See all properties
Entire home

Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country.

Photo gallery for Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country.

Living area
Property grounds
Our cottage
Dining
The dining room at night

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 511 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Free WiFi
  • Outdoor Space

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Twin Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden

About this property

Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country.

Our popular cottage provides a comfortable base to explore the local area. Shaftesbury is renowned for its stunning location and Barbers Cottage provides a central location to stay at with all the lovely cafes and boutique shops within a couple of minutes walk. Internal exposed stonework and beams couple with a house which is designed to be a home from home.
A large living space has two sofas, and a gas 'wood' burning stove - cool in the summer and cosy warm in winter months. A large 6-seater dining room with limed, solid oak furniture is adjacent to an excellently equipped kitchen with range cooker and both lead onto a private terrace with garden tables and chairs. There is a lovely raised terrace as well which is perfect for idyllic morning sun (and a coffee) giving you in-town peace and tranquility. Through the gate, steps lead you to the lawn and unique, mature garden - a plant lovers paradise and a place to play games with children.
Upstairs the large master bedroom has a king size bed and original ceiling beams (an extra person can be accommodated here)with vintage furniture. The twin bedroom leads from a large landing. The bathroom, with a separate shower, has a roll top double end bath and and a loo. There is a second loo upstairs.
The furniture has been chosen to be as sustainable as possible - FSC wood or vintage. Cotton sheets and comfy beds add to a very enjoyable stay.

IN A WEEK.....
- browse the boutiques, cafes, antique and craft shops
- buy fresh bread and cakes at local artisan bakers
- have a lunch at the Grosvenor's restaurant or go for a sandwich in the salt cellar at the top of Gold Hill with stunning views (if you remember the Hovis advert!)
- walk on the downs (this is an area of outstanding natural beauty) or take the views in from Park Walk in town, past the Abbey and to the other side on Castle Hill and admire the magnificent views towards Glastonbury Tor and the Downs
- have a swim in the outdoor pool in town (in summer)
- watch the sun set from the Mitre pub back deck
- walk down (rather than up) Gold Hill, from the Hovis Ads

or visit castles, safaris parks, English houses and gardens, the jurrassic coast, stonehenge, farms or go for a swim in the sea.

or just relax in our comfortable cottage drinking tea and eating gorgeous cake that can we can have waiting for you by request.

Worth a trip:
Shaftesbury boasts lots of independent shops from delis to cake shops to cafes. Try the Chutneys at the Deli or the morning croissants at the Bakers. The Mitre pub in town has a back deck with views down the Blackmore Vale, a great early evening spot in the summer. There are many walks straight from town which can take you to the heart of the countryside and the Cambourne Chase.

Our House / Young Kids?:
The garden was created by a keen gardener and there is a top lawn which in spring and summer is bursting in colour and plants. The terrace which can be accessed by the back door or fence windows is a great place to relax or have a BBQ. A gate to the steps and the rest of the garden means toddlers can play without you worrying about them walking up the steps.

Other things for Kids

There are games and books for children to use. The house is equipped with a high chair, cot, blender, microwave and other things that parents with babies and toddlers may need. The local area has hundreds of things for children to do from longleaf Safari Park to Old Castles - it would be difficult to get bored even in the rain.

Markets in town:
Every Tuesday - Antiques Market (Town Hall)
Every Weds Early Evening - Paella outside the town hall
1st saturday of every month - Farmers Market
1st sunday of the month - a fabulous market
Thursday mornings - WI Country Market (Town Hall)

DORSET COUNTY FAIR - September
SNOWDROP FESTIVAL feb - March
SHAFTESBURY FESTIVAL - June for a week
SHAFTESBURY OPEN GARDENS - June
GOLD HILL FAIR first week of July
LAMER TREE FESTIVAL July
SHAFTESBURY CARNIVAL September
Gillingham Carnival Oct
Jane Austen Lyme Regis Weekend Oct
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

Add dates for prices

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

Traditional converted barn with private garden
The Byre lovely stone barn in rural location on the Somerset and Dorset Border
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
10.0 out of 10, Exceptional, (31 reviews)
The Byre lovely stone barn in rural location on the Somerset and Dorset Border

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
default

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Please note no vaping is allowed or charging of escooters or bikes.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock

