The Moonraker can be found just outside of Trowbridge and was mentioned in the Doomsday Book as being part of the Abbess of Glastonbury’s estate.

The hotel and restaurant was originally built in an English Baroque style before an upgrade in the 17th century to bath stone.

The website says: “The Moonraker has 23 beautifully appointed bedrooms, country views and walled gardens.

“Head chef Xavier, who has worked under Marco Pierre White has created mouthwatering dishes using the hotel’s kitchen garden and on- site smokery.

“His menus have a brasserie feel to them and include a few old favourites as standard.”

And mouth-watering it was - but we will get to that.

We arrived early to our 6.30pm reservation and so we stopped at the bar for a drink and were seated in the lounge until dining officially started. Looking around at the Moonraker’s aesthetics from our Chesterfields we saw a very warm dining area, which certainly harkened back to its roots without ever feeling stuffy.

The Moonraker has a lot going for it, from its locally-sourced meat and eggs to the chickens and a turkey or two you will be able to find on-site. Next door, they say, the chickens are rotated between rare breeds of pig and other livestock.

The hotel also keeps its own beehives producing honey to make Moonraker’s homemade flapjacks – sadly we did not get to try, but they are handed to guests upon arrival. All the more incentive to return as a guest.

When we were seated staff could not have been more attentive, explaining the smaller than usual menu and walking me through all the relevant vegan options.

To start, we both ordered the soup of the day, which was leek and potato. I’ve never seen a soup with as gorgeous a colour and it served as the perfect start to a gloomy looking autumn.

My friend then ordered the pan seared calves liver with mash, smoked streaky bacon and caramelised onion gravy, which he described as incredibly rich and creamy.

While I ordered the chickpea, spinach and coconut curry, naan bread and poppadum, although the herb gnocchi with roasted, picked beetroot was awfully tempting.

Both mains were as good as food as I have ever eaten in any restaurant, coupled with the aesthetics and service I don’t think that I could recommend Moonraker highly enough. Whether it be for an evening meal or for a relaxing overnight stay.

For desert, my guest ordered crème brûlée, which seemed to go down a treat and topped off a great evening. Unfortunately, there was no vegan option for a desert so I eagerly eyed up my friend’s while finishing off a glass of wine.

In all, the meal cost £46 and I would be more than happy to pay those sorts of prices again considering both the quality of the food and the service.

For those who want a more private experience, Moonraker offers a private dining experience in the manor house.

The chef can design a menu to suit the requirements and desires of your party which will dine surrounded by open fires and the building’s gorgeous original oak beams.