Idyllic 16th Century English Country Cottage

United Kingdom - Worcestershire - Tenbury Wells

Home exhange in,United Kingdom,Tenbury Wells,House photos, home images
  • Sleeping capacity5
  • Bedrooms3
  • Bathrooms1

Non-simultaneous Home Exchange

Simultaneous Home Exchange

Homesit Offered

Smoking Not Allowed

Children Welcome

Use of Personal Car is preferred

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We are looking for a home exchange in ...

Open to all dates Orlando, FL, USA

Our Home For Exchange

Description of the home we are offering for exchange

Our picturesque black & white, timber-framed country cottage was built back in the 1530's (that’s even before William Shakespeare was born!) for the local miller and his family and retains most of it's original features - inglenook fireplaces, exposed wooden beams, flagstone flooring downstairs and original floorboards upstairs - yet has been sympathetically modernised to provide cosy and comfortable living for the 21st century.

Set in a beautifully tranquil little valley, amidst rolling wildflower meadows and wooded glades, it is a nature lovers paradise - with endless country walks direct from the front door, either along hedgerow-lined lanes, across sheep scattered fields or through shady woodlands. Being surrounded by Jane Austen-esque British countryside means there are stunning views from every window of the cottage.

With a babbling brook running alongside the cottage and through the gardens Kingfishers and other native wildlife can be spotted & enjoyed from numerous seated areas, aswell as simply from the comfort of the sitting room. Infact the whole cottage is really a nature hide!

Plus, the brook entices even the hardened shoe wearer to kick aside their footwear and have a paddle! The more adventurous among us can spend hours, if not days, swimming & splashing about in the clear water hunting for little fish and aquatic creatures.

Our fairylight-adorned, undercover al-fresco dining area is complete with fireplace and pizza oven, allowing you to enjoy outdoor living whatever the weather! And our permanent firepit, encircled with tree-stump seating, is perpetually ready for toasting those marshmallows!

The cottage has two main bedrooms upstairs, with a kingsize bed in the master and a large single, plus double sofabed available, in the second. There is also a double sofabed in the playroom downstairs, which could easily be converted into a third bedroom if needed; the bed could then be folded back up each morning to allow you to utilise the space as a playroom again during the days. Although the sofabeds are doubles I would class them as small doubles and may not be wholly comfortable for a large adult couple for more than a few days - though my parents (in their 70's) sleep on them occasionally for several days at a time and are fine, but I mention it for you to bear in mind.

We have the main family bathroom upstairs, with a bath and shower, and an additional WC conveniently located downstairs in the utility room.

The sittingroom is dual aspect, looking over the brook on one side (where you can watch for Kingfishers, Dippers and ducklings!) and over the front garden towards the meadows beyond from the other. It retains the original flagstone flooring from over 400 years ago and a wonderfully effective log burner, to take the nip off any chilly evenings and encourage some cosying-up to your loved ones! (Plus, is home to a large TV, as, my husband would say, we’re not Neanderthals!)

We also have a bright and airy sunroom, looking out over the front garden, with a dining table and seating for six (or possibly more, as one side of seating is a church pew), plus two very comfy, large armchairs, perfect for enjoying a nice cup of tea with a good book whilst keeping an eye on the birds on the birdfeeders.

Our home, and ourselves, encourage relaxed, comfortable living. It is a working and functioning home and thus not a show home, so please don’t expect 5 star luxury. It is clean, tidy and should have everything that you’ll need for an amazing holiday, plus with a wealth of history in every nook and cranny!

It is our little patch of paradise that we’re willing to share with you.

Type

House - 2 or more floors/ Main Residence


Amenities

  • Cleaning service available
  • Dishwasher
  • Clothes Washer
  • Clothes Dryer
  • Microwave Oven
  • Extensive Grounds
  • Peaceful Surroundings
  • View
  • Fireplace
  • Privacy / Seclusion
  • Furnished with Antiques
  • Equipped for Children
  • Garden
  • Heating
  • Private parking
  • Terrace / Patio

Entertainment

  • DVD
  • TV
  • Wireless Internet (WiFi)
  • Family Room / Playroom

Setting

  • Rural

Neighbourhood

Description of our neighbourhood and surrounding area

Although we are tucked away in a secluded spot and feel that we are miles away from anywhere, we are, in actual fact, only 2 minutes drive from the small, historic market town of Tenbury Wells (www.tenburywells.info), which Queen Victoria affectionately called “my little town in the orchard”, due to the surrounding apple orchards. We are still known for our apples, along with hops, so have many local beers and ciders for you to sample!

Tenbury does boast more than just beer and cider (and sheep!) though and we have a beautiful art deco theatre (opened in 1937), that doubles up as a cinema and community hall, that is well worth a visit ( www.regaltenbury.co.uk) We also have the oldest round market in the country, still open and trading several days a week, a farmers market once a week, selling local produce, aswell as historic buildings and churches abound – dating from as far back as the 12th century!

