Our Story

Mark Higgs, Dreamer & Founder, incorporated Freespirit Pubs, introducing:

• The Castle at Edgehill
• The Sun Inn at Hook Norton
• Red Lion at Hellidon

And so began our collection of magnificent country pubs, with great hospitality at its heart.

The Bell Inn at Ladbroke joined the collection — another beautiful village pub set in thechocolate-box village of Ladbroke.

That same year, Freespirit Events was officially registered. For years, we had hosted amazing weddings and epic parties, so bringing our events business into the collection felt like a natural next step.

The Castle Gin School was born, turning a derelict room at the top of the iconic tower at Edgehill, creating amazing Freespirit House gins , hosting great tastings and teaching our wonderful guests some secrets to creating wonderful gin , in truly memorable location.

The Old Coach House, Ashby St Ledgers

This beautiful coaching inn — with 11 comfortable rooms, a large restaurant, private dining spaces, and great outdoor areas — grabbed us from our very first visit.

Even through the damp walls and overgrown garden, we could see the potential in this historic village inn. After a three-month refurbishment, we proudly opened the doors in November.

The George at Brailes joined the family.

This historic Grade II listed coaching inn had been on our radar for years. When the stars finally aligned, we were beyond excited to step into the Cotswold action and welcome this classic inn into the Freespirit collection.