Chilworth Manor Vineyard - A Surrey Hills English Wine Estate with a Thousand Years of History
Chilworth Manor Vineyard is a thirteen-acre south-facing vineyard in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just a few miles south-east of Guildford. The estate has been continuously occupied for close to a thousand years and has been many things over that time - a Saxon manor, a monastic grange, a gunpowder-maker's seat, a duchess's retreat, a charity-raising country house - and now, most joyfully of all for English wine drinkers, a small family-run vineyard producing premium English sparkling and rosé wines from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wine business is woven into the longer arc of Chilworth Manor's history rather than grafted onto it, and it is this sense of layered continuity that defines a visit to the vineyard today.
Where Chilworth Manor Vineyard sits
The vineyard occupies a gentle, sheltered south-facing slope immediately adjacent to the Manor house. Above the estate runs the historic Pilgrims' Way along the North Downs; below, the Tillingbourne River threads its way through the ancient woodland of the former Chilworth Gunpowder Mills. The site lies on chalky, sandy loam over the same geology that gives the Champagne region its distinctive wines, and this combination of aspect, soil and shelter is what the team credits with the elegance and freshness of the final bottles.
Despite the rural setting, the vineyard is remarkably easy to reach from London. By road it is just over an hour from the capital; Guildford station is a short taxi ride from the vineyard, with direct services from London Waterloo in around 37 minutes, while walkers and cyclists can reach the vineyard via a scenic 15-minute footpath from Chilworth station that threads through woodland alongside the brook and the disused gunpowder works.
Almost a thousand years of history
Chilworth Manor is recorded in the Domesday Book as a Saxon manor, and was given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux. Under Odo's patronage the estate became a monastic site whose Augustinian canons ministered to the pilgrims crossing the Pilgrims' Way on their way to Canterbury or the Holy Land, serving the ancient church of St Martha's-on-the-Hill above the house. Any trace of the monastery itself was lost in the dissolution of the reign of Henry VIII, but the medieval Stew Ponds that once supplied the monks with fish can still be seen in the gardens of the Manor and remain fed by the same spring waters and underground streams. Folk tales even speak of secret tunnels linking the monastic site to St Martha's Church, a rumour the team has yet to confirm but clearly enjoys keeping alive.
The Manor as it stands today owes most to the rise and fall of the Randyll family in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The family's stake in the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills paid for the construction of the south front of the house in the mid-1600s, but the expense of contesting Parliamentary elections forced Morgan Randyll to part with the property in the early 1700s. The estate then passed to Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, whose legacy is the elegant early eighteenth-century north wing overlooking the extraordinary tiered Walled Garden that she laid out during her tenure.
The modern identity of Chilworth Manor owes a great deal to Sir Lionel and especially to Lady Heald, who took the house on in 1946 after the war years, during which the property had served as the headquarters of the Canadian Army. A spinney of trees planted by those soldiers still stands in the grounds. Tireless as a fundraiser, Lady Heald served as Chairwoman of the National Garden Scheme for thirty years, opening the gardens and estate to visitors in support of charity and turning Chilworth Manor into a focal point for the local community. That tradition of opening the estate, hosting charity events and giving back to the community is the cornerstone on which the modern vineyard is built.
The vineyard family and the team
Today the vineyard is run as a small family business led by Mia and Graham, who describe themselves as "guardians of Chilworth Manor's history" and want every bottle of wine to tell the story of the estate's rich past. The family arrived at Chilworth Manor in 2006, with memories of planting a small vineyard by hand in Kent in the 1970s, a visit to a Swedish vineyard some thirty years later and a birthday gift of vines eventually bearing fruit in the form of a Surrey vineyard project.
The dedicated vineyard team is led by John MacRae-Brown with Vinnie, Chloe, Tom and Sam, working in close consultation with agronomist John Buchan to safeguard the long-term vitality of the vines and soils. From the offices at Chilworth Manor, Nik, Max and Emma oversee marketing, the experiences programme and customer enquiries; Ellie and Justine keep orders, invoicing and accounts running smoothly. The grapes are delivered to Litmus Wines at the Denbies Wine Estate in the Surrey Hills, where head winemaker Matthieu Elzinga and his team produce the Chilworth Manor wines to the estate's distinct quality, style and taste.
