DOWNTON DISPATCHES

Were you aware of the decline in bird song across the country? There has been a significant decline in many songbird populations over the past few decades. For example, according...

Thank you to those who continue to support our conservation work. One of our projects is the rewilding of Juniper. To date we have two groves / colonies, with twenty...

Last Friday was a bittersweet evening tinged with joy and sadness. The evening was Wiltshire’s answer to the Oscars, just more countrified with a little less paparazzi. It was the...

One of the planet’s last great untouched wildernesses, the South Pole has long been the crowning jewel of polar exploration. Since Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen first attempted to find a...

Following the success of both Asian Parsnip and American Mustard, we were asked to create something new for James May. Challenges to date have included a unique botanical, the clue...

During the 19th Century, the Great Bustard was hunted to extinction. For over 20 years, the Great Bustard Group has proved that this magnificent bird can thrive in Britain, once...

Every year a wonderful festival happens in the village of Broad Chalke just over the hill from the distillery. From humble origins in 2011 it has grown, now covering a 70-acre...

Peregrine falcons returned to Salisbury Cathedral in 2014, having been absent for over 60 years. Since then 27 chicks have fledged in the South tower of the Cathedral. The chicks...

Over the last two years we have been focusing on our 'Eco Programme,' With the race to becoming a net zero economy by 2050, sustainability is becoming vital pillar to...

Our Chardonnay Vodka won a double gold at this years World Vodka Awards. With sustainability in mind, everything has been recycled. The Chardonnay grapes grow organically on the Domaine Hugo...

The hills are indeed alive with the 'sound of music'. Yesterday I took a group out onto the Downs to see what we could find. It was almost like going...

The Good Shooping Guide, with their own independent research team has analysed the Spirits sector, and the most popular brands in this market. Around one third of the brands they...

The world is constantly evolving, with national boundaries often moving. Brexit is a clear example here, but as new nations rise, others fade away through war, internal turmoil, or simply...

Written by Peter Salenieks Over two thousand beacons were lit across the United Kingdom and further afield on 2 June, marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee by continuing a tradition that...

With summer here we wish to introduce you to wild swimming. This sport has increased in popularity over the last four years, as people brave the natural elements in favour...

One of our Explorer’s last year was Colonel Percy Fawcett who disappeared in the Amazon whilst trying to find the ‘Lost City of Z’. His theory of a lost civilisation...

With summer now upon us this dish celebrates those fresh summer flavours. It started originally as a simple Italian peasant dish and is now a celebrated Italian Classic with clams...

The countryside is finally alive, and it is now that you will find elderflower bushes in flower. Their frothy, white flowers tend to bloom in early May for just a...

Chocolate and Gin? Yes please! 08th Feb Update: Unfortunately, the powers that need to sign the labels off, have not been able to do so, therefore our lables will not...

This month we were informed about a lady called 'Arabella Slinger' by one of our readers, who is currently in Antarctica trekking 600 miles over 40 days. Her journey will...

Being sustainable is not an easy task, more so when our 'Explorer's' bottle is made & decorated in Milan before it travels across Europe to get to us. I am...

Our Explorer of the month, is a remarkable lady. At 23 she was made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and is the youngest council member of the Scientific...

Sugar Syrup is the basic ingredient used within most cocktails, cordials, punches and flavoured coffees. The common syrup we will recognise is the Monin brand found in most supermarkets selling...

Our Explorer of the month is unknown to many people considering her legendary exploits in Arabia. Gertrude Bell was a writer, traveller, political officer, administrator, and archaeologist who explored, mapped,...