The 18th Century building resonates with history and character. We sat in the hotel’s serene garden with our pre-dinner gin and tonics and in this state of relaxation we were more inclined to notice the little things. Like the outside wall of the hotel which was peppered with the black bricks that are usually discarded but cleverly used as a feature of the house.

The restaurant – which is named after the previous owners; distant relatives of the Manchester United ‘Traffords’ – is an intimate space and offers fine views from it’s sash windows to the 24 acres of gardens and grounds beyond.  

There was a decent choice of wine on offer and we went for the Broglia Gavi di Gavi, Marana 2007 at £28.50. It was dry, elegant with flowery hints and highly enjoyable.

The food was a lovely surprise; excellent, hearty and wholesome fayre from a modern classic British-style menu.  The menu makes good use of quality local and seasonal Norfolk seasonal as well as from hotel’s own comprehensive market garden.

With so many fresh ingredients on offer it would have been just wrong not to go for the starter of Garden Vegetable Broth. This was deep, wholesome and filling; every single ingredient tasted as though it had been picked just moments before. A delight.  

For a taste of the great local produce we tried the Rump of Norfolk Beef, Caramelised Onion Tart, Green Beans, Roast Beetroot and Horseradish Crème Fraiche. This was a treat; the beef was excellent quality and cooked to perfection. The accompanying balsamic taste was a little overpowering and less would have been better but there was little else to find fault with.

For fish-lovers I would recommend a dish like the delightfully light and pink Wild Sea Trout with Brown Shrimp and Caper Puffs, Salad of Samphire, Courgettes and Roasted Potatoes. Oozing subtle flavours of the sea this dish was gorgeous as it sounds. The puffs provided the right amount of saltiness and added a complimentary crispy texture while the iron flavours of the samphire added depth to complete the dish. An enjoyable combination of flavours and textures.    

A memorable dessert was the Dark Chocolate Tart, Banana Bavoir (like a banana mousse) & Rum & Raisin Punch Shooter. The tart was deep and extremely rich while the creamy alcoholic shooter was a nice touch and packed with flavour.

The cheese board was a good choice for those who like a mixture of savoury and sweet for dessert; alongside the specially chosen local and guest cheeses there were Eccles cakes, biscuits and some gorgeous home made chutneys.   

After a very pleasing dinner we took our coffee in the elegant library – another serene setting and the perfect way to end the evening.

£25 per head excluding drinks.