Site and soil: the chalky, sandy loam of the North Downs
Premium English still and sparkling wines begin with the right site. At Chilworth Manor the thirteen-acre vineyard sits on a sheltered, gentle south-facing slope that catches the sun from morning to evening, draining freely through sandy loam over the chalky geology shared with Champagne. The forgiving soil has proved ideal for the cool-climate varieties on which the estate has built its range: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Spring 2018 saw the arrival of the first 2017-vintage still rosé, and in 2022 the estate released its first Sparkling Rosé and Classic Cuvée sparkling wines, marking the beginning of a proper classic-method English sparkling wine programme alongside the long-established still rosé.
Sustainability and stewardship
Sustainability at Chilworth Manor is not a marketing layer but a working philosophy that has grown out of the way the gardens and wider estate have always been managed. The estate is a founding member of the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain scheme, launched in February 2020, which exists to establish environmental sustainability as a cornerstone of the UK wine industry.
One long-standing goal has been to phase out the use of herbicides. The team uses a mechanical hoe to keep weeds down under the vines and maintains grass cover between the rows and around the headlands, an approach that helps minimise soil erosion and encourages beneficial insect populations. Electricity used at the vineyard is generated by an array of solar panels, and the water used in crop management is collected as rainwater run-off through the field drainage. The same reservoir sits at the heart of the estate's pioneering frost-protection system, which uses the exothermic property of water as it freezes to protect vulnerable buds, and powers a dripline irrigation system to feed the vines precisely while drastically reducing tractor passes.
The vineyard borders an extensive area of protected woodland along the Tillingbourne River, home to deer, badgers, foxes, dormice, owls and buzzards. Bee hives managed by a local enthusiast also live on site, continuing the long relationship between Chilworth Manor's gardens and the pollinators that sustain them - a connection the team celebrated in June 2025 with the installation of a new natural bee habitat on the vineyard slopes.
The wines
Chilworth Manor's range is deliberately focused on the varieties and styles best suited to its Surrey Hills terroir: classic-method English sparkling wines and a benchmark still rosé. All grapes are grown on the thirteen-acre estate and made in collaboration with Matthieu Elzinga at Litmus Wines.
Chilworth Manor Rosé 2025
The newest release of the estate's still rosé - £21.50 - is a wine the team describes as a seasonal favourite that "sells out year after year". Made in a classic Provençal style from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier, the 2025 vintage is rose gold in colour with delicate aromas of honeysuckle and fresh melon on the nose. On the palate it offers an ample, rounded mouthfeel with concentrated red fruits and subtle notes of quince and honey, balanced by a clean, refreshing finish. At 13% ABV it is versatile enough to drink on its own, pair with charcuterie or take centre stage at an al fresco table. Because of its popularity, the 2025 Rosé is currently only available online as part of The Chilworth Selection mixed case or in person at the estate's experiences.
Chilworth Manor Brut Rosé
The sparkling rosé is made in the traditional method from estate-grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The 2022 and 2021 vintages are both available at £38.50 per bottle, with cases of six also offered at £216. The gift-packaged version, in a single bottle presentation, is priced at £42.00. The Brut Rosé shows the elegance and red-fruited finesse that has become a hallmark of Chilworth Manor's classic-method work.
Classic Cuvée sparkling wines
Two distinct classic-method cuvées sit at the heart of the Chilworth Manor sparkling range, both named for figures in the estate's long history:
- Chilworth Manor Classic Cuvée Alwyn 2018 - £37.50 a bottle, or £210 for a case of six. Alwyn is the Saxon whose name lives on in the original manor recorded in the Domesday Book.
- Chilworth Manor Classic Cuvée 'The Bishop' 2019 - £37.50 a bottle, or £210 for a case of six. The Bishop is Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, half-brother to William the Conqueror and one of the very first names associated with the estate.
Both cuvées are aged on lees in the classic-method tradition and are available gift-packaged for single bottles at £41.00 each.
The Chilworth Selection mixed case
For those who want to taste the estate in a single shipment, The Chilworth Selection is a twelve-bottle mixed case showcasing the still and sparkling wines currently available, priced at £180. Free UK mainland delivery kicks in at eighteen bottles.
Chilworth Manor Glögg
A festive favourite, Chilworth Manor Glögg is the estate's mulled-wine bottling, priced at £20 a bottle or £112 for a case of six. Warming, fragrant and tied to the long-running Christmas at Chilworth tradition, Glögg is the bottle the estate reaches for when the year turns cold.