Of-course, nestled in amongst the old we also have the new (though not too prominently I hope) and have on offer a swimming pool, gym, tennis courts, a library, museum, numerous coffee shops, restaurants & gift shops, aswell as the essential supermarkets and independent food shops, plus parks and playgrounds. The river Teme also runs through the town offering up swimming in the summer and the feeding of ducks all year round.

Only 20 minutes drive away is the medieval market town of Ludlow (http://www.ludlow.org.uk) that boasts an 11th century castle and history up the wazoo! The town is nationally renowned for its food & drink, hosting many foodie festivals each year, and being home to numerous world-class restaurants, plus the world-famous Feathers Hotel pub. The town’s architecture is stunning, giving the impression it has been lifted straight out of Harry Potter! A trip to Ludlow would not be complete, however, without a trip to the famous Mousetrap - a tiny, but jam-packed treasure trove of cheeses, local and not, that for any cheese-lover (like myself) is Valhalla! Plus, keep your eyes peeled as the legendary Robert Plant lives here!

If you prefer things a little more cosmopolitan we are just a 3-hour drive from central London and 1 hour from England’s second major city, Birmingham, plus a short drive from the historic towns of Kidderminster, Hereford, Worcester, Shrewsbury and Leominster. We are also only a few miles from the border between England and Wales, so you could visit two countries for the price of one!

If the mood took you, you could also visit Paris or Amsterdam for a few days, as it’s just over 2 hours to Paris from London, on the Eurostar train, and 5 hours to Amsterdam…we really have it all!

Outdoor Activities

  • Biking
  • Cultural Events
  • Fishing
  • Golfing
  • Gym / Health Club
  • Tennis
  • Horseback Riding
  • Public Swimming Pool
  • River

Leisure

  • Park / Playground
  • Cafés
  • Gym / Health Club
  • Restaurants
  • Shopping

Cultural Activities

  • Concerts
  • Museums
  • Popular Monuments
  • Theatre

Transport Nearby

  • Bus
  • Train Station
  • Car Necessary

Neighbourhood Services

  • Bakery
  • Corner Shop
  • Pharmacy
  • Supermarket

Attractions

Our home exchange - places to go and things to do while staying in our home

Only 20 minutes drive away is the medieval market town of Ludlow (http://www.ludlow.org.uk) that boasts an 11th century castle and history up the wazoo! The town is nationally renowned for its food & drink, hosting many foodie festivals each year, and being home to numerous world-class restaurants, plus the world-famous Feathers Hotel pub. The town’s architecture is stunning, giving the impression it has been lifted straight out of Harry Potter! A trip to Ludlow would not be complete, however, without a trip to the famous Mousetrap - a tiny, but jam-packed treasure trove of cheeses, local and not, that for any cheese-lover (like myself) is Valhalla! Plus, keep your eyes peeled as the legendary Robert Plant lives here!

If you are a Shakespeare buff, like myself, you’ll want a trip to his birthplace and home in Stratford Upon Avon (www.shakespeare.org.uk), just an hours drive away. Walk around the house he was born in (and notice how identical it is to our cottage!), take in one of his plays performed by the world-class Royal Shakespeare Company or just sit in his gardens and soak up the bard…” I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, with sweet musk-roses and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight.”....sounds like our garden!

If there are thrill-seekers amongst you we are just 2 hours away from the UK's biggest theme park, Alton Towers (www.altontowers.com) which boasts the world's first vertical drop rollercoaster, plus loads of other terrifying, yet for some, awesome rides, plus waterpark.

If you prefer things a little more cosmopolitan we are just a 3-hour drive from central London and 1 hour from England’s second major city, Birmingham. Plus, if the mood took you, you could visit Paris or Amsterdam for a few days, as it’s just over 2 hours to Paris from London, on the Eurostar train, and 5 hours to Amsterdam!

We are just a short drive from the historic towns of Kidderminster, Hereford, Worcester, Shrewsbury and Leominster and not far from the border between England and Wales, so you could visit two countries for the price of one!

Gosh, how will you fit it all in?!

Our Preferences

Our home exchange - here are our Preferences and House Rules

Our home, and ourselves, encourage relaxed, comfortable living. We want your holiday here to be fun & enjoyable, so as long as it's left reasonably tidy and the dishes are done we'll be happy.

Conditions

  • Children Welcome
  • Pets Not Allowed
  • Smoking Not Allowed
  • Pet Care Offered
  • Plant Care Not Needed

Use of Personal Car

  • Use of Personal Car is preferred

Home Exchange Type

  • Non-simultaneous Home Exchange
  • Simultaneous Home Exchange
  • Homesit Offered
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