We should mention

A car is not required for transportation to and from this property

About the neighborhood

Shaftesbury

Located in Shaftesbury, this cottage is in a rural area and near theme parks. Melbury Vale Winery and Rushmore Golf Club are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Center Parcs Longleat Forest and Shaftesbury Arts Centre. Traveling with kids? Consider Riversmeet Leisure Centre and Larmer Tree Gardens. Discover the area's water adventures with fishing and swimming nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with horse riding and hiking.
View more Cottages in ShaftesburyOpens in a new window
Map
Shaftesbury, Dorset

What's nearby

  • Gold Hill Museum - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Shaftesbury Arts Centre - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Garden - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Cranborne Chase and the West Wiltshire Downs - 2 min drive - 2.1 km
  • Stonehenge - 33 min drive - 44.7 km

Getting around

  • Gillingham Dorset Station - 11 min drive
  • Bournemouth (BOH-Bournemouth Intl.) - 55 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The John Peel - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪The Udder Farm Shop - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Costa Coffee - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Kings Arms - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Costa Coffee - ‬5 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Does Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country. have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

How much does it cost to stay at Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country.?

As of Mar 30, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country. on Apr 7, 2026 start from $172, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Onsite parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country.?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Historic cottage in the heart of Shaftesbury's Saxon area - town and country. located?

This family-friendly Shaftesbury cottage is located in a rural location, within a 10-minute walk of Gold Hill Museum, Shaftesbury Arts Centre, and Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Garden. Cranborne Chase and the West Wiltshire Downs and Melbury Vale Winery are also within 2 mi (3 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 35 out of 47 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 11 out of 47 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 47 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 47 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 47 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Liz P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A beautiful, cosy cottage which is perfectly situated for strolling around Shaftesbury. Lovely local pubs within walking distance, plenty of walks and fantastic sunsets!A home from home - a lot of thought and extra touches made our stay just perfect - will certainly be visiting again.Sally, our host, was friendly and extremely helpful during our stay - thank you Sally.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Bill M.

The property was very comfortable and its location brilliant

Had a great relaxed time. Lovely to find somewhere close to the town and that had a lovely garden to relax in.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

racey l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We stayed for Christmas as family of 4 and had a lovely time. The house has lots of character and really nicely decorated where the owners have clearly paid attention to details not only in decoration but on the little touches like milk in the fridge and cookies on arrival as well as wine and chocolates as gifts for Christmas !House was in a great location that is close to shops, restaurants and local walking. We had a lovely short stay and would have loved to stay longer!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robert G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The best

Excellant
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Felicity S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Central location

Lovely cottage in the heart if Shaftesbury. Well equipped and comfortable. Great base for exploring the surrounding area and an excellent Indian restaurant on the same street (Chutney’s).
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tricia R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Christmas stay

I booked the cottage for family members visiting over Christmas and was delighted w my choice. The house itself is beautifully appointed and has been sympathetically extended. It was a pleasure to welcome my travel weary relatives into such a warm and restful space. Everything went smoothly from the minute I contacted the host through the cpl of amendments made and then the key pickup. I would definitely recommend this cottage and hosts to anyone visiting the town.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jacky T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great base for exploring this part of Dorset

Lovely, quirky, old property well renovated to maximise useable space. Well appointed and well supplied with disposables (loo roll, dishwasher tablets etc). Small issue with slow draining shower resolved promptly.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Helen C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful cottage

We had the most fantastic 5 days staying at this beautiful and very comfortable cottage. We had everything we needed, the beds were so comfortable, the garden is heavenly and the location is fantastic.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robert S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect local feel

Great place in a perfect English town. Great area and walking distance to everything. Having a parking spot was a must and extremely helpful. Our fam of four absolutely loved our stay
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2022
Verified

8/10 Good

Roger W.

Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy

Pre winter break

Ideal location for walking and exploring - very comfy cottage located close to all the amenities of the small town.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

john d.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

August Week

Superb location for visiting the surrounding areas. Ideal as the property is on the edge of the town centre and everything you need is within walking distance
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

8/10 Good

louise v.

