Places: Thyme, Southrop Manor Estate, Gloucestershire

Thyme is a restored historic Southrop Manor Estate dating from Roman times in Gloucestershire, a county in South West England that comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean. This medieval estate is an enclosed collection of restored historic buildings that include restaurants and bars, a spa, cookery school, gardens and farm. A Manor House (which remains a private home) sits on the eastern side of an historic Norman church. The manorial barns, houses and cottages lie to the west of the church.Over the past fifteen years, the Hibbert family have carefully restored the crumbling buildings to give them a renewed purpose. The restoration has been slow and organic, with a focus on sustainability.

The Swan Pub, a part of the estate, was a 17th century coaching inn with sawdust on the floor and a bakery that served simple food for farm workers who stopped in after a long day working in the fields. Today, it is an ivy-covered cosy village pub with Cotswold stone walls, comfy sofas, log fires and locally sourced dishes. The menus change regularly in accordance with the seasonal produce sourced from the kitchen garden and farm. Dishes include Curried Parsnip & Coconut Soup and Hake fillet, Palourde clams, agretti and fennel.