The Stables a rural, romantic retreat

This lovely cottage is in a particularly pretty rural setting close to Castle Hedingham, with great walks right from your doorstep and local nearby pubs. The Stables is a 1600’s, Grade II listed farm building recently sympathetically restored with many original features and exposed Oak beams retained to offer a couple a chance to get away from it all and enjoy beautiful countryside in the comfort and luxury of a beautiful little cottage. Included is a lovely Breakfast Hamper 2 Dogs welcome The space This bright and airy cottage has an open plan living area with a high vaulted ceiling. A big, comfy sofa and armchair encircle a cosy wood burning stove. Up a couple of steps is the split-level kitchen and dining area, the kitchen is very well equipped and laid out. There are views out onto one of the finest remaining examples of a Grade II listed, brick and flint barn in Essex – it’s impressive and really quite beautiful. Along the corridor is the shower room and a very charming bedroom with a king-size bed, French wardrobe and plenty of storage space. The lane outside is tiny and very quiet and the property is surrounded by fields and open farmland. This is a really cosy and comfortable place to relax, unwind and enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside. It’s close by some great visitor attractions, some interesting towns and villages and offers a perfect mix of countryside and culture. Up to 2 well behaved doggies are Welcome: There is a £20 charge per pet for up to 7 nights. You can book one pet in online - if you wish to bring a second just message us after booking and we will ask for the additional £20 through Airbnb The Gardens: The Stables has its own enclosed garden with fruit trees where you can sit and enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside, there are tables, chairs, and loungers supplied and a BBQ if you are in the mood. Outside: The Stables is situated near the little village of Great Maplestead in some delightful countryside on the Suffolk/Essex border. Bikes are provided for you to enjoy exploring the tiny lanes that meander round the countryside and inevitably bring you to a pub. (maps are supplied if you need any extra help with that) Step out of the cottage and you are in lovely rolling countryside with miles of footpaths, ancient woodlands and pretty hamlets to explore. On your walks through the bluebell woods, you might come across herds of fallow deer and other wildlife and there is even a protected badger set nearby. Close to Great Maplestead if the famous round Crusader Church, the round design was based on the fourth century rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the roof is pyramidal in shape – very beautiful and unusual. Castle Hedingham is just a few miles away with its Norman keep, which was built in 1140. It’s now a visitor attraction and weddings venue and they have a great programme of events throughout the year, from jousting events to music festivals; from theatre and falconry displays to film screenings and classic car shows. It’s quite funny to be visiting the ancient village pub at these times and have a lot of serf’s, men-at-arms and knights jostling around you for a pint. The village itself has some lovely medieval architecture, a tearoom, post office, a couple of good village pubs and a village shop, selling artisan breads and other local produce. Sudbury, a nearby Market Town, has all the shops you could want including the lovely Gainsborough’s House Museum dedicated to Thomas Gainsborough the famous portrait and landscape artist of the 1700’s, The Quay Theatre and walks along the old railway line or along the river and the water meadows. You can walk or cycle to the pleasant village of Castle Hedingham and there is also a farm shop nearby with a tearoom and lots of delicious local produce. Green Credentials: The Coach House was renovated to comply with strong historical restoration building regulation and local and reclaimed materials were used were possible. The logs for the wood burner come for locally sourced responsibly harvested suppliers. All wastewater is managed on the property. We have bicycles available and maps of all the local footpaths in the cottage to encourage guests to explore car free. We have a badger set at the bottom of our land and the entrances can be seen from the footpath. There is also a herd of fallow deer that lives in the hedgerows around us and we had a baby Muntjac sleeping under the apple tree in the cottage garden last spring. We have vast array of birds in the gardens such as pheasants, partridge, moorhens, woodpeckers, and hawks can be seen regularly hovering to catch mice on walks. We have spotted a large variety of butterflies on our lavender hedges over the last year. Guest access Everywhere Other things to note We can only accept a babe-in-arms and we do not provide cots or high-chairs sorry. Up to 2 well behaved doggies are Welcome Please note that cottage owners cannot accept pets that have not been paid for, so please make sure that you have paid for your pet before arrival. We are fine with up to well behaved doggies but please do not leave them alone on the property because they will fret and do damage. Also, never on the sofas or beds - thank you. The owners are sorry but only pet dogs can be accepted, not cats, rabbits etc. Please contact us if you have any questions about this before booking. Banned Dogs: Please also note that if you are considering bringing a dog breed which may be thought of as a danger or a concern to others, and definitely any Banned Dogs, then Please check with us first before booking and we will discuss the suitability of our cottage for you and your pet.