1) Bailiffscourt Hotel and Spa is located in Climping, West Sussex. It was built in the 1920s-1930s using salvaged materials from old buildings to give the appearance of a medieval manor house. 2) The author describes their bedroom as having a Tudor style with tapestries, a four-poster bed, and mullioned windows overlooking the grounds. They enjoyed the spa facilities including an indoor pool, Jacuzzi, and outdoor pool and hot tub. 3) For dinner, they had scallops as a starter and lamb cutlet with shepherd's pie, finding the pie to be a "homely, comforting ramekin of

1. l getreading.co.uk l GETREADING l FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2010Newsdesk (0118) 918 3020TRAVEL42
GRAND DESIGN: Ask for an old room at Bailiffscourt
ADVERT NOT FOUND
Urn: 0133281
Revision: 0
Section: Ents
Size: 4 cols x 17.0 cm's
Name: Travelsmith Holidays
Making the
most of your
time off
stuartwhite@
trinitysouth.co.uk
getaway
looks like a former medieval
monastery with its
architecture, great oak doors
and stonework. But it is infact
a product of architectural
salvage and sourcing by Lord
and Lady Moyne and their
antiquarian friend Amyas
Phillips, which began in 1927,
using reclaimed material from
derelict buildings.
Lord Moyne bought the land
after hearing the council
wanted to build a housing
estate where a farmhouse and
Norman chapel stood – it had
been given to the Abbey of
Seez in Normandy after the
Norman Conquest. The
Abbess had sent over a monk
to act as bailiff and watch over
its interests, hence the name
Bailiffscourt.
The Moynes and Phillips
demolished the old Georgian
farmhouse and the 12th and
13th Century stones found in
its walls were reassembled as
windows and doorways, golden
Somerset sandstone was
brought in, the main 15th
Century oak door came from
South Wanborough church,
the entrance archway from
Holditch Priory as well as
other installations from far
and wide.
The building work was
completed in 1933 but sadly
Lady Moyne died in 1939 and
her husband was assassinated
in 1944 while a Government
minister in the Middle East.
Bailiffscourt then became a
hotel in 1948, enchanting
people as it did me with its
illusion of being a medieval
manor house. There’s
something very peaceful and
idyllic about Bailiffscourt.
Tapestries decorate the
public rooms, sofas are
embroidered with coat of
arms-type motifs, walls wood-
panelled and floors flagstoned.
My bedroom suite also had
much character – reminiscent
of a Tudor style with
tapestries, a four-poster bed
with two thick ‘Princess and
the Pea’-like mattresses,
creaky floorboards and
mullioned windows which
looked on to the grounds and a
low-walled outside seating
area. Grand Arundel Castle is
just a short drive away.
If such design is not your
thing some of the hotel’s 39
rooms are modern such as you
would find in a city hotel. But
why would you want a modern
room? Anyway, prices start
from £225 per room per night
based on two people sharing,
including breakfast.
On arrival I ordered a coffee
and homemade cookies. The
chocolate and raisin ones were
a revelation – I even
specifically asked for the
recipe so I could print it here
for you to share in their glory.
Later that night after dinner
my coffee was accompanied by
their chocolate fudge which
was so flavoursome, light (if
that’s possible) and moreish.
After my arrival coffee and a
stroll to the beach I visited the
hotel’s spa, a modern timber-
framed barn-like building. It
offers all sorts of massage and
beauty treatments (not cheap)
and also has a very pleasant
indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna
and steam room – the latter
two were somewhat small and
could do with being double the
size due to their popularity.
There was also a wonderful
heated outdoor pool in which I
swam while it drizzled and an
accompanying sheltered
outdoor hot tub. These were
overseen by the gym room
which had boring things like
treadmills in it and above an
outdoor balcony from which
ladies in bath robes lounged
while quaffing glasses of wine.
Dinner is classic European
with a modern twist (three
courses £47.50). Starters
included honey roasted quail
with foie gras and truffle
boudin blanc, ballotine of
rabbit and black pudding
wrapped in Prosciutto ham,
and cream of pea soup.
I went for the very tasty
crispy breaded scallops with
cauliflower puree, baby
artichoke, spiced bacon and
smoked tomatoes (which
carried a £4 supplement).
Mains offered such delights
as Selsey lobster and herb
risotto, and honey glazed duck
breast with duck liver parfait
bonbon. I went for lamb cutlet
with brioche and Dijon
mustard crust with shepherd’s
pie. The cutlet was nothing to
write home about but the
shepherd’s pie was a homely,
comforting ramekin of delight.
I had to know what they
used to flavour the lamb
mince – it was delicious – and
was both disappointed and
uplifted to be told it was
ketchup and brown sauce.
And the light wild berry and
honey parfait with a glistening
cherry compote was one of the
best desserts I have ever had.
Afterwards all felt peaceful
and well with the world in this
West Sussex sanctuary.
If trips away are as much
about enjoying the building
and rooms you stay in as the
location then Bailiffscourt is
that edificial gem.
B
LACKBERRY bushes
line the path to
Climping Beach. You
can hear the frying pan-like
sizzle of the sea crashing
over the pebbles as you
approach along the winding
way canopied by trees.
This coastal area feels
private and is barely a stroll
from Bailiffscourt Hotel and
Spa, just one unique feature of
this retreat in Littlehampton,
West Sussex.
At first view Bailiffscourt
Sweet-tooth SARAH DAVE enjoyed the cookies
at Bailiffscourt so much she demanded the recipe
■■ Sarah stayed at
Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa,
Climping, West Sussex,
BN17 5RW. Telephone
01903 723 511 or visit
www.hshotels.co.uk/hotels
/bailiffscourt.
■■ Sarah travelled via First
Great Western trains from
Reading to Gatwick then
used Southern Railways
onward to Littlehampton.
For times and ticket prices
visit www.firstgreat
western.co.uk and
www.southernrailway.com.
FACTFILE
Escape to BailiffscourtEscape to Bailiffscourt
BAILIFFSCOURT CHOC CHIP
COOKIES (makes 30-50):
■■ ½lb flour
■■ ½tbsp cocoa powder
■■ Tiniest pinch of salt
■■ ¼lb butter
■■ ¼lb dark brown sugar
■■ ¼lb caster sugar
■■ Vanilla essence
■■ ½lb chocolate buttons
■■ 6oz walnuts or raisins
■■ 1 egg
Cream butter and sugar. Add
eggs, vanilla essence,
walnuts/raisins and chocolate.
Beat for five minutes. Add
flour, salt and cocoa. Bake for
five minutes at 165 degrees.