Frampton Court Estate lies on the banks of the River Severn on the edge of the Cotswolds. Boasting a stunning Palladian mansion house and several historic buildings dating back as far as the 16th century, and surrounded by ornamental gardens, the estate is the perfect place for a luxury getaway or wedding venue.
The estate offers whole-house rentals at Frampton Court, the Cyder House and the Orangery and weddings at the Grade 1 listed Wool Barn that has been lovingly restored and is immaculately presented for guests by owners Rollo and Janie Clifford and their family. We were delighted to catch up with Charlotte Clifford who, with her husband Peter, now runs the estate.
Thank you for speaking with us for the Style Journal, Charlotte. Frampton Court Estate has been in the Clifford family for over 1,000 years – what a rich history! Please tell us a bit about who is behind the scenes of this wonderful estate today? We are a small family-run team managing a diverse rural business that includes property lettings, furnished holiday lets, farming, conservation, weddings and events. My husband Peter took over the day-to-day running of the estate six years ago from his parents Rollo and Janie, with myself now leading on the holiday letting side of things.
We are ably supported by an excellent and loyal team in the estate office and across the wider estate, some of whom have been here for decades. There is so much for visitors to enjoy in every season here, with the magical Giffords Circus having recently pitched in the park, and the annual country fair in September celebrating all things rural.
Guests are truly spoilt for choice! In terms of accommodation, they can choose to stay at Frampton Court house, the Cyder House and the Orangery, whilst the 16th century Wool Barn is available for wedding hire. Each space has a unique character; how did you begin to curate the design and atmosphere in each location?
For each building we were led by the architecture. The Orangery is unique with its octagonal rooms and hexagonal
windows, so we didn’t want to detract from these architectural features. We have used a soft, calming palate throughout the building to create a serene atmosphere for the guests to relax in. As for the Cyder House, we felt we could be more playful due to the
rustic nature of the property, adding
splashes of colour and plenty of texture throughout.
We spotted the Orangery as a location in the recent ITV drama series Sanditon. What is it like hosting film crews on the estate and have you ever been involved in any of the productions?
Whilst it’s exciting to host the film crews, it can be a challenge to balance these productions around our holiday rentals. They are always respectful of the heritage of the estate and careful to return the spaces as they were. We have also worked with brands such as Colefax and Fowler, Piglet in Bed and Tess Newall – the estate provides a beautiful backdrop for designers and makers.
You have several hand painted additions throughout the interiors, including work from the talented Tess Newall, what do these personal, bespoke touches add to the space?
Tess and her team have painted several locations on the estate, including the cabin beds in the Cyder House. The Orangery ceiling was a labour of love. I had an image of how I wanted it to look but trusted her and the team to create a unique look that was sympathetic to the space. We featured flowers from ‘The Frampton Flora’, which is a collection of watercolours painted by the Clifford ladies during the 1800s. Peter and I picked the plants that had meaning to us, including local rare orchids, hawthorn, scabious, daphne and Japanese quince. Every plant on the ceiling comes with a story.
There must be a few fantastic stories behind some of the original furnishings too? Frampton Court was the childhood home of my father-in-law, and every piece is an antique or commissioned for the space. In the Orangery, the centre piece of the room is an octagonal oak table that mirrors the shape of the room. We commissioned it from the Beaverman of Thirsk, one of the
‘Yorkshire Critters’ who work in the tradition of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson, some of whose pieces can be found in Frampton Court. The timber supplied comes from the estate, so it feels like an original that truly belongs.
The land itself is also extraordinary. What can we expect to find amongst the gardens? We have two acres at the Court, well-manicured by our wonderful gardeners Mary and Jim who are husband and wife. Mary was Henriette Clifford’s (Peter’s grandmother) carer and has worked on the estate for 30 years. My mother-in-law, Janie Clifford, manages the gardens at the Manor, Orangery and Frampton Court. Janie has a team of gardeners looking after her
ornamental garden, as well as a vegetable patch which often feeds the family! These gardens are available to visit during the summer months. We also open the gardens for various charitable events. The garden at the Cyder House is an area I’m proud of, now featuring a walled garden rich with hydrangeas, roses and other traditional plants.
What’s the one feeling or memory you hope every guest can take away with them after a stay at Frampton Court? I know I’m biased, but the Orangery has an instantly calming effect due to the expansive windows,
high ceilings and water nearby. It’s a magical space and I hope the guests will feel this way too. Many of our guests at the Cyder House are larger groups, often hen parties, who organise private chefs and yoga sessions on the lawn. They often comment on the unique interiors and
outdoor space. The Court itself is steeped in history, and families who visit always comment that despite its grandeur, it feels especially comfortable and homely. We love expanding the family story in this way.
It sounds like you have plenty of exciting projects on your hands, but what’s your vision for the future of the estate? My husband is committed to running a sustainable rural business that protects and balances our community, farming, conservation and tourism; we recently won an award that recognised our long-term approach to this vision. We are a small team and want to maintain this personal touch. We love involving our children, who enjoy planting across the estate and helping us to sell honey which is produced on site. The vision is to evolve slowly.
GET THE LOOK
For enquiries, bookings and to discover more about Frampton Court, explore their website
www.framptoncourtestate.co.uk and to glean more inspiration and keep in touch with the team, follow them on instagram
@frampton_court_estatePhotography by Paul Whitbread
@paul_witbread_photoTo stay up to date with Jim Lawrence, follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Browse our website
www.jim-lawrence.co.uk to see all of our hand forged and finished lighting and homeware.