DISCOVER

TILSMORE IS A FAMILY-RUN WINE ESTATE IN THE SUSSEX WEALD REGION. INSPIRED BY THE ROLLING HILLS OF THE SURROUNDING SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE, THE SMALL-BATCH ENGLISH SPARKLING WINE BOTTLED BY THE ESTATE IS TRULY AS UNIQUE AS ITS VINES' LOCATION. THE INAUGURAL 2020 VINTAGE, LIMITED TO JUST 673 BOTTLES, DEMONSTRATES A DISTINCTIVE AND INTRICATE CHARACTER DEVELOPED OVER THREE YEARS OF IN-BOTTLE FERMENTATION.

THE REGION

FOUND IN THE HISTORIC PARISH OF MAYFIELD, TILSMORE GETS ITS NAME FROM THE STREAM THAT EXTENDS THROUGH THE ESTATE AND FEEDS INTO THE RIVER ROTHER. THE SOIL IS A MIX OF SANDSTONE AND CLAY, WHICH IS EXTREMELY RICH IN IRON. THIS IRON ONCE PROVIDED ORE FOR THE WEALDEN IRON INDUSTRY AND THE ESTATE STILL HOLDS THE MEMORY OF A MEDIEVAL BLOOMERY - REMINDERS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REGION AND SUSSEX’S INDUSTRIOUS PAST. THE OLD RAILWAY, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND POLEGATE, RUNS ALONG THE EDGE OF THE PROPERTY, PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE VINEYARD AND WOODS. THE FARMHOUSE IS APPROACHED THROUGH THE OLD RAILWAY BRIDGE - A MAGICAL PORTAL TO THE TILSMORE ESTATE.

THE ESTATE

OUR VINES ARE SOUTH-WEST FACING AND SHELTERED BY UNTAMED, ANCIENT WOODLAND ON THREE SIDES. THEY’RE FLANKED BY LANDSCAPED GARDENS AND OVERLOOKED BY THE BEAUTIFUL GEORGIAN-INSPIRED FAMILY HOME. THE SANDY CLAY LOAM SOIL LENDS AN IDEAL TEXTURE FOR GRAPE GROWING AND IS ONE OF THE MAJOR INFLUENCES ON TILSMORE’S DELICATE AND NUANCED FLAVOUR.

THE LEGEND

TILSMORE’S LANDS ARE STEEPED IN LOCAL LEGEND AND THE ESTATE IS RUMOURED TO BE THE SETTING OF ONE OF SUSSEX’S MOST WELL-KNOWN FOLK TALES; THE LEGEND OF ST. DUNSTAN AND THE DEVIL.

BEFORE BECOMING ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, ST. DUNSTAN WAS AN IRON SMELTER IN A BLOOMERY IN MAYFIELD - CONSIDERED BY SOME TO BE THE ONE MARKED IN QUARRY WOOD. LEGEND SAYS THE DEVIL, DISGUISED AS A BEAUTIFUL MAIDEN, TRIED TO DECEIVE HIM, BUT DUNSTAN SPOTTED THE CLOVEN HOOVES BENEATH THE MAIDEN'S DRESS AND GRABBED THE DEVIL'S NOSE WITH HOT PINCERS. IN ANOTHER TALE, THE DEVIL RETURNED AS A TRAVELLER NEEDING A HORSESHOE, BUT DUNSTAN SAW THROUGH THE TRICK AND BEAT HIM UNTIL HE VOWED NEVER TO ENTER A HOME WITH A HORSESHOE ABOVE THE DOOR—A TRADITION STILL UPHELD BY SOME OF MAYFIELD’S MORE SUPERSTITIOUS RESIDENTS TODAY!