Historic 16th-century Thornton Manor is to be turned into The Pig-on the Farm, a luxury boutique hotel due to open in 2026.
The Pig Hotel Group recently won planning and listed building consent from Stratford District Council to turn the manor and associated farm buildings – which sits in 53 acres of pasture and arable land near Ettington – into a 35-bed hotel with a restaurant.
Thornton Manor, near Ettington.
In addition there will be “six guest room huts and three treatment huts” in the grounds as well as permission to build polytunnels where produce will be grown for the hotel kitchen.
The hotel group was set up by Hôtel du Vin founder Robin Hutson in 2010 and specialises in buying up old mansions and country houses and turning them into informal but stylish hotels with an emphasis on homegrown food and use of local produce.
The Pig-on the Farm
There are currently nine country house-style Pig hotels. A new one will open in Groombridge, Kent this year, while Stratford will be its 11th when it opens in 2026.
It had planned to launch the Ettington site this year, but a spokesperson partially blamed the delay on planning. SDC granted permission but with conditions, which included an archaeological survey.
The Pig-on the Farm
A preliminary report has been compiled by Warwick-based Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd, which outlines what will be investigated at the site, including what impact the development will have on anything they may unearth of archaeologically significance.
Stone-built Thornton Manor is a Grade II* listed property therefore considered a particularly important building with more than special interest. It was built in the mid-16th century with further additions and 20th century restorations.
The Pig-on the Farm
It became part of the Walton Estate when Sir John Mordaunt bought the house and land in 1833. The Mordaunt family had acquired the Estate of Walton d’Elville through marriage in 1611. Sir John died in 1845 and was succeeded by Sir Charles Mordaunt who was the consummate countryman with Thornton Manor and land tenanted for agricultural purposes as was much of the estate. The land includes part of a deserted medieval village to the southeast of the existing house alongside a major tributary to the River Dene.
The earthworks are still clearly visible with records dating to 1279. There is a secondary monument to the east of the house which is likely to be a Neolithic enclosure (4000BC to 2201BC) including Iron Age features within it.