Charles Martell
Well known as the makers of Stinking Bishop as well as a range of other delicious cheeses made on our Gloucestershire farm. We also distil some exceptionally smooth and mellow spirits right here in our restored 17th Century still-house.
Cheesemakers
Distillers
As a result of research into the farm’s history we discovered that one of the farm buildings had been a distillery up until 1810 following the death of its then owner Benjamin Hunt. Experts hadn’t been able to identify the building’s original purpose but dated it to the early or mid 1600s.
Further research into the design of the building eventually confirmed it had been built as a distillery. The building has now been furnished with a wood fired, pear-headed copper pot still. Named ‘Alexandra’ after Mrs Martell, she can distil over 1000 litres of cider, perry or wine into brandies in a working day. This equates to about 100 bottles.
A distiller of the parish, John Carter, died in 1696. Benjamin was the last member of the Hunt family in the Parish.
As far as we know this is the oldest original distilling house still in use in the British Isles.