The village was built around the iconic Loseley Park estate (Image: Loseley Park/Historic Houses)
Juat ashort drive from Guildford, lies a charming village that boasts a delightful pony sanctuary and a top-rated inn - the ideal spot for a family day trip. Nestled alongside an elegant country house with awe-inspiring landscaped gardens is the quaint village of Compton.
This isn't the infamous Californian Compton, but rather its polar opposite, nearly tucked away under Surrey's Hogs Back. A quintessential slice of rural England, it's peppered with captivating farmhouses set against the backdrop of the Surrey Hills.
Situated just off the A3, the village is home to an Anglo-Saxon church dating back to 1165, and was built around Loseley, a 16th-century manor house. The grand mansion still stands today, with Loseley Park serving as a lavish wedding venue and, of course, the historic setting for some of Britain's most beloved TV and film productions.
Most recently, the Tudor manor featured in several pivotal scenes in the Netflix smash series, The Gentleman. A regular on the country house filming circuit, sharp-eyed viewers can also spot it in The Crown, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Midsomer Murders, The Man Who Knew Infinity and many more.
Loseley Park, the ancestral home of the More-Molyneux Family, also serves as a prestigious venue for weddings, conferences, banquets and dinners, as well as hosting major shows throughout the year.
St. Mary's and St.Nicholas's Church dates back to the 13th century (Image: Berkshire Live / Darren Pepe)
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The village boasts an impressive 31 listed buildings, including the ancient 10th Century St Nicholas Church, an English Heritage cemetery, and the only National Art Gallery in the UK dedicated to a single professional artist, G. F Watts (1817-1904).
With a population of around 1,000 and fewer than 400 properties, as per the village website, it's a small yet lively community.
Food and drink
The Withies Inn, one of the village's oldest buildings, offers a beautiful garden complete with a pergola for outdoor dining, making it the perfect spot to enjoy some sunshine.
The village has an excellent Public House - The Withies Inn (Image: The Withies Inn)
Upon entering this traditional British pub, you'll be welcomed by 16th-century features such as low wooden beams. The inn also provides overnight accommodation and a cosy restaurant with a secluded dining area.
The restaurant offers an a la carte menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, except Sunday evenings when the pub is closed. The unique menu includes delectable dishes like mushroom stroganoff with rice, escalope of veal marsala with basmati rice or grilled sea bass.
For dessert lovers, there's a delightful selection including treacle tart with custard, apple crumble with cream or dark chocolate and orange mousse. The Withies' afternoon tea is another treat to look forward to, featuring an array of sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, lemon drizzle cake, chocolate brownies and flavoured macaroons.
The afternoon teas are priced at £24 per person, or £36 per person if you wish to add a glass of prosecco.
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Children enjoy arts at the gallery (Image: Surrey Advertiser - Grahame Larter)
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Despite the small size of the village, it offers plenty of activities. The Watts Gallery Artists Village provides a day full of art and exploration for children of all ages, offering summer family days, life drawing for 13 to 18 year olds and pottery taster sessions.
Children will have fun creating Japanese sakura paper flowers, wall hangings and two-tone paintings. Family days are scheduled for August 6, 13 and 20 from 10.30am until 4pm.
The cost is £14 per child and £5 per adult. Life drawing for teens costs £27.50 per teenager.
Rachel Mercer will be present to guide them in honing their skills with a partially nude model. Students will be shown drawings by both old and contemporary artists.
The pottery taster session is open to all ages. Those under 16 should be accompanied by someone aged 16 or older.
Sessions last about 40 minutes, and attendees can make their own tile or pot.
Compton is home to a brilliant soft play centre named Giggleville, catering for children up to seven years old. It offers slides, ball pits and climbing frames.
Play sessions are priced at £1.50 for an adult, £4.50 for a six-month to one year old, and £8 for children aged between one and seven.
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The Mane Chance Pony Sanctuary is also based in the village (Image: Mane Chance)
For some family entertainment in Compton, consider visiting the Mane Chance pony sanctuary?
Open every Sunday for a few hours, you can interact with the horses and take a tour of the site, complemented by tea, coffee and cakes in the barn or orchard.
Currently, it's just £3 for adults and £2 for kids, with under fives entering for free. There are two dates remaining this year, on Sunday, September 15 and October 13.
Additionally, there's a family fun day scheduled for Sunday, August 25, featuring games, tombolas and the opportunity to meet some charming Shetland ponies.
And if that wasn't sufficient, there'll also be a summer barbecue and refreshments, including a beer and Pimms tent for the adults. Tickets for this are £6 for adults and £5 for children aged between five and 15. If you're interested, you can book your tickets here via the website.
No leadtext (Image: Loseley Park)
