Historic thatched cottage in Jane Austen Country

A beautiful quirky little piece of Hampshire history, this famous chocolate box 16th Century Grade II listed cottage, the oldest house in the village was originally home to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Queen Victoria's right-hand man, who not only christened and crowned the Queen but then went on to marry her Prince Albert. Tucked away in a picture-perfect Hampshire village full of thatched cottages and surrounded by gorgeous walks it is the perfect country retreat! The space For anyone who likes a quirky cottage with nooks and crannies and heaps of personality this is the perfect setting for you. Because of its great age it does have some unusual surprises - the small opening into the upstairs bathroom or the spiral wooden staircase leading up to the main bedroom - meaning some bending and manoeuvring - so if you have any mobility issues or are very tall you may prefer to sleep in the bedroom downstairs! The cottage has a main bedroom upstairs (with double bed) plus another one - a second sitting room when not used as a bedroom - downstairs. The downstairs bedroom/2nd sitting room is situated off the corridor but has a curtain for privacy plus a door at either end of the corridor for a nice quiet sleep. The sofa bed pulls out to make a very comfy king sized bed. The cottage has all you should need for a really comfortable stay. The kitchen is large and sunny leading onto a gorgeous garden full of apple and pear trees to feast on during the Autumn months. *** Sadly these days, with new fire laws surrounding thatched cottages we are no longer able to offer use of the wood burner to our guests though the central heating keeps the cottage toasty warm so hopefully that’s not too much of a disappointment (there is also an original bread oven sitting within the bricks of the fireplace - though not to be used these days!) Right in the middle of Jane Austen country and set on the edge of the idyllic village of Ropley it is situated in the middle of the famous Pilgrim’s Way, and as such is surrounded by a multitude of wonderful walks, whether through fields of sheep and cows or taking the footpaths through the corn fields directly to the side and for miles on end. For any Harry Potter fans we also have the famous Harry Potter Bridge just up the road! The village is picture-perfect, offering a great local shop just one minute's walk away, stocking all you'd need for your stay plus some wonderful 'Cook' ready-made meals to pop in the oven. There is a cricket club with tennis courts, a cricket pavilion bar a short walk down the road and numerous beautiful pubs a quick five-minute drive away. The famous 'Watercress Line' runs past the village - an old steam train you can hear chuffing away as it travels past. The surrounding countryside and villages are all well worth visiting, particularly the gorgeous Georgian market town of Alresford which is only a ten-minute drive away. With pretty pastel-painted houses and independent shops plus a wealth of wonderful pubs and restaurants to choose from, Alresford is one of the prettiest towns around. Situated on a picturesque river, the famous Globe Pub is a fantastic setting for your evening beer. The historic and beautiful City of Winchester is just a ten minute drive away and is a must to visit with the famous Winchester Cathedral as well as an array of wonderful shops and restaurants. It has one of the oldest pubs in the country too! Guest access You have access to the whole cottage (apart from a cupboard off the sitting room) Other things to note The stairs heading to the upstairs bedroom/bathroom can be tricky as they are small and go around a slight bend. As it's such an old cottage there are some obstacles upstairs that may be worth noting. The entrance to the bedroom and adjoining bathroom up there is quirky and though fun to most could possibly be difficult for anyone with mobility issues. There is a degree of bending down involved in entering both rooms - though once in they're spacious and easy! In that case it would be worth sleeping in the downstairs sitting room/bedroom and using the wet room. Do let us know if you’d prefer the bed to be made up downstairs if so. The downstairs sitting room/ bedroom is open to the corridor leading to the kitchen and wet room. However there are doors between it and the other rooms and a curtain for privacy. So sorry to add that, due to it being a thatched cottage our insurance won't allow any BBQ-ing or use of the wood burner :(