The Temperleys

Somerset’s most glamorous siblings tell Rosanna Rothery about their refreshingly low‑key life on the farm

The name ‘Temperley’ may be polished by the lustre of catwalk glamour, thanks to eldest sibling Alice’s place in the industry’s glitterati, yet the quartet of Temperley siblings turns out to be the epitome of earthy Somerset living. Traditional cider‑making, artisan farming and huge family gatherings are as woven through the brand name as haute couture.

Alice Temperley MBE stepped into fashion’s limelight in the early 2000s as a result of her standout collection of intricately embroidered and hand‑printed garments. Since then, her romantic floor‑sweeping gowns have provided glamorous runway and red‑carpet moments for the likes of Madonna, Beyoncé, the Princess of Wales, Kate Moss and Angelina Jolie.

Second eldest, Mary, worked alongside Alice as Temperley London‘s commercial director before returning to Somerset to create her own line of natural skincare, Make.

Third‑born Matilda’s photographic talents have garnered a slew of high‑profile commissions, although these days she channels her creative energy into running the family cider farm at Burrow Hill in Somerset.

Youngest Henry, meanwhile, has his digits in all manner of creative pies. As well as being a filmmaker for his company Sibling and Rival, and owning a gym and a bar in East London, he runs The Good Apple with Matilda: an initiative that makes innovative products from cider‑apple waste.

A bohemian childhood

The collective of creative kin credit their entrepreneurial spirit to an unconventional upbringing on the family cider farm.

Matilda recalls being given a lot of freedom as a child. ‘The message was “Get out of the house and find something fun to do”,’ she says.

Mary recalls a bohemian childhood: ‘We ran pretty wild. Our mother (who was always doing creative things) and our father (who was busy building the cider business) maintained a can‑do attitude, and I think it gave us a sense of freedom to just go for things.’

Henry reminisces about sitting in their little farmhouse kitchen, five miles away from the nearest shop, and the daily menagerie of ‘weird and wonderful’ people who dropped by.

‘We got used to so many different types of people, the way they talked and the different things they cared about,’ he says. ‘They were often quite eccentric, too, from proper anarchists to money‑loving capitalists. The joy of being able to interact with all those different types of people was really special.’

Alice recalls how the homespun nature of her childhood (roaming around in dungarees with hay in her hair) kindled a desire in her for dressing up. ‘I used to sneak off to jumble sales to buy high heels, which my mum would hide from me,’ she laughs.

She remembers the fancy dress parties held on the farm, seeing her glamorous mother Diana dressed up for a night out and, aged 11, discovering film noir – all of which inspired her to study textiles and print at the Royal College of Art.

‘I was absolutely obsessed with bias‑cut dresses, feathers, print, embroidery and the glamour of escaping from being covered in mud and running around in hand‑me‑downs,’ she says.

Special Somerset

Due to the number of smallholders who farm the Somerset Levels, the siblings describe it as a unique place to live and work.

‘The lifestyle is not the same as north Somerset or Exmoor,’ says Matilda. ‘It’s all about hibernation in winter while, in the summer, it’s about outdoor activities. Many little cider farms open on weekends and the food scene is based around summer pop-ups.’

For Henry, the needs‑must ethos of living off the land fosters small‑scale enterprise. ‘Our part of Somerset is quite unique for having lots of people doing creative eccentric things in their own little bubble,’ he says.

During the pandemic, Alice took the life-changing decision to return to Somerset and move the Temperley London HQ to Ilminster.

‘I didn’t want my son to be a city boy,’ she says. ‘I wanted him to experience the seasons and space and to be close to his cousins and the cider farm, which is the homing beacon for us all.’

She now splits her time between London and Somerset and admits to feeling a sense of relief when she hits her home county.

‘In the city I can run around at a hundred miles an hour but I need to come back to my animals, my family and my own space,’ she says.

