Yet another stunning triumph from the folk at Pig Hotels, is the gorgeous little manor house at The Pig at Bridge Place just a short drive from bustling Canterbury. Expect the same level of service, and the all-familiar mishmash of rooms and social spots inside and gardens and huts outside. For walkers, the Pig at Bridge is ideal, as there are several routes fanning out from the property, and for international travellers hoping to visit Canterbury and its stunning cathedral, the hotel is a much better option than any in the town, offering a good mix of convenience (it’s a ten-minute taxi drive to Canterbury) and genuine English rurality in a beautiful country house hotel.
As is normal with the Pigs, the Pig at Bridge has wellingtons lined up at the door, maps for hikes, and a pair of big cast iron pigs greeting guests at the door. The restaurant is a centrepiece with a near-iconic 25-mile menu of British favourites and dishes stuffed with produce plucked fresh from the gardens.
The main house is in a striking red brick surrounded by old-growth trees, and a rustic kitchen garden with bridges and an old stone wall to the rear. Inside you’re invited into each room by the amber glow of candelabras, and a collection of crackling fires best enjoyed from one of the plunging leather sofas with a Pig cocktail in hand.
The Rock and Roll History at The Pig at Bridge Place (Canterbury)
The Pig at Bridge Place house has a curious post-war history where it was left derelict, as many of England’s manor houses were, but in the 1960’s it was reinvented as The Bridge Country Club: a live music venue that hosted gigs by Led Zeppelin, The Kinks, The Moody Blues, Manfred Mann and The Yardbirds amongst others. There are some nods to this throughout the venue, such as fliers and event posters, but for the most part, this is the same chilled country house space you’ll find at each Pig Hotel across the English countryside.
The Rooms at The Pig at Bridge Place (Canterbury)
Compared to some other Pig Hotels, there are fewer outdoor areas at the Pig at Bridge but set just back from the main house, there is a line of delightful ‘Hop Picker Huts’, unique to the Pig at Bridge Place, placed on stilts with freestanding baths and king sized beds. And just beyond those, are two delightfully positioned Stream Wagons: updated versions of the typical Pig garden wagons that have more space and an outdoor bath and shower, all perched up against the local streams (home to a large white Egret and families of ducks when we visited) for a delightful rural ambience.
As is typical for the Pig’s growing collection of country house hotels, these outdoor options are extremely cosy, with an iron log burner a few feet from the bed along with a large bathroom with a freestanding bath and a large shower. The interiors are whimsically rustic and the outdoor bath is an excellent addition, as perfect for cold winter nights looking up at the stars as they are for summer frolics under the sun.
But as with all the Pig Hotels, the room selection is large, with a collection of rooms in the house and outside. If you want a good mix of romance, privacy and space, go with the Stream Wagons, but if you want a more traditional English country house hotel room, then go with either one of the Comfy Luxe Rooms in the main house, complete with freestanding baths perched just across from the bed.
For more in-depth amenities and a closer look at each room type, take a look here.
The Restaurant and Bar at the Pig at Bridge Place (Canterbury)
The Restaurant and Bar at The Pig at Bridge Place have a cosy maximalist appeal, with glasses piled against the windows and books and games hidden in chests and drawers, while heaps of vintage furniture are snuggled around characterful tables and original fireplaces — always crackling with a freshly poked log fire.
The restaurant serves a delicious 25-mile or less menu stuffed with local delicacies, local ingredients and pickles and veg directly from the kitchen gardens. It is dimly lit and elegant with that same purposefully mismatched, orderly chaos as the bar. The food is English cuisine with modern tweaks, and always seasonal, with every quirk of the English seasons making appearances: from pickled Chinese Artichokes in the winter along with chilli-stuffed margaritas to Spring lamb seasoned with herbs direct from the gardens.
Where Is The Pig at Bridge Place?
THE PIG at Bridge Place is a ten-minute drive from Canterbury West station, and a few minutes walk from the delightful little village of Bridge. The house is set into a few acres of rural estate, with two tranquil canals crossed by rustic bridges and a beautiful collection of old trees creating an atmospheric woodland enclave where the outdoor Stream Wagons and Hop Pickers huts sit.
Here’s a map link for the Pig at Bridge Place.
After a short walk to the edge of the property, there are a number of rural walks, several of which offer circular routes directly from and back to the Pig (see image below). Bear left when leaving the property to walk through the woodland and you’ll stumble into the graveyard for the local St Peter’s church, and a nice off-road access for local walks accessed via a stile (across the other side of the road).
In Bridge Village, just a 10-minute walk from the front door of the Pig is the Michelin-starred Bridge Arms, a fabulous little spot for an evening dinner or a pint if you’re passing by during the day. But if you’re searching for a mid-walk lunch spot, take the hike to Kingston and grab a seat in the delightful Black Robin, a pub established in 1740, for a plate of traditional pub food with a roaring fireplace offering a warm welcome to passing hikers.
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