Gift sets, fragrance wines and accessories
Beyond the core still and sparkling range, the estate also produces the Chilworth Classic gift set at £80.50, the Chilworth Fizz Trio at £125.50 (a single bottle each of the three sparkling wines presented in a wooden gift box), and the Chilworth Fragrance range of dessert-style wines in two flavour-led expressions: Cloudberry & Lychee at £67.50 and Plum & Rhubarb at £68.50. Branded Chilworth Candles are available in matching Plum & Rhubarb and Cloudberry & Lychee scents at £25 each, alongside a Jute Bag for £6 and gift boxes starting from £3.50.
Visiting the vineyard: tours, tastings and experiences
Wine experiences at Chilworth Manor are hosted in The Watch House, the estate's newly finished glass-fronted tasting barn nestled in the vineyard, named after the original watch house that once stood on the slopes of the vineyard, and in the adjoining Cellar Door. Below is what is currently on offer.
Tours & Tastings - £39.00
The cornerstone of any visit is the Tours & Tastings experience, which combines a guided walk through the vineyard with a tutored tasting of the estate's still and sparkling wines in The Watch House. Tickets are issued by email and can be printed or shown on a mobile phone on the day.
Sparkling Afternoon Tea - £58.00
Pair the vineyard setting with a sparkling afternoon tea. Sparkling Afternoon Tea is hosted in The Watch House and pairs traditional afternoon tea with Chilworth Manor sparkling wines. Demand is high; some 2026 dates are already sold out.
Friday Night Fizz - £18.50
A relaxed evening of live music and English sparkling wine, Friday Night Fizz has become a popular regular on the Chilworth calendar and is often the first experience to sell out each season.
Words & Wine with Damon Hill and Roger Black - £75.00
A signature event format pioneered with Sir Bob Geldof, Words & Wine brings a major public figure into conversation with the audience over a glass or two of Chilworth Manor wine. Damon Hill and Roger Black are the guests at the next scheduled event, with doors usually open for an evening of stories, questions and the estate's wines.
Dine in the Vines - £125.00 per person
A brand-new format for 2026, Dine in the Vines is an intimate, communal evening of fine dining at a Vignéron's table set among the vines, in partnership with the catering firm Two Many Cooks. The £125 ticket covers a drinks reception with canapés, a seasonal three-course dinner (heritage beetroot with whipped goat's curd and candied walnuts to start, trout with sauce vierge and rock samphire for the main, and a buttermilk pannacotta with hazelnut shortbread and Chilworth Manor Brut Rosé - macerated strawberries to finish), and free-flowing Chilworth Manor wines paired to each course. The next date is Wednesday 9th September 2026, 7:00pm - 10:30pm. Experiences are for over-18s only, are weather-dependent (with cover provided in The Watch House if needed) and are non-refundable. As a guide, expect to be on site for around 3 hours 30 minutes.
Experience Gift Vouchers - from £39.00
For anyone who would rather give an experience than a bottle, Experience Gift Vouchers start from £39.00 and can be redeemed against any of the vineyard's tours, tastings, dinners or events. The Chilworth Manor Vineyard Gift Card (from £25) works the same way but can be spent across the shop as well.
The Odo Circle - Chilworth Manor Vineyard Membership
Named for Odo, Bishop of Bayeux - the half-brother of William the Conqueror who first received the Saxon manor and turned it into a monastic grange - the Odo Circle is the estate's annual membership programme. The annual fee is set at £600 (including VAT), which is simply the equivalent value of the eighteen bottles of wine members receive through the year: a six-bottle case of each of the Classic Cuvée, Brut Rosé and Still Rosé. Membership includes priority access to experiences, early access to new and limited releases (including a future Blanc de Blancs and magnums), an invitation to a members-only canapés event, priority booking at the Picnics & Pinks charity evenings and a dedicated concierge service for collection or delivery of wines.
