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King Johns Lodge - Etchingham

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A truly historic place to stay

If modern life is getting you down, never discount time travel as an option. But forget the Tardis, all you need is a jaunt down to East Sussex and a weekend’s stay at the amazing King John’s Lodge. This ivy-clad country house, with its Jacobean architecture and even earlier foundations - legend has it that King John II was taken prisoner by the Black Prince and held hostage in the house for some years before he died in 1364 - is as close to stepping back in time as you’re likely to get, albeit with the luxurious comforts of a very special B&B.

Fully restored by its present owners, the interiors at King John’s Lodge are as impressive and historic as you would expect. Heavily beamed ceilings, inglenook fireplaces, leaded windows and rich fabrics have been lovingly brought back to their former glory and are there to be explored. The Lodge’s four bedrooms, each decorated to reflect part of the house’s history - Jacobean, Tudor, Elizabethan and Victorian - are the icing on the cake, with comfy brass bedsteads and liberal scatterings of beautiful antique furniture. Breakfast is served either in the cosy Elizabethan dining room, or on the glorious terrace in the summer.

Surrounding the house, the Lodge’s gardens are so stunning that they have become a local visitor attraction. Four acres of landscaped features, ponds, fountains, lawns and meadowland are the stuff of real romance - there’s even a beautiful secret garden with its own summer house if you want to hide away from it all. Beyond the gardens, the lovely Sussex countryside stretches out for miles. For anyone looking for an escape, it’s spot on.

Where is it?

The village of Etchingham sits on the banks of the River Rother, close to East Sussex’ border with Kent. A small, unassuming place, it is surrounded by glorious countryside and is perfect as a base for long weekend strolls. The village also its own railway station, so you can take the short trip to the nearby villages of Stonegate or Robertsbridge by train and walk the 6-miles back to King John’s Lodge, through beautiful, undulating pastures and woodland. Alternatively, you can walk the 2 miles to the neighbouring village of Burwash - itself a popular base for walks in the stunning Burwash Weald.

Burwash is also home to Bateman’s (www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01435 882302), the one-time home of Rudyard Kipling. A lovely place to while away a lazy afternoon, this Jacobean country house has been kept just as Kipling left it, with his mountainous collection of books, Rolls Royce and obvious penchant for all things oriental classic clues for a more tasteful version of ‘Through the Keyhole’. The beautiful grounds that lead down to the pretty River Dudwell and its watermill are perfect for a picnic.

If you still haven’t satisfied your history fix, six miles from Etchingham is the fairytale Bodiam Castle (www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01580 830196). One of Britain’s most photographed castles, it rises dramatically from its glassy moat, with its ramparts almost completely intact. Inside, there are spiral staircases and battlements to explore and wonderful views of the Rother Valley from the tops of the towers.

The pretty Kent town of Cranbrook is a little further afield - 8 miles from Etchingham - but is a great place for a bit of Sunday pottering. The higgledy-piggledy collection of streets and buildings, some dating back as far as the 15th century are fascinating, with many clad in the wooden weather-boarding that the area is famous for. And that’s not where the Camberwick-Green-isms end. The Union Mill (www.unionmill.org.uk), a 70-foot smocking windmill that overlooks the town is still in excellent working order, and open to visitors - Windy Miller eat your heart out.

Where can I eat?

The neighbouring village of Hurst Green - just over a mile from Etchingham - has two great places to eat. The White Horse (www.thewhitehorsehurstgreen.com Tel: 01580 860235) is a beautiful Georgian house that’s been transformed into a chic, rural restaurant and bar. Classic and comforting British dishes, with continental twists here and there, are delicious, with herbs and salads straight from the gardens outside. Sunday lunches at The White Horse are particularly spectacular.

For something a bit different, book a table at The Curlew in Bodiam, 6 miles from King John’s Lodge. This weatherboarded, Grade II-listed country pub has gained a brilliant reputation for its Mediterranean-influenced, fine-dining menus. Vibrant main courses and superb puddings make those few extra miles more than worth the effort.

Just eight miles from Etchingham, in lovely Cranbrook, is culinary star, Apicius (www.restaurant-apicius.co.uk Tel: 01580 714666). The stuff of local legend - a small, unassuming restaurant on Cranbrook’s Stone Street, that serves food to die for and at prices you won’t believe. And, since January 2008, is the proud holder of a Michelin Star. Owned and run by Tim Johnson - a former protege of Nico Ladenis and private chef to John Paul Getty - and his wife Faith, Apicius delivers fresh and vibrant modern European fine dining, with intricately-assembled starters and puddings sitting alongside simply and lovingly-cooked main courses that let the wonderful, and usually local, ingredients do the talking. There are just seven tables (so book ahead) and the menus are short and simple, but the food could compete with many top London restaurants.

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This beautiful, ivy-clad country house, with its Jacobean architecture and even earlier foundations is as close to stepping back in time as you’re likely to get, albeit with the luxurious comforts of a very special B&B.