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing property

Lovely property and a great stay but the check in process was really confusing, I had no idea of the address where the key safe was kept. I asked 2 local people for directions and finally found it after 30 mins.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emma L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fabulous

What a stunning cottage! Quirky, but very spacious. We really enjoyed our stay, the cottage had everything we needed. Hosts were fantastic - we had an issue with the shower and the handyman arrived within 15 minutes of my phone call to Sally! Super, I’d highly recommend.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kim B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Cottage and Garden

A super, well-equipped cottage full of charm and character with a well-designed, spacious layout. Very comfortably and tastefully furnished. The garden is very pretty and a large part of it was in the sun all day long in September. The parking space at the back of the property was very useful. All the attractions of the historic centre of Shaftesbury are within easy walking distance. The owner was very friendly and helpful. Everything you could want for a relaxing holiday.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2020
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Monica K.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely cottage in Shaftesbury

Really beautiful cottage, very comfortable and near the town, with cafes, restaurants and nice views nearby. The downstairs room is very cozy and comfy. Upstairs, nice towels, linen, and pillows, comfy beds. Plenty of storage for clothes, a nice bath, everything set with a calming atmosphere in mind, and in good working order. Sally clearly knows how to host and gave us some great ideas of things to do, all very much appreciated. The kitchen is well equipped but due to CV19 cutlery was reduced (not sure why) so we had to wash them every time instead of loading the dishwasher. Overall cleanness (bathroom and kitchen) could improve, yet this didn't spoil our stay. Very relaxing. We wouldn't hesitate to come back or recommend this place.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tracy H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just Lovely!

Wonderfully comfortable, cosy and welcoming - we have stayed twice, and look forward very much to returning one day. Sally was enormously helpful, and very patient with me when I got in a muddle over dates - she could not have done more.
Verified

8/10 Good

Sue L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Barbers Cottage

spacious, comfortable, excellent location
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Victoria M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Berber cottage - the cottage was delightful and thoughtfully equipped. Would definitely recommend!

The rental experience was straightforward and easy. Sally answered any queries promptly. Shaftesbury is lovely, a really pretty town set in amazing countryside. However we spent a lot of time driving south ( which is quite time consuming) so would probably base ourselves nearer the coast in the future.
Verified

8/10 Good

JULIA W.

Lovely cottage, good location

We stayed for a week over Christmas. Lovely cottage, decorated beautifully and very clean. Very thoughtful welcome gifts were an unexpected surprise!! Has all the amenities that you'd need and the parking space is very handy. The location in the centre of Shaftesbury is very convenient for shops, pubs and restaurants. Some lovely walks nearby, recommend Fontmell Down. Four stars instead of five only because of the single glazing that makes traffic noise and people very loud sometimes. Neighbor with dogs was also somewhat disruptive, but overall these minor distrubances did not detract from a wonderful stay, thanks!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2018
Verified

8/10 Good

Jane S.

Cosy Cottage in Central Location

Lovely cottage which is very close to the town centre, with the added bonus of a parking space. We had a lovely few days with amazing weather and would heartily recommend Shaftesbury as a base from which to explore the area. One comment - would suggest that the kitchen lighting be improved as it was a little dull for cooking in the evening.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tracy H.

Idyllic

Spotless, pretty, comfortable, cosy and ideal for us.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Raúl G.

Amazing house and very convenient for those with children

Stayed there with familly for 3 nights. The place is very clean. Beds are comfy and the kitchen very well equipped. Sally, the owner, was allways helpful when we had any questions. The house is located in very centre of shaftesbury so you can walk around easily. It has a parking place just at the back of the property, just 1 minute walk. After a day out you can relax in the garden! Strongly recommended, will be back.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018
Verified

8/10 Good

Debbie M.

Barber cottage well located to the village town center.

The overall experience was delightful. Loved having the half bath. Parking space a wonderful addition. When railing is installed on steps it will give easy access to entering cottage through garden. The key pick up was complicated due to the typo in email for the address. The GPS did not recognize (Pasrons Poole) nor did locals.The key box is not located at cottage but off property. We finally discovered that the street is Parsons Poole for lockbox. We had issues with lack of hot water but the problem was solved. Kitchen well stocked, beds comfortable. We would come back again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tracy S.

Wonderful Cottage

The cottage has everything you need is generously sized with a lovely garden to enjoy. The bedrooms are very comfortable and it was nice and cool in the warm weather. The parking space behind the cottage is also an added bonus. There is plenty to do and see nearby and the shops are very handy. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kirsten T.

Cosy cottage with lovely garden

Perfectly fitted, comfortable cottage in the centre of Shaftesbury. Large kitchen. The garden has seats and benches in several areas. A real home from home we would love to revisit.

About the host

Hosted by Sally Warren

Host profile image

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

Hotels

Vacation Rentals