Restaurant at The Blagdon Manor

Records suggest that there has been a dwelling of some sort on the site of Blagdon well prior to the Norman conquest. The present house dates from the 15th century and has all the charm and many of the features that one would expect to find in a house of the period.

Add to that the personal charisma of working owners Steve and Liz Morey, and you have a sound basis for success. As their brochure says, "rarely can your escape to the countryside be so complete".

The Moreys are ardent pursuers of the abundance of fine ingredients that the surrounding countryside produces, beef, pork, lamb, chicken and ducks from the farms, together with plentiful game and local cheeses all contribute to a freshness which it would be hard to match.

For starters expect to find Denhay air dried ham with rocket, pink grapefruit and sesame seed salad, or a tasting of Dorset crab, smoked salmon and crab roulade, in the form of crab, ginger and spring onion spring roll and a crab and coconut bisque. Main courses offer roasted saddle of venison with chestnut bubble and squeak, roasted root vegetables and a green peppercorn cream sauce, or from the sea (never far away in Devon) braised fillet of brill with a herb crust and buttered noodles and a chive and champagne veloute.

Amongst the puddings a hot favourite has to be their take on bread and butter pud with clotted cream and a marmalade and whisky syrup, but the more cautious may linger over a raspberry jelly with poached fruits and lime sorbet.

Blagdon Manor is the dream of two thoroughly likeable and dedicated people. It really should remain one of those carefully guarded secrets but this would be less than fair to them or to the discerning public who share this paradise with them.