ms-havachat Discovering Surrey, UK - Packhouse for Shopping and Lunch

Thanks Google Images for the professional photo

MrsD and I have wanted to come here for a while but things kept cropping up and another week would pass and we'd not gone. Today, however, we had planned to catch up and with nothing in particular in mind and the sun shining she suggested PACKHOUSE!

What a hidden treasure trove Farnham has to offer.

This place oozes history. Housed in a beautiful, large Grade II Listed historical building, Packhouse is 'a fine example of clutch stone work' according to visitsurrey.comhttp://www.visitsurrey.com


The Packhorse is a 400 year old building that was used as a hop kiln is now a vibrant, interesting home decor shopping centre of sorts. A hop kiln for those of you who are wondering as I was, is a building designed for kilning (during) hops as part of the brewing process to make ale/beer.

Today, it houses beautiful old and new, unusual and quirky, preloved and new things from a variety of individual retailers who source unique items for you, your home, the garden and unusual gifts. It's rather eccentric and chaotic in layout as you meander p'n'down staircases, some short some long, but somehow everything flows beautifully from one theme to the next. Suddenly, at the top of once staircase and to the left, there's clothes! I tried on several items and bought 3. A rare, successful clothes shopping day AND summer clothes too! Very happy ms-havachat.

The car park is a good size, tho by the time we left around 1pm, it was packed! Mind you, the weather was glorious and the outdoor cafe was buzzing with patrons.

My photos

Curious to see Buddha's, with claw foot baths, bird feeders and stone bird baths and I knew we were in for some wonderful surprises.

We were greeted so warmly by the ladies behind the counter, and given a map (yes, this place is so big, there's a map)

My photos

From silverware, glassware, antique or reproduction furniture, pillows, throws, silk flowers, candles, hurricane lamps, lights, chandeliers, crockery, cutlery, kitchen scales, pantry cupboards, kitchen tables, cook books, toys, kids furniture, paintings, prints .......


Chairs (there's so much on the floor, they have creatively used the walls to display the stock)

Grandfather clocks of all shapes and sizes. Wall clocks too - art deco, retro, contemporary designs. Which one to choose??????? While we were there, a gentleman was testing the settings with a small bag of tiny tools. Imagine the houses these grand clocks would be in ....

We need a clock in the kitchen. Well, we don't need one cos we all have our phones, but I'd LIKE a clock in the kitchen for when I don't have my phone tied to my hip and need to tell the time. There were lots of clocks for sale here, but they were either too big (needs to be small so we know it'll fit where ever we live), too heavy (can't bang nails into the walls to hang it, too heavy to move without worrying about it being dropped by removalists), or not a neutral colour/style (ideally, needs to be modern but contemporary to 'fit in' with where ever we live) ..... of course I could have bought one and sold it when we move on but why??????????????????????

So even a simply purchase of a clock becomes a frigging drama!


We even found a naughty step! How cute is it!!!!!!!!!!! Think the kids might muck up just so they could enjoy sitting on this sweet stool.

How stunning is this 1920's travel trunk! The drawers opened so smoothly and it's in pretty good condition for it's age. I thought it would make a stunning addition to a bedroom as the drawers are a good size for underwear or small items, and the hanging side (covered by the throw) could be a valet for pants.

We just kept walking and looking and stopping and looking and walking, talking about the things we were seeing and commenting on how frustrating it is to be an expat, packing and unpacking the contents of our homes, always in rental accommodation, yearning to be able to buy 'that' piece for 'that' place in our home knowing it'll never move, not even for the vacuum cleaner.

There's also a Secret Beauty Room offering a range of beauty treatments and a hair salon! The tough decision is whether to do all that before or after lunch.

The Packhouse also offers craft workshops. Check out the website for all the information. Sign up to their newsletter, I did.


After I'd purchased my clothes, we had lunch at the Fig Cafe, on the grounds of Packhouse in glorious SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Delicious salad (mine) and MrsD fish'n'chips (there's a reason she ordered this which I won't go into here as it's not appropriate) which she savoured each mouthful of.

We sat in the SUNSHINE and chatted, not really wanting to get into the car to drive home but we did.

I am very happy to recommend Packhouse for a day of shopping and lunch. A perfect Girls Day Out!

With friendship
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