Overview

This is truly a lovely 17th century Jacobean Country house, built in 1640 just before the English civil war, when it received considerable damage during the war by Oliver Cromwell's troops, but thereafter restored to its past glory. It’s history however can be traced back to at least 1288, when it was known as Naylcote. Nayl of course meant a nail, or it could have been a measurement for a length of cloth, and Cote was a cottage or farmhouse. On its outside it still has the timber frame and brick noggin, with tall Elizabethan chimneys. (Photo 1) In the 1600’s the house belonged to the Mathews family, then in 1669 it was owned by the Whitehead family, then through later marriage it became the home of the Lant family for some 300 years, and in 1780 due to extension work, a Georgian wing was added. The old original house is a picturesque black and white timber framed Jacobean country house (photo 3). Following the death of the last of the Lant family, a miss Katherine Lant, a lady then in her 98th year, who died in 1938, the house was bought by Cecil Douglas Gay, who was born on 22 November 1894, who in later life became an enthusiastic engineer, and following the end of World War One, he attended Trinity college taking in engineering science. In 1924 and shortly afterward he helped to form the tool company of A.C. Wickman of Coventry., where he remained until his retirement in 1945. It was his successful business life that allowed him to buy NAILCOTE House, in 1938. In November 1952 the house Gained grade 11 listing as NAILCOTE House . After selling the house in 1962 to Wickmans, he continued to live the rest of his life in the nearby village of Berkswell, until his death in 1980 at the age of 85. Wickmans kept the house as a guest house for visiting VIPs until 1981, then a Northamptonshire business man bought the house, but sold it within a year, and by 1984 it’s new owner, a furniture designer Tony Barney, along with his wife ran it under her care as a restaurant. In 1987 it was sold again to the director of Elegant Ways, Michael Muir. The present owner, Mr Rick Cressman bought the house in 1991 when it was still known as NAILCOTE house, and it’s stands on 15 acres of landscaped grounds, but today the house is known as NAILCOTE HALL hotel. Here we find 49 delightful bedrooms, a top class restaurant, a leisure and conference centre, and includes a nine hole par 3 golf course, with a main par 3 championship tournament. It also has a Spa and fitness centre, which we will review in our PART TWO of NAILCOTE HALL Hotel. OUR REVIEW What’s not to like (photo 1) a beautiful Jacobean country house with tall Elizabethian chimneys (photo 2) while the house is set off by well tendered gardens (3). Parking is easy enough, with a disabled bay right by the entrance for this delightful hotel (4) You then enter into a nice hallway with shining polished oak flooring (5) which leads you to a warm and inviting reception desk area (6). At the far end is the bar lounge (7) which is small but comfortable, and the bar itself has character (8). We returned, passing the reception (9) to enter the warm, characterful attractive restaurant (10) where we settled for our three course lunch, and both thoroughly enjoyed our starters (11). The Restaurant has so much character, leaded windows, warm lighting which enhanced the restaurant (12). A real olde worlde room, with oak pillars and beams (13) which made us feel as if we were back in Jacobean times, the big stone hearth, so warmly lit, showing all the old cooking utensils (14). Using modern utensils, our most delicious main course arrived, with such a delightful taste to the well presented dishes (15) followed by a dessert (16) worthy of our full praise. A small corridor led to the ladies and gents, (17) small but adequate, but no disabled toilet. However, you will cope quite well. Time to bid farewell to a most enjoyable visit to this enchanting hotel. (18). OUR FINAL THOUGHTS It is a must, well worth a visit, even if it’s just for a coffee break, to come and see the old character of this delightful hotel. We highly recommend a visit here. But we still have a lot more to show you, so please read our PART TWO review for NAILCOTE HALL Spa and grounds.

Transport & Parking

A drive through countryside views will bring you to this lovely old Jacobean House, which has ample parking spaces, with just one disabled bay.

Access

Access on arriving was very good, one disabled bay available right by the front entrance, all level throughout hotel, with plenty of room for chair users. The garden areas are easy enough over compacted ground, with views of the landscaped gardens of a variety of trees and shrubs. The leisure facilities are easy to use by wheelchair users, as shown on our Part Two review of this hotel.

Toilets

We did not see any disabled toilets, but ladies and gents are well equipped and roomy enough although you may wish to leave your chair in corridor.

Staff

Those we met served us well and attentively, and were considerate of our needs, showing helping hands when needed.

Photos