History
Our hotel is steeped in history, as is Exmoor where we’re based.
This part of the world is where Romantic Movement poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived in the late 1700s. The breath-taking scenery also inspired Richard Doddridge Blackmore 150 years ago to create his famous lovers Lorna Doone and John Ridd.
Exmoor
Exmoor, named after the River Exe, is thought to date back 200 million years. The ancient rolling open grass moorland mixed with steep combes and rivers was originally protected by Royal Forest law, which was established by William the Conqueror.
Coleridge
Inspired by the scenery here, he wrote his finest works including The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan. Visit his Nether Stowey cottage, preserved by the National Trust, or the Ancient Mariner statue in the harbour town of Watchet.
Lorna Doone
Exmoor is home to fictional heroine Lorna Doone, who was shot on her wedding day. Visit some of the places described in the book including Oare church, where the shooting was set, and the author’s father was a rector in Victorian times.
Dunster
The medieval village of Dunster has a wonderful working watermill and a vast, ancient castle run by the National Trust. The former motte and bailey became the country home of the Luttrell family and includes displays of Victorian life.