From the https://www.express.co.uk Fri, May 3, 2019. By Jane Memmler.

The Pig-at Bridge Place: Canterbury's quirky country hideaway with a story to tell.

THOSE clever little piggies have done it again, this time in Kent. Pig hotels have just welcomed Number six to their litter, The Pig-at Bridge Place, Canterbury.

The Pig group's philosophy is all about finding quirky buildings with a decent story to tell (above image: Alex Middleton)

To reach it, you weave through the tiny village of Bridge itself before heading up a hill and taking a sweeping right after the church where a swinging, glinting bronze Pig sign marks the entrance.

Crunching down the gravel drive, lined in horse chestnut trees, the landscape gently opens up to reveal vibrant green sloping fields, dotted with sheep.

And there, coming into view at the end of the drive is the 17th century Grade II listed Jacobean gem.

Glamorous yet welcoming not least thanks to the two giant black ‘fake’ pigs snuffling about at the bottom of the entrance, the two-storey red brick facade has been all cleaned and primped up.

It is the country house we’ve all dreamed of owning.

The Pig-at Bridge place is about the unexpected (Image: Alex Middleton)

One wonders how the dynamic CEO of Home Grown hotels, Robin Hutson managed to track down quite simply, the most beautiful historic 17th century pile in the village of Bridge.

But after unleashing his team’s inimitable talents on the property for two years, it is now undoubtedly Kent’s most luxurious and supremely relaxing country hideaway.

Robin’s wife Judy is the genius behind the style.

She manages to create such inspiring interiors sympathetic to each property that the source of her finds are strictly confidential - as much as I tried to coax out of the loyal staff where the magnificent lace curtains that adorned the reception windows came from.

The Pig-at Bridge Place is undoubtedly Kent's most luxurious country hideaway (Image: Alex Middleton)

How a terracotta pot bursting with aromatic rosemary atop a 17th dresser works so beautifully under an 19th century gilt-framed oil portrait is beyond me.

Equally the massive boar head mounted above a brick fireplace and light fixtures rescued from Battersea Power station all work together harmoniously.

The Pig-at Bridge Place is all about the unexpected.

These quirky touches prevail throughout.

Judy’s wit is evident again in the ground floor loos.

Here old framed posters denote the property’s previous incarnation as a rock venue.

Known as the Bridge Place Country Club, the ground floor was once a renowned local nightclub which rocked to the likes of the Kinks.

The ground floor was once a renowned local nightclub which rocked to the likes of the Kinks (Image: Alex Middleton)

The framed flyers indicate one caveat; “Ladies may come unescorted if they wish: Many do!’ If these walls could talk…

There are, however, plenty of the pre-requisite country house attributes such as sitting in front of mesmerising roaring fire, curled up with a book on a teal blue velvet or distressed leather sofa.

The late golden sun saw guests nursing herbal-infused cocktails, sat out on the terrace overlooking the gently bubbling stream.

Bunnies hopped amongst the new herb plantings, and beyond, raised beds in the walled garden, neatly planted up with dozens of vegetables and herbs including an extraordinary array of mint (chocolate flavoured anyone?) and rhubarb maturing under terracotta cloches, indicate just how self-sufficient The Pig is.

The garden plays a pivotal role in the hotel’s ethos with a weekly Harvest list drawn up by the head gardener.

What they don’t grow, they’ll source from local suppliers - with 80% of produce travelling no more than 25 miles.

Ditto with wine.

The garden plays a pivotal role, where vegetables and herbs are harvested on a weekly basis (Image: Alex Middleton)

Kent is known as the Wine Garden of England and the ‘Magnificent Seven’ wineries are all nearby.

It would be churlish not to imbibe.

Food is as important as the hotel’s ambience and this is the Hutson’s first foray into an open kitchen scenario.

It adds a lively hubub.

Mis-matched chairs, sturdy round tables and potted herbs in terracotta pots and wooden crates tumble down shelves of rusty French iron sideboards and each table.

Another pretty courtyard where again, mis-matched fabrics of the market umbrellas delight in an unexpected way, sits off to one side.

Dinner is so delicious, I’m determined to devour every morsel.

All seven bedrooms in the main building are beautifully ambient (Image: Alex Middleton)

Asparagus, from the Isle of Thanet, has just come into season and it was something else (£8).

As was the Fillet of Day Boat Brill that had me at first bite.

Succulent and served with an edgy preserved lemon hollandaise, it was cooked to perfection.

And so to bed - and so many to choose from.

There are seven in the main building.

All beautifully ambient, done in deep slate greys and moss greens.

Some have baths, others showers but my favourite is the tiny room tucked up in the eaves.

Room Four still has its original carved four poster in it, only because during renovations, they couldn’t extricate it.