Our Story
Our Story
"Every empty bottle is filled with stories"
Alwyn the Saxon, Odo the Norman, monks and
pilgrims, gunpowder manufacturers, the
Duchess of Marlborough and Lady Heald have
all contributed to Chilworth Manor’s evolution
over the last thousand years. Now, our
vineyard, nestled in the beautiful Surrey Hills,
adds another layer to this rich history.
pilgrims, gunpowder manufacturers, the
Duchess of Marlborough and Lady Heald have
all contributed to Chilworth Manor’s evolution
over the last thousand years. Now, our
vineyard, nestled in the beautiful Surrey Hills,
adds another layer to this rich history.
When we arrived in 2006, we wanted to preserve this legacy but also find ways to add new dimensions to Chilworth Manor’s identity.
Memories of helping to plant a small vineyard by hand in the 1970s in Kent, a visit to a vineyard in Sweden some 30 or so years later, and a birthday gift of vines, bore fruit to the idea of creating a vineyard.
Memories of helping to plant a small vineyard by hand in the 1970s in Kent, a visit to a vineyard in Sweden some 30 or so years later, and a birthday gift of vines, bore fruit to the idea of creating a vineyard.
Planting a vineyard is not a challenge for the faint-hearted, but had a satisfying circularity to it. Thankfully, the forgiving Surrey Hills’ fertile, sandy loam has proved to be the perfect medium for this new layer of Chilworth Manor's history.
Charity has long been an important part of Chilworth Manor and it remains central to our ethos. Today, Chilworth Manor carries on that tradition by opening their gardens for NGS Open Gardens and holding the charity music events "Picnics & Pinks" (formerly Picnics & Pimm's), raising money for local charities.
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The vineyard will continue this ethos by sponsoring both events and also introducing a new initiatives to support those in need around the world.
The first of these supports the work of Mary's Meals helping chronically hungry children. The sale of every bottle will fund a week of daily meals, for a child in a Malawi school.
The first of these supports the work of Mary's Meals helping chronically hungry children. The sale of every bottle will fund a week of daily meals, for a child in a Malawi school.