Ox Barn at Thyme

Thyme is a 150-acre country estate in the Cotswold village of Southrop, where a collection of historic farm buildings, cottages and houses has been brought together to create something rather more interesting than a conventional country hotel.

At its heart is a close relationship with the land. The working farm, kitchen gardens and herb beds shape much of what happens in the kitchen at Ox Barn, where Chef Director Charlie Hibbert’s ingredient-led cooking follows the seasons and makes generous use of what is grown on the estate.

The restaurant itself occupies a magnificent former cattle barn, originally conceived as a state-of-the-art piece of agricultural architecture. Today, soaring archways and original Cotswold stone walls frame a striking contemporary dining room — a fitting setting for modern British cooking rooted firmly in its surroundings. Arrive early for a pre-dinner drink at The Baa, Thyme’s intimate cocktail bar, where botanical cocktails take their cue from the gardens.