On a south-facing slope above Shrewsbury, Hencote has grown from the place Andrew and Dora Stevens returned to after many years living in Qatar into something deeply personal. Dora had spotted the run-down farm while they were living aboard and could see the potential of the place. On return from Qater, they began by establishing the vineyard, winery, bar and events space, creating a destination known for its award-winning wine and sweeping views across the town and towards the Welsh Hills. But for them, Hencote has always been more than a business. It is a home.
Q: What inspired you to think about establishing a community around the Vineyard?
Andrew: I think it came from spending time here and realising how much the place gives back to you. After returning from Qatar, Dora and I were drawn to the land – the views, the vineyard, the sense of space and the rhythm of nature. At first, Hencote was about creating a destination: somewhere people could come for the wine, the food and the setting. But the more time we spent here, the more obvious it became that the feeling did not have to end when people went home. It felt like the foundations were already here for something more permanent: a place where people could live well, feel connected and still have a sense of adventure in daily life.
“We wanted it to feel like a village — a place with energy, familiarity, care and a real sense of belonging.”
Q: You have both lived and worked across four continents. How has that shaped the way you both think about home, security and community?
Dora: Having lived for many years in close-knit, lively communities overseas, we came to value the warmth of everyday connection. We wanted to create somewhere genuinely welcoming: not just beautiful buildings or impressive facilities, but a place where people know their neighbours, families feel at ease when they visit, and life still has friendship, spontaneity and fun in it.
That experience showed us how much it matters to have people around you in an easy, natural way: someone to have dinner with, walk with, ask for help, or simply laugh with. It is something many people hope to find again when they come home.
Andrew: Hencote is our way of bringing that feeling into later life in Britain. It is a place where people can keep their independence, but also feel part of something from day one.
Q: Tell us about the community itself. What do you hope daily life at Hencote will feel like
Andrew: We hope it feels easy, sociable and full of small pleasures. You are free from the maintenance burden of a large house, but you have not given up the things that make life feel rich.
If you want to swim, you will be able to walk to the clubhouse, with its 20-metre pool. There will be a gym, yoga and Pilates, and a spa. In the evening, you can meet friends in the bar for a sundowner, and The View restaurant will give residents somewhere wonderful to eat, overlooking the vines.
And then there are the quieter things: walking through the woodland, watching the red kites over the valley, sitting out by the lake, or stopping to talk to a neighbour on the way back from the vineyard. We want people to feel that the whole estate is part of their everyday life.
Independence also means keeping hold of the things you enjoy. A day out to watch the Tigers, the Reds or the Birmingham Bears; a shopping trip with afternoon tea and a show; bridge or canasta in the afternoon; helping in the winery during bottling; joining the harvest in September when the whole estate has a special energy. We want Hencote to free people up to do the things they love.
Practical help matters too, but it should never feel intrusive. Help with laundry, shopping, domestic chores will be on hand. Our plan is that every resident will receive two hours of complimentary domiciliary care each week, with more help available when it is needed.
Dora: There is also guest accommodation on the estate, so when family and friends visit, they can be properly looked after too. That matters. We want children, grandchildren and old friends to come because they enjoy being here. A real community is not closed off from family life; it makes family life easier to enjoy.
Q: The plan is to have different levels of support and care available as life changes. Can you explain what that means in practice?
Andrew: The idea is that you can move into your apartment and live independently for many years, knowing that if your needs change, support is already close by. We will have a new state of the art and beautifully designed care home here that will provide residential nursing care, including dementia care. It means you do not have to uproot yourself or ask your family to find somewhere suitable in a moment of crisis. It also means that if either a husband or wife needs more help, couples can still both remain living close by to each other in the community.
We want residents to feel known, supported and surrounded by familiar faces, whatever stage of life they are in.
Q: Having lived overseas yourselves, what do you think people miss when they return to Britain — and what might they hope to find again?
Andrew: I think people who have lived overseas often come back with a strong sense of what makes daily life feel easy and enjoyable. It is not luxury for its own sake; it is the comfort of knowing things work, people are nearby, and there is always someone to have dinner with or call on. Hencote offers that familiarity in a very English setting, with the countryside, the vineyard and a new community around you.
Dora: It is also about friendship. When you have lived abroad, you often learn to make community quickly. People include one another, make plans together and look after one another without making a fuss.
Andrew: We would love Hencote to have that same spirit, but in a way that feels natural rather than organised.
The practical side matters too. If people are still moving between the UK and elsewhere, they need to know that life here can be simple: they can lock up and leave, come back easily, and know that things are looked after. More than that, we want them to feel that coming home can be the beginning of a new chapter, with energy, people and possibility around them.
“For people returning from abroad, the question is not just where they will live. It is where they will feel at home again.”
Q: What sort of person do you think will feel at home at Hencote?
Andrew: I think it will appeal to people who still feel curious about life. People who want beauty and calm, but not silence. They may already live in Shropshire, or they may be coming from London, the south-east or much further afield, but they are looking for a beautiful setting and the warmth of people around them.
They will probably be people who have enjoyed full, active lives and want that to continue in a different way. They might love the countryside, good food, wine, conversation, family visits, walking, sport, culture or simply having friends nearby. What matters is that they want to feel part of daily life, not separate from it.
For some, Hencote will mean staying close to the landscape and town they already love, without the upkeep of a large house. For others, it may offer more freedom: a chance to simplify, enjoy a better lifestyle and travel more easily. But wherever people come from, I think they will share the same instinct: they do not want later life to feel smaller. They want it to feel sociable and full of possibility.
Q: How can residents get involved with the Vineyard?
Andrew: The vineyard is part of daily life, not just a backdrop. The 16 acres of vines and 26,000 plants, mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, produce around 35,000 bottles a year of sparkling and still wine. Residents will be living beside one of the foremost vineyard destinations in England and Wales, but the point is that they can enjoy it as part of everyday life.
But what matters most is how that brings people together. Vineyard tours, seasonal tastings, harvest days and the hospitality venue give residents reasons to gather and reasons for family and friends to visit. We like the idea that people will say, “Come to Hencote for the weekend,” and mean it with real pleasure. That changes the feeling of later life completely.
“We want Hencote to be a place where people do more than live comfortably. We want them to feel known, involved and fully alive.”
Q: Wellness has clearly shaped the way you have designed Hencote. What does it mean to you both?
Andrew: The facilities matter, of course, but wellness is really about how a place makes you feel every day. Space, connection to nature and outlook matter. The 180-degree views and the light across the vines and hills lift people.
Dora: So do the smaller things: a walk through the woodland, a seat by the lake, yoga, a cookery class or art lesson. Wellness should be woven into ordinary life, gently and naturally.
Q: Building work begins soon. What would you say to someone who is interested in finding out more about Hencote?
Andrew: For a start, I would say come and visit the vineyard. Walk the land, look out across Shrewsbury and the Welsh Hills, and get a feel for the place. Hencote makes most sense when you experience it for yourself.
There is something lovely about being among the first people to help shape a new community. The early residents will choose their apartments and outlooks, of course, but they will also help set the tone: the clubs that form, the routines that emerge, the friendships that grow. That is exciting, and we want people to feel invited into it.