STEPHEN WEBB enjoys the modern delights of Littlecote House which still preserves links with its glorious history

IT’S all about the past at Littlecote House.

There is the distant past, when the Romans occupied this patch of land amid the rolling hills on what is now the Wiltshire/Berkshire border, building themselves a comfy villa beside the River Kennet and designing an exquisite mosaic which can still be seen today.

There is medieval Littlecote, with the first Littlecote House built in the 13th century, before the glory days of the Tudor and Stuart periods – guests have included Elizabeth I, Charles II and William of Orange.

There is wartime Littlecote – during the Second World War the house, for a time, was the headquarters of the 34th Army Tank Brigade and later the US 101st Airborne Division and the 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

There is Littlecote the playground, when in the 1980s it was owned by entertainment entrepreneur Peter de Savary, who turned the site into part historic house, part theme park.

And the very recent past was celebrated during my weekend at Littlecote, when the glories of pop supergroup Take That were revived by tribute band Re-Take That.

How times have changed.

Lovers of history and heritage may rue recent turns of events, but were it not for a company like Warners, which now runs the site as part of its historic houses chain of hotels, Littlecote may not be seen and appreciated by the public at all.

We saw a great deal of Littlecote during our short break, and appreciated pretty much all of it.

You see, what conversions and additions have been made by Warners, they are tasteful and sympathetic to the essence of Littlecote; the concept may be 21st century leisure and entertainment, but that never rides roughshod over what the house has stood for for centuries.

As you approach along the long driveway, Littlecote looks like a typical English country house. But when you enter the bright, airy reception area, the modern changes become evident.

And our room - clean and comfortable, if unremarkable - was part of a wing that seemed to have been added to the older building, but you couldn't see the join.

The weather was kind to us on this overnight Saturday/Sunday stay, so we didn't want to sit around in our room for long - so we sat in the delightful garden just outside the bar instead, sipping our drinks, soaking up some rare sunshine... and recovering from the bizarre sight, just by the bar entrance, of a life-size plastic horse with a lamp and shade coming out of its head. My wife attempted to take a photograph of it with her phone, and was immediately approached by a member of staff, who offered to photograph her standing next to the moulded equid. She politely declined.

The garden area was fragrant with blooms, and so peaceful it was tempting to spend the rest of the afternoon there. But there was work to do, and so we embarked on a short exploration of the grounds, taking in the bowling green, tennis courts, and even Littlecote's "beach", complete with sand and deckchairs. Indeed, all the beach lacked was some water to swim in - not a problem: Littlecote's leisure club has, among its many facilities, a swimming pool. That's where I was headed next - my wife declined the invitation of a "quick dip" in favour of another white wine spritzer to go with the newspapers and the shade of the garden - and enjoyed a brisk swim and sauna, which helped work up an appetite for dinner.

There are two restaurants at Littlecote - we dined in Pophams, we're most guests take their meals. It was very busy during our visit, but the service was excellent and the food was good. While my wife wasn't especially enamoured with her carvery, but I enjoyed my pulled beef wellington, which I chose from the limited but interesting menu.

For a supplement and a more exclusive dining experience, guests can choose to eat at Oliver's Bistro, which is located in the older part of the building.

After dinner the night was still young, and the main attraction was still to come. Sadly, all seats were taken at the main entertainment area, but the stage could be easily observed from the bar, where we bagged a table - in the shadow of the gigantic horse lamp - and watched the show. I'll admit, I was never a big fan of Take That and didn't really expect Re-Take That to change my opinion. But they hurtled through their hits and had the crowd waving their arms and singing along. It was if Gary Barlow and the boys had never been away.

And so, with Relight My Fire still ringing in my ears, it was time for bed.

Check out time was 10 the next morning, and as the weather was glorious we didn't want to dash away. So after a hearty breakfast in Pophams, we stowed our bags in the car and enjoyed a more extensive stroll around the 113 acres of landscaped gardens and grounds.

This really is a place for history buffs and the old part of Littlecote House is a warren of nooks and crannies crying out to be explored, from the atmospheric chapel, to the creepy haunted bedroom, where even with the late morning sunshine pouring in through the window, it still sent shivers down the spine. This room has panelled walls, antique furniture and a grand four-poster bed - all it lacked was a ghost. The eerie wailing of a long-dead baby are said to emanate from this room, but all I could hear was the shrieking of children playing on the lawn outside.

And a short walk away is Littlecote's famous Roman mosaic, a carefully preserved treasure that was first discovered in 1727 and forms part of the floor of a long-gone villa. The views from this part of the estate, of rolling hills and woodland, are delightful.

So whether it's the 21st century or the 1st century, whether it's the Tudors or a Take That tribute band, there is just about something for everyone at Littlecote.

And don't even think about getting bored. As well as a range of music and comedy acts lined up throughout the year, Littlecote has plenty of activities to keep guests busy - as well as the aforementioned bowls and tennis, you can take part in archery, putting, snooker, air rifle shooting, table tennis and dancing.

So enjoy a short break at Littlecote House, but take my advice and while you are there, keep one foot in the past.

LITTLECOTE House is in Berkshire, close to the town of Hungerford and about a half hour's drive from Swindon.

It hosts a variety of weekend and midweek breaks, all featuring live entertainment. A current offer sees July breaks starting at £67 per person per night, and in August they start at £71. Check the website at www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk/hotels/littlecote-house-hotel, or call reception on 01488 682 509 for the latest deals.

There are four types of room at Littlecote - Standard, Signature (which is what we stayed in), Royale, and, if you really want to push the boat out, Historic, which look like they are the ultimate in indulgence.