The story so far

Middleton Lodge is a privately owned Georgian estate set within 200 acres of parkland. Designed by architect John Carr and built between 1777 and 1780, it has stood at the centre of the landscape for more than two centuries. Over the past 20 years, it has been carefully restored by the Allison family, with a long-term approach that balances sustainability and creating somewhere special for guests to feel at home.

The new chapter began in 2006, when the Main House opened for exclusive hire. Weddings and private gatherings returned warmth and movement to its rooms, re-establishing it as a house to be lived in and shared.

In 2014, The Coach House opened with rooms and a restaurant, transforming former estate buildings into a place for memorable stays and seasonal dining. Today the Coach House restaurant is relaxed, welcoming and open all day, every day. Here you can spend the day and taste the estate through generous plates. The menus change daily to reflect what’s growing in the gardens.

As a natural evolution and due to demand, additional bedrooms were created across the estate, in the original Georgian buildings, farmhouses, farm buildings and outhouses being restored, celebrating the history of the estate with a nod to the old and new. Each space is shaped by its original features and setting, with a modern take.

The two-acre walled garden reopened in 2018 after being redesigned by Tom Stuart-Smith. Today it grows produce throughout the seasons for the estate’s busy kitchens. It is the garden at the centre of the ‘estate to plate’ ethos. The Fig House restoration was also completed at this time. Once the estate’s greenhouse, today it is a large events space with large floor-to-ceiling doors and views over the two-acre gardens.

Forge is the fine dining restaurant. There was demand for a different dining option on the estate. In February 2023 the restaurant opened for Thursday to Sunday evening reservations only, with six and ten course tasting menus that narrate the estate through the seasons, taking nostalgic inspiration from the old and new. Ingredients are grown on site and sourced locally. Since opening, it has been awarded a Michelin Star, a Michelin Green Star and four AA Rosettes, recognising both the cooking and its sustainable approach. 

In June 2023, The Forest Spa opened. This was designed to be a different kind of spa, with an outdoor, all year-round pool, treatment huts, relaxation areas with log burning stoves, a sauna with a view and the concept of slowing down and nurturing the mind and body.

Today there are 58 bedrooms across the estate, including two self-catering cottages for longer stays. Georgian proportions, stone walls and timber beams sit alongside contemporary details, creating spaces that feel calm, comfortable and like home.

Sustainability runs quietly through the estate’s evolution. Buildings are restored rather than replaced, and operations are supported by electric kitchens, zero waste systems, a biodigester and biomass heating, with a focus on long term care of the land.

Currently ranked number seven in the UK Top 50 Boutique Hotels, the estate is a place to feel at home, pop your feet up, settle in and really be. Make memories, gather with your loved ones, find inspiration and creativity, and enjoy delicious food that celebrates all things Yorkshire.