England - 4
When railways first came into general use in the late 19th century in England, they opened up not only transport for people, but also for goods. This was a great awakening for the farmers of the Somerset area because they were able, finally, to send their fresh produce to London.
That led to the opening in 1912 of a be-chimneyed brick building ,right next to Castle Cary station, used to make cheese from the cow herds around. A few years ago, with the building in disrepair and feeling very sorry for itself, it was bought by Koos Bekker and Karen Roos, owners of The Newt in Somerset, about five minutes’ drive away. Instead of pulling it down, they restored it. to its former glory, paired with modernistic clear glass panels linking one building to the next. Now, thanks to nearby Stonewood Design, who have worked on other projects at The Newt, including its Roman villa museum, the ‘station café’ has been reimagined as a working creamery – see above. On the ground floor, watch the cheesemakers, led by a charming Dutch woman, making assorted cheeses, including Gouda, that can be bought in the really good boutique upstairs in the creamery. All the milk used for the cheeses here, by the way, comes from The Newt’s own buffalo herds.
Walk through or round the creamery to get to the platform for regular 90-minute trains to London Paddington. Since the creamery is open daily from 7 a.m., it’s perfect for commuters to pick up breakfast to-go. If you want to eat in situ, there are platform-type banquets and tables in the main dining room. There’s also, at right angles to the main building, see below, a genuine old Pullman carriage that’s perfect for afternoon tea. They basically do everything here at the Creamery, coffee to go through to traditional Sunday lunch and evening meals.
They also cater Great Western Railways’ day trips to The Newt. Leave Paddington, jolly good breakfast aboard. At Castle Cary transport is provided to The Newt, for a day of gardens and more. Back to the station and you’re returned to Paddington in time for your G&T or other preprandial tipple. All this just shows the versatility and the overall breadth of the offerings of The Newt in Somerset. Did Girlahead say, ages ago, this is not just a hotel, it’s a way of life, new modern-luxury style?
