THE PIG in the New Forest

Hidden among the ancient woods outside Brockenhurst, the original PIG occupies a 17th-century former hunting lodge at the heart of the New Forest. It was here, in a neglected old walled garden, that the idea for THE PIG was born: grow what you can, source the rest nearby, and let the landscape dictate what reaches the table.

Story

The house was built in 1602 as a lodge for the groomkeepers who cared for the New Forest, and for much of the following 350 years was known as Whitley Ridge. It became a hotel in the 1950s, complete with an old walled garden and orchard.

When Robin Hutson visited the rather faded hotel in 2010, it was the neglected Kitchen Garden — weeds, old beds and a few struggling carrots — that sparked the idea. He imagined a restaurant with rooms where the gardener and chef worked together and the day's harvest shaped the menu. THE PIG opened in 2011, and that little garden became the blueprint for every PIG that followed.

Why we selected THE PIG in the New Forest

A house with roots in the Forest

Built for the people charged with looking after the New Forest, the property's relationship with the surrounding landscape stretches back more than four centuries.

This is where it all began

The Kitchen Garden here isn't an adaptation of THE PIG concept — it created it. The original walled plot inspired a collection now built around growing, cooking and sourcing locally.

Ancient traditions continue outside the gates

Commoners still graze ponies, cattle and donkeys across the Forest, while autumn brings pannage, when pigs are released to forage for fallen acorns — a centuries-old practice that remains part of life here.

The Forest reaches the plate

Alongside the Kitchen Garden harvest, menus draw on Hampshire farmers and makers and ingredients associated with the surrounding landscape, including mushrooms, venison and wood pigeon.

Local life & traditions

The New Forest is not simply woodland; it is a living cultural landscape shaped by commoning. Animals roam freely across heath and forest, often wandering through Brockenhurst itself, while generations of local families retain ancient rights to graze livestock on the open Forest.

One of its most distinctive traditions is pannage. Each autumn, commoners release pigs into the woods to eat fallen acorns, which can be harmful to ponies and cattle. It is a practical tradition that has helped manage this landscape for centuries — and this is the only PIG where pigs can be seen roaming the Forest during the season.

Authentic experiences in the area

Walk straight into the ancient Forest

Follow trails from Brockenhurst through heathland and woodland, passing free-roaming ponies, cattle and donkeys along the way.

Experience pannage season

Visit in autumn when pigs are released into the New Forest to forage beneath the oaks — one of the area’s oldest surviving commoning traditions.

Walk the original Kitchen Garden

Join the morning garden tour through the plot that started THE PIG philosophy, seeing what the gardeners are harvesting for the kitchen that day.

Taste the New Forest

Eat according to the garden’s harvest and the surrounding 25-mile landscape, from Hampshire-grown produce to wild mushrooms, venison and ingredients supplied by nearby farmers and makers.

Protecting culture & land

The original walled garden has been returned to its historic purpose as a productive space, rather than becoming ornamental hotel grounds. Vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers are harvested daily, with the gardener's crop influencing what the chefs cook.

The wider approach keeps food connected to the surrounding landscape: anything the garden cannot supply is sourced, where possible, from farmers, fishermen, foragers and makers within 25 miles.

Location & surroundings

THE PIG sits just outside Brockenhurst, surrounded by the ancient woodland and heathland of the New Forest National Park.

Brockenhurst itself is part of the experience: ponies and donkeys wander through the village, while walking and cycling routes lead almost immediately into the Forest. Beaulieu, Buckler’s Hard and the Hampshire coast are also within easy reach.

Key details

Address

Beaulieu Road
Brockenhurst
Hampshire
SO42 7QL

Getting here

By train: Brockenhurst has direct services from London Waterloo, with the journey taking under two hours. The hotel is a short taxi ride from the station.

By plane: Southampton Airport is the closest airport. Bournemouth Airport is another nearby option, while Heathrow offers the greatest choice of international connections.

By car: Brockenhurst sits within the New Forest, with access from Southampton, Bournemouth and the wider south coast.

Facilities

Greenhouse restaurant

Potting Shed treatment rooms

Daily Kitchen Garden tours

Direct access to New Forest walks

More

25 Mile Menu

Individually designed bedrooms in the house and grounds

Words from the owners

“The lightbulb moment came when I saw the walled garden.”

— Robin Hutson OBE, Founder, THE PIG

Every stay booked direct keeps value with the people of this place, so they can reinvest in culture, community and land

We believe travel should give back more than it takes; that it can protect cultures, not erode them.

That is why we connect you directly with each hotel’s own website. By booking direct, value remains in the hands of those who shape these places, enabling reinvestment into local culture, community, and land.