Alice is careful to ensure her label maintains its global presence by having outlets in the capital and the Middle East, but she also enjoys forging connections locally. For instance, a new Temperley tweed is being created in collaboration with traditional clothmakers Fox Brothers in nearby Wellington.

‘It’s such a joy to be able to do business just up the road here in Somerset,’ she says.

Family gatherings

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and the Temperley sisters have gravitated back into the orbit of the orchards where they roamed as children. Each has a home not far from Burrow Hill while Henry loves to bring his London chums and all their kids down for camping holidays.

‘The farm feels like its own little island, especially in the summer,’ he says. ‘It’s amazing to take time to get into all the things the farm produces. You don’t really need to go out too much to find entertainment.’

Matilda loves springtime on the farm when they host events like circuses, foodie pop-ups and live music. Mary and Alice look forward to the legendary Temperley parties and picnics which often feature fancy dress.

‘There’s a sense of complete liberation, freedom and fun shared by multiple generations,’ says Alice. ‘It’s the grandfather dancing with the kid who can only just walk.’

Heritage and sustainability

As managing director of the 250‑acre farm, Matilda is custodian of the family’s heritage of cider making, a rural craft with sustainability at its core. The Temperleys moved to Burrow Hill in the 1960s but cider has been made at the farm for over 300 years – the now‑famous Somerset Cider Brandy added to the repertoire in the 1980s.

Dad Julian was the originator of the current range of artisan drinks – most famously sold from The Cider Bus at Glastonbury Festival – but now his offspring are searching for new ways to make the business sustainable for future generations.

One of these is Matilda and Henry’s joint venture, The Good Apple, which turns pomace from the apple‑pressing process into a nutritious substrate that’s perfect for cultivating blue oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms. They’ve also got an apple pomace granola and a line of cider vinegar/ CBD drinks in the pipeline.

Mary, too, has an eye for repurposing. ‘I’m growing and distilling lavender at the farm for my skincare range. Three years ago I managed to get an old copper still, that had been sitting around in the yard for 40 years, working again,’ she says.

Down‑to‑earth glamour

Despite striking looks and a glittering output in film, photography, skincare and fashion, the siblings insist they are all essentially craftspeople at heart.

‘Day to day, it’s about getting up and making something that didn’t exist the day before, and that’s quite grounding,’ says Henry.

Matilda agrees: ‘You wouldn’t find us glamorous if you saw us on the farm on a day‑to‑day basis.’

Even Alice, whose modern-bohemian designs are worn by some of the planet’s most stylish celebs, reminds us that her muse wouldn’t be someone sporting full evening dress with matching heels and handbag.

‘My muse could have grown up on a cider farm, running barefoot through the fields with her hair down,’ she says.

The Temperley’s Somerset

Where do you like to food shop?

‘Pitney Farm Shop,’ says Matilda. ‘It’s a fantastic little organic farm that sells its own produce. The high standards really show in the food.’

Where do you take friends when they visit?

‘My last really good experience was taking friends to the top of Glastonbury Tor on the winter solstice,’ says Henry. ‘The crowd was made up of an interesting mix of druids bringing in the dawn and curious 9‑to‑5 professionals.’

Best tips for shopping?

‘Shepton Mallet flea market in Somerset and Bridport Market in Dorset,’ says Mary. ‘If you go there looking for something you generally never find it, but then you’ll come across something else quite amazing.’

Favourite pub?

‘We love the Lord Poulett Arms in Hinton Saint George,’ says Matilda. ‘It’s a cosy pub with great food.’

Where do you go for a day out?

‘Dennis Chinaworks in Shepton Beachamp,’ says Alice. ‘They have a fantastic cafe and the best secret vintage glass shop. You can buy boxes of stuff for not very much.’

Best street food in the South West?

‘Basement Tacos is a lovely family‑run pop‑up specialising in fantastic Mexican food,’ says Henry. ‘They always create a great atmosphere.’

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