The History of Groomes

There are records of the land at Groomes going back to 1218. The oldest part of the house was constructed in 1600 & then substantially added to in 1850 with a further extension in 1908.

My grandparents moved to Groomes from a neighbouring farm in 1942, renting the farm until 1947 when the incumbents who were sheltering from the oppression of Nazi Germany felt safe to move on. Having bought the property, it was worked as a commercial farm until the late 1980's where it was no longer viable to make a living from farming alone. The 185 acres of land is retained and maintained to this day.

Due to its size and the upkeep expenses, the house became empty after the death of my grandmother and for 25 years fell into a state of disrepair. In the summer of 2003, I was offered the opportunity to 'take on the house' and though initially thrilled, I soon realised of what a mountain there was to climb. The building had been put on the listed buildings 'at risk' register so clearly there were to be no half way measures - the whole building had to be renovated from the ground up. I set about producing a business plan, getting architectural drawings and relevant permissions. Once in place, I put together a hand-picked group of skilled and dedicated craftsmen.

Only 3 original pieces of structural timber remain, one in the sitting room and 2 in the dining room. The remainder along with the brickwork and roof have been renewed using traditional materials and methods from the cellars up to the attic.

Feel at home

My vision from the outset has been to totally rebuild the house in sympathy with its original layout (there are for example 11 floor levels!) and to make all the rooms unique with features and furnishings unlike any you will find anywhere else.

So taking the best elements of a 5-star hotel, a top quality guest house and the ultimate bed and breakfast, we want all of our guests to feel 'as at home' as we do.

Whether you stay at Groomes for peace and tranquillity or as part of a function or group, we want to make your stay one to remember.

A Personal Thank You...

Groomes took me just over two years to renovate and the expansion and development since has been a labour of love but I am really proud of what I have achieved.

Of course I couldn't do this on my own and special thanks must go to my parents for all their support. To Roy and Matthew Chandler and Nick Burman who helped me to first fix. Then all the trades who helped finish the project especially R.S. Purdey roofing contractors who made my hand made tiles look like a work of art ! Terry Chandler and Terry Leader who did a fabulous job of the plastering.

We have now been open for ten years and have some fantastic suppliers and a wonderful team that help me run Groomes to the level that it is.

You have all been thanked personally but I wish to say how grateful we are for all the help, quality and excellent support along the way. Thank you.