Great coach house near Gold Hill in Shaftesbury

This delightful detached former coach house is in an ideal location a few minutes level walk from the heart of the attractive small Saxon hilltop town of Shaftesbury and Gold Hill, the beautiful steep cobbled street, made famous by the Hovis bread advert in the 1970s. There are also two awe-inspring panoramic viewpoints just a short walk from the Coach House. The windows at the rear of the property look out at the Shaston Yew Tree which is over 2000 years old. The space What The Coach House offers you: • great location: 5 minute level walk to Gold Hill & Shaftesbury town centre • free off-road parking for 2 cars (no lorries) • outdoor area with table & chairs • superfast wi-fi (150+ Mb/ps) • new, well-equipped kitchen including washer/dryer, microwave, hob & oven • stunning local views • under an hour from Dorset’s fabulous Jurassic coast and Poole Harbour • under half an hour from Longleat wildlife and Safari Park • self check-in available • no pets, no smoking, no parties please Description: For up to 4 guests: 2 bedrooms 3 beds (1 double, 1 with twin singles) 1 bathroom, kitchen/diner, living room and hallway. The Coach House is a newly renovated and characterful former detached coach house with deep stone walls of 16th century origin and ecclesiastical styled windows. It is ideally located a few minutes level walk from the heart of the attractive small Saxon hilltop market town of Shaftesbury, made famous by the Hovis bread advert of the 1970s which featured the iconic steep cobbled street, Gold Hill. Thomas Hardy’s favourite town, Shaftesbury has a range of delightful independent and artisan shops, cafés and stylish restaurants. It also makes an excellent base for trips into Dorset, the stunning scenery of Cranborne Chase AONB, Wiltshire, Somerset, the Cotswolds, Bournemouth and Poole. There are numerous attractions on offer from just a few minutes to around an hour’s drive from the cottage. A short walk leads you into beautiful open countryside for local walks and the pubs, cafés, restaurants, takeaways and other amenities of the town centre are also only minutes away. Shaftesbury has a thriving Arts Centre hosting a range of entertainment including mainstream films, while the beautiful Dorset Jurassic coast – including the famous Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove – is only around a 50-minute drive away. Just a minute’s walk from the Coach House is Castle Hill – a large open grassy area with awe-inspiring views west over Blackmore Vale, particularly good for stunning sunsets. Five minutes walk away is Park Walk – a wide promenade with beautiful views south towards Melbury Beacon and Cranborne Chase. The Living Space: The detached Coach House is fully self-contained and separate from the main house where the owners live. The accommodation is suitable for couples, a small group of friends or a family and is very safe for lone travellers. It is all on one level and consists of 2 bedrooms (1 double and 1 twin), bathroom with bath and shower over, sitting room with 2 two-seater sofas and TV, and a kitchen/dining room with a table to seat up to 4 people. This table can also be used as a workspace, with plugpoints and excellent internet speed (over 150 Mb/ps). The kitchen is very well-equipped and includes a good-sized fridge/freezer, electric hob and double oven with grill, Nespresso coffee machine, cafetiere, washer/dryer, toaster and microwave as well as a good selection of pots and pans. There is plenty of cupboard and shelf space including airing cupboard and larder. It is well supplied with cooking utensils and equipment and items such as salt, pepper, herbs, spices, oil, sugar, tea and coffee will be provided. There is a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the cupboard next to the airing cupboard. At the far end of the kitchen a door leads to a larder with a beautiful window and a back door onto the driveway. In this area you will find an ironing board and cleaning equipment. The larder has the space to store suitcases if required. The sitting room has two 2-seater sofas, two small coffee tables and a wall-mounted 32” TV with access to Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube as well as the usual TV channels. There is a also selection of books and a few games including playing cards. The attractively tiled bathroom has a bathtub with shower over. The main bedroom has a double bed with bedside cabinets, bedside lights (with built-in USB charger sockets), a chest of drawers and several hooks with hangers for hanging clothes. Its long window has a pleasant outlook over Bury Litton – an open area and former churchyard (which Jude walks through, beautifully described by writer, Thomas Hardy in the novel Jude the Obscure). The Shaston Yew is also behind the Coach House – a remarkable Yew tree that is over 2000 years old. A Guardian article ('Yew Tree Sets Ancient Tone') says this area "brings a sense of magic and special place:" The second bedroom has twin beds with a bedside cabinet, bedside light, a hanging rail and shelf unit. The Coach House benefits from a good number of windows, with those at the rear of the property looking out over Bury Litton (a former churchyard) and the famous 2000+ year-old Shaston Yew tree mentioned above. The bathroom window has been fitted with privacy film so that guests can benefit from the outlook over Bury Litton whilst maintaining privacy during daylight hours and a blind for use when the light is switched on. There is a useful coats cupboard in the hallway and a highchair can be found in here. All towels and bedding will be provided as well as soap, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. To the front of the property there is space to park 2 cars, which is a great bonus for a property so close to the town centre. The property is heated throughout with new German Aeroflow radiators which are fully controllable with a heating app on a device provided in the property. Additional plug-in heaters are also available. (As there is no gas in the property there is no carbon monoxide detector.) Throughout the Coach House on the walls there are photos taken by the host featuring views of beautiful