The Experience
This beautiful little Victorian House is in one of Suffolk’s prettiest villages set in the beautiful Stour Vale.
It has a lovely ‘Cottage’ garden which is fully enclosed and very close by you can walk along the footpath by the river Stour, which runs through the village. There are walks in all directions and little lanes to cycle down
Cottage Walk Through
You enter the cottage from the off road courtyard, where you can park your car, and through a gate into the pretty back garden. The kitchen breakfast room opens out through French doors onto a glass covered patio where you can enjoy a meal in comfort looking out into this lovely walled ‘Cottage’ garden.
Beyond the kitchen there is a cosy little dining room with many original Victorian features including a hidden ‘cupboard’ staircase
The dining room leads through to a very comfortable sitting room with a lovely open log fire.
Behind the cupboard door in the dining room are the stairs up to the 3 bedrooms and bathroom; typical of a Victorian cottage, these stairs are quite steep with treads narrower than modern stairs. Care is therefore needed when using them.
My Aunt had the same kind of hidden staircase and until I found out that they were actually behind a door in her sitting room, I always though she never went to bed but was some kind of ‘Super Aunt’ on the go day and night.
Upstairs there is a large double bedroom a small single bedroom and a tight double bedroom overlooking the garden.
The bathroom has a bath with a shower fixed above it with glass pull out panels.
There is central heating throughout.
Romney is set back slightly from the main road that runs through this pretty village, its entrance is through its back garden so it faces towards the sun and away from the road. Romney enjoys private off-road parking
This cottage will really appeal to guests looking for a characterful cottage in an unspoiled village location with great walks and pubs.
Please note that outside High Season this cottage offers a reduced rate for just two guests, who use one bedroom only.
The Garden
The owners are keen gardeners and have created a really pretty area behind this house, part of which winds down to their own house and part of which is the pretty walled garden that Romney looks out onto.
There are 2 places to sit out in the garden to enjoy sunshine in the morning or afternoon and one of them is covered so even on less than perfect day it is still possible to sit out if it’s warm enough and enjoy a meal or glass of wine ‘Al Fresco’.
Outside
The village of Cavendish is particularly pretty with a beautiful Village Green captured by many painters and photographers because of its perfectly placed Suffolk Pink cottages and historic church. Cavendish has 1 pub The Five Bells and Long Melford is a short drive away with many excellent Gastro Pubs and restaurants.
There is a community shop, a tearoom and there is the excellent Willow Tree Farm Shop with a cafe less than a mile away.
There are very pretty walks and cycle rides straight from the Cottage.
Green Credentials
The owners have retained much of the Victorian character of this cottage and added to it with period furniture, and where possible eco friendly cleaning materials are used.
There are maps to guide you round the footpaths to enjoy the local area
Please note that there are no bikes available at this cottage, but you are welcome to bring your own or if you call the office you can pick some up from Grove Farm which is just 15 minutes away and cycle round the lovely countryside there.
Local Area
Cavendish is just a few minutes’ drive up river from Long Melford which is where the TV series Lovejoys was based and is a bustling Medieval Village crammed with pubs, restaurants, shops, antique shops and warehouses and 2 stately homes:
Kentwell Hall is world famous for its Tudor Re-enactments and a fabulous place to visit as it is so untouched in all its moated Tudor Splendour
Melford Hall is also very impressive and owned by The National Trust who state: “Around every corner there’s a new twist in the story – from Beatrix Potter sketches to collections of naval paintings and Chinese porcelain”
The famous ‘Wool’ Church and the stately homes of Kentwell Hall and Melford Hall (NT) are just on the other side of the Green.
To find out all the pubs, Restaurants, walks, villages and much more in order of distance from Romney please click here
Supermarkets and shops are within a 10 minute drive.
The famous village of Lavenham ‘England’s best preserved Medieval Village’ is just 8 miles away.
The pretty village of Clare with its Antique Warehouse and walks round the castle ruins and up the disused railway footpath beside the river is just 2 miles away and always a treat.
There are many great country pubs, some special Gastro pubs like The Crown Inn at Stoke-by-Nayland, The Black Lion in Long Melford and some high quality restaurants like The Great House or The Swan in Lavenham and many more scattered around the local villages.
Please see my Local Guide tab for more information.
This area is amazingly rural and untouched by city life, with tiny single track lanes leading nowhere or to a pub, footpaths galore and tiny Medieval Villages where time seems to have stood still.
If you are staying for more than a weekend then a day out at the unspoilt Suffolk Coast is always a lovely trip.
The coast starts just 30 minutes away at Colchester or Ipswich and our favourite beaches and places on the coast are between 70 – 100 minutes away, places like Pin Mill, Nacton, Levington, Orford, Aldeburgh, Frinton, Dunwich, Southwold and Mersey Island.
The nearby Medieval Villages of Long Melford, famed for its setting for the Lovejoys TV series, Nayland, sitting prettily on the river Stour, Polstead, with its bluebells woods and impressive views over the Box river valley are all close by and there are many more tiny villages with lovely walks and Pubs to explore.
This is an area you can feel a million miles away from City life and really relax and enjoy just being part of.
Standard Inclusive Features
Kitchen: The cottage is a complete little home and facilities include modern central heating, refrigerator, hobs, oven and / or microwave, toaster, crockery & serving dishes, cutlery, many utensils, fire-extinguisher, lots of pots & pans, glasses & mugs, kettle, coffee maker, teapot, kitchen towels, oven gloves, olive oil, salt & pepper, sugar, herbs, tea, fresh and instant coffee, washing up liquid, cloths, general cleaning materials, etc.
Bathroom: Soap, fluffy cotton towels, bath mats, shaver point, toilet brush, toilet roll.
Bedroom: Cotton bed linen, wardrobe with coat hangers / chest of drawers, iron, ironing board, hairdryer.
Living room: Your cottage has an open fire and a basket with firewood and a bucket with coal will be provided free and more will be available at cost and there will be firelighters provided, TV, books, games, magazines, local brochures, OS and other maps, folder with our special ‘What To Do’ insiders guide to the local area.
Baby: A Cot and high chair is provided on request (please bring babies bedding).
Bikes: Unfortunately bikes are not provided at this cottage but if you call the office you can pick some up from The Old Grove Farm which is just 15 minutes away and cycle round the lovely countryside here.
Up to 2 Well behaved Dogs are always welcome, charges apply at £20 per pet for up to 7 nights.
