Have you ever wondered why so many pubs in the UK are called Royal Oak?
It was 1651 and the future King Charles II was on the run having lost his campaign against Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester. Charles found refuge on the Chillington Estate, where he hid in an oak tree for two days. The tree became known as the 'Royal Oak' and hundreds of pubs have since taken the name.
The Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn was created from an old agricultural barn on the Chillington Estate, continuing the tradition of welcoming everyone with open arms, monarchs and minors alike.
The Pendrell Trust was set up by the Crown to thank the tenants of Boscobel House for helping to save King Charles II. It continues to this day, sadly the Trust did not rise with inflation!
Nearby, Chillington Hall, designed by Sir John Soane in the 18th century, has been home to the Giffard family for 850 years. It was built on the remains of a 12th century stone castle and is set in dramatic parkland designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown.
When Tessa and Charlie Giffard moved from London to Chillington with three young children, they found there was nowhere that the family all wanted to go: there were playgrounds aplenty and great pubs and cafés, but nowhere that challenged and entertained the children while giving adults the pause they craved.
Tessa has a degree in child psychology and had made a successful career in catering. Hockerhill presented an irresistible opportunity for her to combine her passions for food and child development.
Charlie manages the Chillington Estate, alongside his father John, and is working to preserve its history and beauty while adapting it to the present-day climate. Hockerhill was created to diversify and grow the local economy; somewhere for locals and visitors alike that champions local produce.
Our children inherit the Earth so what we use, we try to put back. The barn is clad in timber from the Chillington Estate, where we recently planted 9,000 trees. The play equipment is made of sustainably sourced wood.
In the kitchen we buy local wherever possible, for food that is unashamedly tasty and proudly British. We are also growing produce in our kitchen garden that will supply the playbarn kitchen.
Children's play is paramount — it's the spark for their creativity, curiosity and lifelong love of learning. It's also their superpower — children are experts in play and need no prompting as to what to do.
We believe in planting the seed of play and nurturing creativity. Whether you’re tagging in, or tagging out, this is a space to make your own. For more about our ethos, check the Hockerhill Code.