Dorset, all of which are easily within reach of the property, either on foot or by car. No parties, animals or additional overnight guests please. No smoking. Guest access Check-in is after 15:00 and check-out is by 11:00, though we will accommodate other times if we can. You will have exclusive access to the Coach House during your stay. There is a key safe for self check-in if preferred, with the code provided before your arrival, although one of us is usually around. The area in front of the Coach House is for use by guests and has ample space to park 2 cars. There is also a table with sun parasol and 4 chairs as well as a small garden bench. The annexe is for the sole use of guests but the greenhouse and the garden stores attached at either end of the Coach House are not part of the accommodation and we and our gardener will require access to these from time to time. We ask that guests respect our privacy by not going into the garden or patio area by the main house. For more open space and somewhere nearby for a picnic, just a one minute walk from the property is Castle Hill which is a large open grassed area with benches, picnic tables and some trees for shade. The views from here over Blackmore Vale are stunning, as are the sunsets. Other things to note The area: The Coach House is perfect for either a short break or a longer stay to give you time to explore the wonders of Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset, with a great many attractions within easy reach of Shaftesbury. In Shaftesbury itself – and a 5 minute walk from the Coach House – is Gold Hill. This picturesque steep cobbled street has been described as ‘one of the most romantic sights in England’. It was made famous by the Hovis bread advert in the 1970s and has become one of the most photographed streets in the world. Also in Shaftesbury is the Abbey Museum and Gardens (open April to October). Shaftesbury Abbey was one of the wealthiest religious establishments and of great importance before its dissolution in the 16th century. Shaftesbury has its own thriving Arts Centre with a wide variety of events, including screenings of some mainstream films. There are various festivals and shows which take place in and around Shaftesbury every year, most notably the Shaftesbury Fringe Festival which takes place for 3 days near the end of July. During this time there are a great many wide-ranging events including comedy, dance, theatre, music and poetry taking place in venues all over the town and there is a lovely festive atmosphere. Performers are reputed to come to the Shaftesbury Fringe Festival before taking their acts to the more famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival! • the Shaftesbury Snowdrop Festival: this takes place in early February and is one of the biggest events of its type in the country. Shaftesbury prides itself on being a Snowdrop Town and to celebrate this there are free snowdrop walks and a snowdrop sale for keen galanthophiles. • in mid-March there is the Shaftesbury Book Festival which features talks by various authors including children's. • for a weekend in the second part of April there is the Spring Countryside Show at the Turnpike Showground near Shaftesbury. This event celebrates the arrival of spring in the countryside and features exhibits, demonstrations and attractions for all the family. • the Compton Abbas Airfield (a 10 minute drive from Shaftesbury) - now owned by film director Guy Ritchie - hosts various vintage aircraft events with a new show starting in August 2024, the Golden Age of Aviation Air. • the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show takes place in mid-August at the Turnpike Showground. This is a showcase for agriculture with local produce and machinery, with events for all the family as well as a picnic marquee. • the End of the Road Festival is an annual music event held at the Larmer Tree Garden around 15 minutes drive away from Shaftesbury on the last weekend of the school summer holidays. The focus is on independent rock and folk music. • In late September there is the Heavy Horse Show at the Turnpike Showground. This provides an opportunity to get up close to many heavy horse breeds and observe them being presented, handled and worked. • the Shaftesbury Oktoberfest takes place during the first weekend in October and is a Bavarian beer festival. During the two days of this festival Shaftesbury is populated by a lot of people wearing Lederhosen and there are many German food and drink stalls including a lot of Bavarian beer and even a German oompah band! • during December Shaftesbury hosts a Christmas Street Fair with many craft stalls selling a wide variety of items for Christmas gifts. • once a month on Sundays between April and October Shaftesbury hosts an Artisan Market, with a large number of arts and craft stalls stretching along the High Street (which is closed to traffic for the day) and Park Walk as well as numerous food and drink stalls and some live music. Moving outside Shaftesbury but all within an hour’s drive from the Coach House are the beautiful cathedral cities of Salisbury, Bath (a World Heritage City) and Wells. The beaches of Bournemouth and the famous Dorset Jurassic Coast (including Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door) are around 50 minutes away. The impressive National Trust houses and gardens at Stourhead and Kingston Lacey are less than half an hour away and Wilton House & Gardens and Sherborne Castle and Abbey are around half an hour’s drive. Longleat House and gardens and the famous Safari Park are just a 25-minute drive away. The airfield at Compton Abbas is 10 minutes away amidst stunning scenery and has a newly refurbished café and bar where you can watch the light aircraft coming and going and may sometimes see the owner, film director Guy Ritchie! Shaftesbury is sometimes called the ‘gateway to the south-west’ and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and picturesque English countryside. It is on the edge of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – Cranborne Chase – which is one of only 7 International Dark Sky Reserves in the UK. More details of places to visit are provided in a folder in the Coach House.