My poor blog has been covered in cobwebs from my neglect – I have recently had a job change, which I’ve been balancing with quite a busy social calendar. Since I last posted, I had an absolutely fantastic time at Ascot enjoying the Royal Enclosure, a delicious Scottish dinner at the Farmers Club in Whitehall, and went to far too many balls and parties. Safe to say, it’s been a fantastic start to my summer!

I love spending the majority of warmer months in the UK, saving my holidays abroad for autumn/spring in an effort to extend my sun exposure. I try to visit at least one estate, national trust property or museum on the weekend, but I tell you there is absolutely nothing better than a historic estate which also happens to serve delicious food.

I found Boys Hall quite randomly through a Google search one lazy Sunday morning, and I was lucky enough to secure their last slot for lunch, so we hurriedly dressed and drove off.

When we arrived at the gates and drove up to the house I let out an excited squeal – amidst luscious gardens, stood a 17th century Jacobean Manor, covered in ancient wisteria. It was straight from a fairy-tale (the picture above doesn’t do even begin to do it justice). We were greeted with a sincere beaming smile by the front of house and taken through a tastefully modernised Tudor outhouse overlooking a fecund garden.

The Food

We shared Smoked Ashmore and speck croquettes to start, followed by two portions of coal fire butterflied sea bream (we are big fans of BBQ fish), garlic mash, confit Hispi cabbage salad and beef dripping crispy Ratte potatoes. I also had a glass of Soave Classico (a lovely Garganega grape, with peachy notes, and a nice minerality which comes from the limestone soil).

I could have ordered ten more croquettes, which were gloriously oozing with cheese. The sea bream was delicate, but yet incredibly full of flavour. The mash and cabbage salad were both excellent and the roast potatoes were possibly the best I’ve ever had! I was in foodie heaven.

Sadly it is just shy of a Michelin star, and too expensive for a Bib Gourmand, but when I learnt that the owners were inspired by the chain of Pig restaurants, everything made perfect sense. You don’t need a Michelin star to overcomplicate something that is already perfect in quality and taste, without reducing portion sizes, adding nasturtium leaves on everything and doubling the price!

The History

Boys Hall was built in 1616 by Thomas & Margaret Boys, using recycled materials from Margaret’s old family home called ‘The Moat, Sevington’ which was recorded in the Domesday Book. The Moat may have caught fire or simply been repurposed, but the site and moat remnants are still there today, just half a mile away behind a Screwfix!

The Boys family were very important and influential, with connections to the Archdeacon of Canterbury Cathedral and the Keeper of Dover Castle. I am assuming they had French origins. They adapted an existing Wealden hall to create an even bigger building, so I imagine they had plenty of money to spend. Very soon they had a famous visitor King Charles I – who likely stayed in Boys Hall in 1644 during the height of the English Civil War. Kent was a strategic location during the civil conflict, being close enough to London whilst also close enough to the English chanel to make a hasty retreat to France.

There are also apparently secret tunnels under the house which may have been used by smugglers and a hoard of medieval gold coins were found under the floorboards in a flowerpot in the seventies (now held by the British Museum). Samuel Pepys was also rumoured to have visited and his oil portrait now presides over the drawing room. The house even featured on an episode of Most Haunted back in 2007.

Visiting

From London you can get the Dover Priory train from Stratford International to Ashford International – only 30minutes and 2 stops. From there I’d suggest taking a 5 minute Uber, unless you prefer to walk for half an hour. If driving it’s fairly well connected to most of Kent and there is ample parking on site.

Make sure to book in advance!

P.S. I am not sponsored and this is not an ad, but Boys Hall – feel free to invite me back for another lunch haha