Durslade Farmhouse
A luxury bolthole stuffed with art in Somerset
Five years ago, the Somerset town of Bruton - already a honeypot for arty types and media celebrities – woke up to find that an ambitious modern art gallery complex had materialised on farmland a 12-minute amble from the high street. It was the vision of Hauser & Wirth – one of most prestigious names on the international art scene – and now visitors arrive from all over the world to experience it.
At the centre of the operation is the gallery itself, housed in an ancient threshing barn. Dotted around the grounds – look up, look down, they’re everywhere – are artworks, installations, sculptures. Oudolf Field, a futuristic garden planted with 20,000 perennials, rises like a kaleidoscopic carpet towards the Radić Pavilion, a concrete structure which looks as if it has landed from outer space. And then there’s the Roth Bar & Grill (rothbarandgrill.co.uk): just the sort of buzzy, convivial canteen you long for after all that art. Much of the menu has been grown in the walled garden or surrounding farmland, and meat and charcuterie are dry aged in the salt room. Sharpen your appetite with one of the house-infused spirits such as heritage carrot vodka. Favourite dishes include the lamb merguez sausages, carrot & walnut dip, Dorset seafood risotto and Castlemead Farm chicken with chimichurri. You will want to taste everything, so ask for sharing plates. Mains from £12.
Slap next to the gallery is Durslade Farmhouse, dating back to 1760, which can be rented by groups or
families by the day, weekend or week, and sleeps up to 12. Staying here is a surreal experience. The style might be described as ‘salvage luxe’: think creaking floorboards, 18th-century wallpapers, avocado bathroom suites, sumptuous beds, a smattering of taxidermy and natural toiletries. Walls are hung with priceless modern art, including some (you have been warned) with an adult theme.
Food is very much part of the welcome. On arrival, you’ll find a cream tea laid out for you – everything homemade, of course. In the fridge will be a seasonal one-pot to heat in the Aga for supper, and a fresh fruit tart. You can fix your own breakfast, or the chefs from the restaurant will make it for you. If the sun is shining, you can order a picnic or fire up the barbecue, or if you prefer, cross the courtyard and dine at Roth Bar & Grill. It used to be said that Harrods could supply anything a customer asked for – an elephant, if necessary – and I get the impression the same is true at Durslade. Orlando Murrin