Tillingham Vineyard

Tillingham works best as a destination rather than a quick stop, with most visits centred around food, accommodation, or pre-booked experiences.

Restaurant & bakery:

The on-site restaurant focuses on seasonal, produce-led cooking, using ingredients from the estate and surrounding farms. Menus change regularly and lean towards sharing plates rather than formal courses. A bakery operates on site, supplying bread and baked goods that are integral to the food offering rather than an add-on.

Wine tastings & experiences:

Wine tastings and winery experiences are offered periodically and usually need to be booked in advance. These tend to be structured and explanatory rather than casual bar-style tastings, reflecting the estate’s focus on process and production.

Accommodation:

Tillingham has a small number of on-site rooms, which are simple and design-conscious rather than hotel-like. Staying overnight is a big part of the appeal, turning a visit into a slower, more immersive experience.

Dogs & children:

Access policies vary depending on where you’re visiting and what you’re booked in for, so it’s best to check directly. The overall focus is on food, wine, and stays rather than family-focused activities.

Tillingham produces a range of still and sparkling wines, made from estate-grown fruit as well as carefully selected nearby sites. Grape varieties include both familiar cool-climate plantings and less conventional choices, reflecting a willingness to work outside the mainstream English wine template.

Winemaking happens on site, with a minimal-intervention approach that accepts variation between vintages and bottlings. The wines are often textural, expressive, and deliberately not smoothed into uniformity, which has helped them gain traction among sommeliers and independent wine lists rather than mass retail.

Alongside wine, the estate also produces cider and other fermented drinks, reinforcing its broader interest in fermentation as a craft rather than wine as a single category.

By car

Tillingham is located near Rye, East Sussex, close to the Kent border. The rural setting makes arriving by car the most practical option, particularly if staying overnight or visiting for a meal.

By public transport

The nearest station is Rye, served by trains from Ashford and Hastings. From Rye station, a taxi is required to reach the estate.

Tillingham sits within easy reach of Rye, the East Sussex coast, and several well-known vineyards across Kent and Sussex, making it a natural base rather than a single-stop visit.

Nearby vineyards

• Gusbourne – A polished English sparkling wine producer near Appledore.
• Chapel Down – A large, visitor-friendly estate in Tenterden.

Restaurants

• Webbe’s at The Fish Cafe, Rye – Seafood-focused dining in the town centre.
• The Fig, Rye – A small, produce-led restaurant popular with food-focused visitors.

Hotels

• The George in Rye – A historic inn with rooms.
• Jeake’s House – Boutique accommodation in one of Rye’s older buildings.

Attractions

• Rye – Medieval streets, independent shops, and coastal walks.
• Sissinghurst Castle Garden – A major garden attraction within driving distance.

Tillingham is often cited as one of the estates that helped normalise a more food- and culture-driven approach to English wine. Rather than positioning wine as a luxury product, it’s framed as something agricultural, seasonal, and closely linked to how people eat and socialise.

The decision to combine vineyard, winery, restaurant, bakery, and accommodation on one site wasn’t about scale, but about coherence. Everything feeds into the same philosophy: minimal intervention, respect for raw materials, and an acceptance that variation is part of the point. That outlook has resonated strongly with chefs, sommeliers, and a younger wine audience who are less interested in polish and more interested in intent.