Page 142 - Homes & Antiques (February 2020)

Museum (brutonmuseum.org.uk),
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
Bruton Dovecote on a bright day;
the charmingly named Wiggly
Shed Shop at Kilver Court,
Shepton Mallet; bust of Hugh
Sexey, the benefactor of Sexey’s
Hospital, which dates to 1638; as
well as extensive gardens, Kilver
Court also boasts a Designer
Village with brands ranging
from Mulberry to Toast.
142 Homes & Antiques February 2020
13:00 Bruton’s newest arrival
which tells the story of the town and its
region through the display of artefacts
from the Jurassic, Roman, Saxon and
medieval times. Highlights include a
statue carved by Ernst Blensdorf, a
German sculptor whose passion for
world peace put him out of favour with
the Nazis. Blensdorf !ed "rst to Norway
and, eventually, to Somerset, se#ling in
Bruton in 1941. The museum features
his statue, Lily, made to entertain his
children on the last boat out of Norway
as the Nazis approached. Elsewhere
you’ll "nd the writing desk used by the
acclaimed American novelist John
Steinbeck, who lived in Bruton for six
months in 1959.
Just before lunch, take a turn around
Sexey’s Hospital (sexeyshospital.org),
built around 1630 as almshouses, the
brainchild of a local landowner, who
rose to prominence under James I.
Constructed around a central
courtyard, it is now a community of
private independent residences – but
visitors are welcome into the courtyard,
chapel and anteroom.
Call in for lunch at Osip, the tiny
farm-to-table restaurant a#ached to
brand new boutique hotel Number One
Bruton (see ‘Where to Stay’). Michelin-
starred chef Merlin Labron-Johnson
uses ingredients grown on eight acres
of land near Bruton and on an allotment
"ve minutes’ walk from the restaurant,
with a focus on organic and biodynamic
vegetables over red meat.
15:00 Shops, gardens – and cake
Round o$ a memorable couple of days
with a visit to Kilver Court (kilvercourt.
com), a designer outlet, cafe/restaurant
and gardens around a former brewery
©National Trust Images/David Sellman; Nickie Davies; Jeffrey Blackler/Alamy Stock Photo
in nearby Shepton Mallet. The gardens
were laid out in the early 1900s by
industrialist Ernest Jardine for his lace
workers, and the current design – by
owner Roger Saul – includes a parterre
and herbaceous borders. Ready to hit
the shops? The designer outlet houses a
ra% of high-end brands, while the cakes
and sandwiches at the Harlequin Cafe
are made with spelt !our from sister
company Sharpham Park.