The Newt in Somerset has helped put a new cheesemaking venture on the arrivals board at Castle Cary station.
Nostalgia for a bygone era rich in culture, creativity, and craftsmanship was a central motivation for restoring the working dairy next to platform one at Castle Cary’s Victorian train station – where, long ago, local farmers would deliver churns of milk to be made into cheese and taken to London by rail.
In the old milk factory built by the Prideaux brothers in 1912 – bombed during World War II and finally shut down amid the industry decline of the 1960s – half-forgotten artisan skills have made a comeback.
Today, cheesemaker Margaretha Van Dam and co. can be seen working hard, producing traditional soft cheeses and yoghurt using fresh milk from the herd of water buffalo residing just up the road at The Newt in Somerset. It’s The Newt team that has driven the project, which has seen public and private sector collaboration to bring the community together, improve facilities, and make Castle Cary’s railway station a foodie destination.
A Station Stop Worth Making
“For anyone who considers themselves both train lover and turophile, its arrival is a particular treat.”
It’s been given a smart red-brick extension, as well as a lovely café and farm shop – all inspired by the early 20th-century golden age of rail travel, industrial invention, and global wanderlust.
The trackside Creamery is low-key dreamy by any standards, but especially for those who adore both cheese and locomotives. Cheesemaking rooms are visible behind glass partitions, retro signs decorate the space, and vintage-style artwork conjures the spirit of the station’s halcyon days.
Eat Like a Railway King
Perch at the green tiled bar or settle into a brown leather railway carriage booth for:
- Buffalo burgers
- Daily soups with apple-waste sourdough
- Signature mozzarella with lemon zest and Babylonstoren olive oil
All ingredients come from the butchery and market gardens at The Newt, and The Creamery shares the same farm-to-table ethos.
Breakfast tip: Try the eggy bread with brioche loaf, toasted almonds, whipped vanilla hangop (strained yoghurt), and apple compote.
For kids: There’s buffalo milk yoghurt with apple and walnut granola.
Coming Soon: Garden Carriages
Keep an eye out for the completion of the restored railway carriages in the garden – these vintage saloons will soon be available for private hire.
Arriving at this Somerset gateway, train travellers – including Glastonbury Festival-goers each June – now get a picture-perfect first impression of the county with this destination-worthy pitstop.
Say cheese.
