The Mill Hotel at Barnwell, once a watermill dating back to the Norman Conquest and featured in the ‘Domesday Book’, is now a historical landmark. The Mill has recently been converted into a restaurant ‘where the traditional and contemporary mix effortlessly’.

Set astride the River Nene, the tranquil location draws in many diners to experience its exquisite menu. Between the downstairs ‘rustic bar’ or the upstairs ‘sophisticated restaurant’, the menu offers traditional cuisine with a contemporary twist. Marianne Layden, of Oundle, described it as ‘simply stunning’ in a setting that ‘leaves you gawping from the main entrance onwards.’

General Manager Sarah Jennings said, “The reason we chose Oundle Mill was quite simply because we fell in love with it. It is an amazing building set in a beautiful location that is steeped in history. We believe that we can create a great place to eat and stay locally”. The aim is to reveal the true beauty of the Mill by redesigning and refurbishing the building, whilst ensuring its long term security as a familiar sight in the area.

With it being situated within walking distance of Oundle, I decided to a join some girlfriends to sample the cuisine. A table for lunch was booked and we were immediately impressed by the pretty but traditional outlook. On entering the building we were greeted by a tranquil reception area, floored in cool cream stone. To add a quirky touch to this floor, a section of glass was laid in order to see the river flowing beneath the building.

We were swiftly taken to the upstairs part of the Mill, where soft lighting and music conjured a calm and relaxed ambiance which was immediately appealing. With a majority of the menu sourced from local suppliers and the ingredients of most dishes being fresh, seasonal and free-range, the vast range of differing options was rather overwhelming. Between us we had fish cakes with chive veloute, as a main course, shaved parmesan and home-made pesto pasta with a rocket and parmesan salad and grilled local beef and red onion marmalade. The food was bursting with flavours and pleased us all. For pudding we treated ourselves to a selection of ice creams and sorbets as recommended to us by the one of the waiters, who was professional but friendly.

Over coffee and chocolates we mused about how we would rate this restaurant and concluded that it had exceeded our expectations.