Private and corporate hire at The Watch House
The Watch House, the estate's glass-fronted tasting barn, is also a striking venue for private and corporate hire. Floor-to-ceiling glazing frames views over the vineyard in one direction and the historic gunpowder-mills woodland in the other, with St Martha's Hill on the horizon. The space is equipped with indoor and outdoor audio, television and conference-call facilities, wi-fi, step-free access and accessible toilets, ample parking, underfloor heating and a fully equipped commercial kitchen downstairs. Hire packages can include the estate's premium wines, gift packaging and bespoke catering, and the team can arrange on-site experiences such as Winston's Walk (a guided discovery of the estate's points of natural and historical interest) alongside other local-led activities. Corporate clients also benefit from a dedicated Corporate Gifting service.
Charity at the heart of the estate
Charitable giving has been central to Chilworth Manor since the days of Lady Heald, and it remains central to the vineyard's ethos today. Sales of the still Chilworth Manor Rosé specifically support Mary's Meals, with a portion of every bottle sale helping the charity provide a daily meal to some of the poorest children in Malawi. The estate continues to support the NGS Open Gardens scheme (the gardens reopen in 2027) and the Picnics & Pinks charity music evenings at the Manor, both long-running local charity fixtures, and supplies wine to Grange Park Opera's restaurants and bars.
Events and what's on
The vineyard runs a year-round programme of wine experiences and special events. Confirmed current highlights include:
- Dine in the Vines - Wednesday 9 September 2026, 7:00pm - 10:30pm, £125 per person. Book here.
- Friday Night Fizz - live music and sparkling wine on Friday evenings, £18.50 per ticket. Tickets.
- Tours & Tastings - running through the year, £39.00 per ticket. Book.
- Sparkling Afternoon Tea - £58.00 per ticket, with new dates added at intervals.
- Words & Wine with Damon Hill and Roger Black - £75.00 per ticket, dates announced periodically.
- NGS Open Garden - Chilworth Manor gardens reopen to the public in aid of the National Garden Scheme in 2027.
Beyond these listed highlights, the annual programme includes harvest-time experiences, Christmas at Chilworth and members-only events, along with regular vintage news shared online.
How to order and visit
Wines, gift sets and accessories are available to order online. UK mainland delivery is charged at £6.50 for one bottle, £8.50 for two, £15 for three to seventeen bottles and is free from eighteen bottles upwards, with orders typically delivered within two to five working days. Collection from the estate is available on Thursdays and Fridays between 1pm and 4pm; visitors are asked to pass the Manor house on their left and follow the road signed towards the vineyard on the right, with the Cellar Door in the first building at the bottom of the slope. The estate is also stocked by independent retailers across Surrey and London, including Corkage in Guildford, Guildford Wines in Shalford, Hawkins Brothers in Millfield, Kingfisher Farm in Abinger Hammer, Lea & Sandeman in London and Surrey Hills Beer and Gin.
The Cellar Door is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 1pm - 4pm, and most experiences need to be booked ahead. The address is Chilworth Manor Vineyard, Halfpenny Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 8NN, United Kingdom; the office line is 01483 570797 and general enquiries can be sent to info@chilworthmanorvineyard.com. For sales enquiries the address is sales@chilworthmanorvineyard.com and for corporate gifting and customer service the team can be reached on customerservice@chilworthmanorvineyard.com.
Chilworth Manor Vineyard at a glance
- Location: Chilworth, near Guildford, Surrey Hills AONB
- Size: 13 acres, south-facing slope on chalky sandy loam
- Varieties grown: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
- Wines: Classic Cuvée (Alwyn and The Bishop), Brut Rosé, Still Rosé, Glögg, plus selection cases and gift sets
- Winemaker: Matthieu Elzinga at Litmus Wines, Denbies Wine Estate
- Experiences: Tours & Tastings from £39, Friday Night Fizz £18.50, Sparkling Afternoon Tea £58, Words & Wine £75, Dine in the Vines £125
- Membership: The Odo Circle, £600 per annum, including 18 bottles of wine
- Venues: The Watch House tasting barn and Cellar Door for private and corporate hire
- Sustainability: Founding member of Sustainable Wines of Great Britain
- Charity partner: Mary's Meals (a portion of every Rosé sale funds a daily school meal in Malawi)
Part of the Vineyards of the Surrey Hills cluster of estates, Chilworth Manor Vineyard sits in one of the most historic landscapes in southern England. Whether visitors arrive for a tasting, a tour, a long lunch among the vines, or simply to buy a bottle of the new 2025 Rosé, they are sampling the latest layer in a story that has been unfolding on this stretch of the North Downs for close to a thousand years.