.

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

The Falcon

Behind the scenes


The Falcon spotlights nature at every turn, with a focus on bringing the outside in. A maze-like series of beamed rooms is linked by stone-paved, floor-lit passages that illuminate the original brickwork. Interior designer Jackie Blakey has enhanced natural materials – stone, wood, leather, wool – with soothing neutral colours such as navy, sienna, ochre and green, adding textural walls and elaborate, wildlife-covered upholstery. In the casual East Wing bar, a newer structure, vaulted, installation-like ceilings are fashioned to look like bee boxes, dotted with delicate holes, while walls are lined with large, sculptural artwork by London-based Rachel Dein, who has immortalised the estate’s oak, pine and lime branches in concrete casts. Guests are encouraged to get outdoors, with stacks of Hunter wellies, falcon-emblazoned umbrellas and terrain-ready bikes to grab for trips through the expansive grounds of 300-year-old weeping beeches, sequoias and horse chestnuts.

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

Bedroom at The Falcon

Sleep


In the main building, narrow winding stairs lead to eight cocoon-like, low-lit bedrooms (with a further 14 in adjacent farm cottages), where tapestry-style headboards and cappuccino-coloured woven curtains are offset by contemporary abstract art. Elements such as little picture windows, sloped ceilings and creaking floorboards create a comforting sense of place and a feeling of history, while bathrooms are a sleek and modern departure with cream tiles, black chrome, glass and sharp angles, plus a huge, low-lying window looking straight onto the village’s curving lanes. Every detail has been environmentally considered: mini bathroom essentials are in handy recyclable packaging; organic, Oxfordshire-made La-Eva products of gentle rose geranium and petitgrain, ginger and cinnamon, come in glass bottles and are multi-use to prevent waste (so much so they are even used in treatments).

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

Eyas Restaurant at The Falcon

Eat


The scenery remains the focal point at Eyas, helmed by chef Mark Lawton who whips up nourishing plates with ingredients sourced from the surrounding landscape. Elevated snacks – housemade bread and Marmite butter; salmon tataki with sharp English wasabi; a foamy, practically drinkable velouté made from mushrooms foraged in the grounds – and starters, including smooth Cornish black-bream sashimi with fermented cucumber and dashi gel, are just light enough to leave space for the bigger-hitting mains. Standouts such as line-caught hake on a bed of fennel, sweet wild mushrooms and salsify, and melty estate-raised venison with rich, truffle-topped ragù, paired with a Sicilian Palazzo del Mare red, are the kinds of dishes that you think you know, but somehow surprise with their depth of flavour. Then there are puddings of plum crumble and tarte tatin – tangy, juicy and completely wicked. Meanwhile, late-night cocktails are sipped down 16th-century stone steps in the underground Cellar Bar, which has served as a watering hole for more than 50 years.

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

Eyas Restaurant at The Falcon

Who comes here?


Villagers for laidback coffees and smart suppers; in-the-know wellness seekers who recognise the proper offering here and want to test it out ahead of the arrival of the dedicated centre due in 2021, set to be fully kitted out with an aerial-yoga wall.

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

The Falcon

We like


The massive, plush beds – unbelievably wide and impossibly squishy – are wonderful to fall into after a day of wandering and spiritual healing.

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

Double room at The Falcon

We don’t like


The lack of a formal reception is a little disorientating. And while smart spotlights in the restaurant are atmospheric, they’re a bit much for those sitting directly beneath them.

The Falcon, Northamptonshire: a new country retreat thats just 90 minutes from London

Local area

Out and about


Castle Ashby’s Elizabethan mansion, Kew-worthy orangery and Florentine fountain are just a stroll away. Head into the village for local-run boutiques and cafés set inside converted barns at the Rural Shopping Yard, or 20 minutes in the other direction through farmland to Swanspool Ceramics pottery school, for which classes can be booked via the hotel.

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