Location, Location, Location
Built around 1670, in warm, honey coloured local stone, the Cottage is idyllically situated on a quiet footpath leading down to the famous Swannery and Chesil Beach. It has magnificent views of St Catherine’s Chapel, the Abbey Farm and pond, St Nicholas Church and a panorama of the village of Abbotsbury. Abbey Farm has been converted into art and craft workshops and a café.
The village can be reached in a few minutes walk and has many amenities. A post office, general stores, farm shop, two public houses, pick your own flower centre, fishing tackle shop, tearooms, craft shops and woodworking shop. It also boasts two very charming children’s playgrounds. The Sub-Tropical Gardens and Swannery are a major attraction. There are buses to Weymouth, Bridport and Dorchester (all within a 9 mile radius) running every one to two hours, depending on the time of year. A car is advisable.
The Cottage
This lovely 17th century cottage has been renovated with care and is immediately welcoming. Living next door we are able to keep it properly clean, aired, look after the plants and do all that is necessary to give it the feeling of a real home. We provide a welcome pack vegetarian/continental breakfast at the start of your holiday. The kitchen is fully equipped, and has an electric cooker, microwave, refrigerator, toaster and electric kettle. Quarry tiled throughout, it has a friendly red brick fireplace, oak beams, window seat and an open plan pine staircase. The upstairs lounge/diner has a full size double bed/settee with spring mattress, colour television with DVD, radio/CD player and free wi-fi with excellent reception.
A toy box will keep children busy on a rainy day, as well as games, activity books and dvds. For the grown ups there are books on local history, natural history, places of interest and varied walks.
The bedroom has the option of either two single beds or a large super-king, provided by zip linking the singles together. Comfortable mattresses and a topper ensure a good nights sleep. Stripped pine floors and metal bedheads complete the cottagey feel.
The characterful bathroom has a bath, wash hand basin, W.C. and shaving point. The old feature beam above the bath does not lend itself to a full shower, but there is a shower attachment on the taps for washing hair. The cottage ideally sleeps four. Bed linen, towels and electric are included in the rental. The beautiful, secluded, terraced garden overlooks St Catherine’s Chapel and is the perfect place to watch the sun go down. Have you forgotten what stars are like? This is the place to rekindle the magic. There is a private parking bay outside the cottage, invaluable in this day and age.
Abbotsbury is a beautiful, unspoilt village, formally a Benedictine Monastery, dating back to the time of Edward the Confessor. It lies within the coastal hills of South Dorset and both the village and countryside around are rich in geological and historical interest. The coast line has earned World Heritage status.
View of the terraced garden
Earthworks and tumuli abound. Maiden Castle, Eggardon Hill Fort and Maumbury Rings are just a short car journey away. A little further afield lie Glastonbury, Stonehenge, Avebury, and the famous Cerne Abbas Giant – a turf cut figure probably of Romano-British origin. The cliffs flanking West Bay are formed from oolite sands, and are exceptionally rich in fossils.
Steps leading up to the garden
For those with literary interests one can visit the birth place of Thomas Hardy, the poet and novelist at Higher Bockhampton and “Clouds Hill” the home of T.E. Lawrence, better known as “Lawrence of Arabia”. Architecturally, Athelhampton House represents one of the finest medieval houses in England. Salisbury Cathedral, Sherbourne Abbey and Winchester Cathedral are again, just a short car journey away. Weymouth, with its safe, sandy beaches is ideal for swimming, sailing and wind surfing and one can head in almost any direction for varied and beautiful walks.
In short, the cottage is ideally suited for a wonderful holiday, whether you wish to rest and unwind or use it as a base to explore further afield. We look forward to meeting you and will be at hand to help in any way we can.
The Cottage
Val and Brian are very aware how precious free time is in this day and age. With that in mind, they aim to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Considerable thought and care has gone into making the cottage a relaxing place to be. In fact, many guests return again and again, saying it feels like a second home. Should you want to unwind further or have a specific need, Val offers Reiki treatments.
