The Gatehouse (UKC770)

This 16th century gatehouse is full of history and has seen many famous residents including the former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.. Ground Floor: Dining room with external access only: With open fire and beams. Kitchen: With breakfast area, electric oven, electric hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, beams and flagstone floor. Steep, spiral, narrow tread stairs to... First Floor: Living room: With open fire, digital TV, DVD player, CD player, iPod dock, beams and wooden floor. Bedroom 1 - Thatcher Suite: With super kingsize bed and beams. Wet room: With shower and toilet. Steep, spiral, narrow tread stairs to... Second Floor: Bedroom 2 - Prince Rupert Room: With super kingsize four poster bed, digital TV, roll top bath, beams and en-suite with shower cubicle and toilet.. Calor gas central heating (underfloor in bathrooms), electricity, bed linen, towels, Wi-Fi and fuel for open fires included. Travel cot and highchair. Laundry service available on request. Enclosed lawned garden with sitting-out area, garden furniture and BBQ. Private parking for 2 cars. No smoking. Please note: There is external access only to the dining room. There is a fountain in the garden.. These two award-winning, period, historic properties have been given the highest luxury ranking by Shropshire Tourism and are situated in the grounds of Grade I listed Upton Cressett Hall, in the sleepy hamlet of Upton Cressett, surrounded by the beautiful Shropshire countryside. PG Wodehouse was brought up cycling through the countryside around Upton Cressett which he described as ‘the Paradise of England’. The Upton Cressett Estate is accessed by a winding country lane with spectacular views over the Shropshire Hills. The poet Sir John Betjeman described Upton Cressett as ‘a beautiful place’ in his Shell Guide To Shropshire, and Sir Simon Jenkins describes Upton Cressett as an ‘Elizabethan gem’. Guests have access to the gardens at the hall, which are open to the public for occasional tours. Also standing in the grounds is the Grade I listed Norman church of St Michael which features 12th-century wall paintings. The Gatehouse at Upton Cressett which is also Grade l listed, resembles a romantic Elizabethan hunting lodge with beautiful brick turrets and has been featured on the cover of Country Life magazine. The Gatehouse is regarded as one of the finest in the country, having been awarded ‘runner up’ in the entire country for Best Luxury Heritage Accommodation at the Hudson’s Heritage Awards. There are impressive entrance gates and a gravelled driveway leading into its own private garden with a fountain. Guests can eat in the private garden or have dinner prepared by the estate housekeeper (arranged direct with the owner). The dining room is accessed externally through a door in the Elizabethan archway next to the old estate cheese press. The Gatehouse has hosted many famous visitors over the centuries including Prince Rupert of the Rhine and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Sir Denis Thatcher. One of the bedrooms, (The Gatehouse honeymoon suite), accessed by a carved oak spiral staircase, is named after Prince Rupert and offers a stunning four poster style bed with fine views across the historic deer park. A large claw bath sits under a mullion window in the huge bedroom making it perfect for romantic breaks, as well as special anniversaries and honeymoons. Oak panelling, 17th century ornate plaster work, mullion windows, a secret tunnel, turret bathrooms and working Tudor fireplaces all add to its romantic and historic appeal. There are also contemporary luxury bathrooms with fittings by Lefroy Brooks and exquisite fabrics from top interior designers including velvet curtains and upholstery for Zoffany by the Elizabethan fabric artisan artist Melissa White. The Coach House also sleeps four and dates back to the 19th century. It stands adjacent to Upton Cressett Hall and has been beautifully converted by a top interior designer whilst retaining exposed beams and original brickwork. The property has a large master bedroom with Sky TV, and the spacious sitting room also has a hunting lodge feel with a dark red wool sofa and tartan curtains. The south facing patio, reached through French windows in the sitting room, is the perfect place for outdoor dining and a barbecue. The owners can cook a three course dinner served in the hunting lodge style dinning room for guests at The Gatehouse or a home-cooked fridge filler menu (for The Gatehouse and The Coach House), which is prepared including all vegetables and pudding and left for you to heat up on arrival, or after a long day out. All catering, including hampers, can be arranged through the owner at an additional fee. Please contact them directly for menus, prices and payment details. Both properties have received various awards with Shropshire Tourism awarding The Gatehouse five stars and The Coach House four stars. The Upton Cressett Hall Estate is a previous winner of the Hudson’s Heritage Award for ‘Best Hidden Gem’ as a heritage holiday destination in the UK. Historic Bridgnorth with its ruined castle, Severn Valley Steam Railway and bustling market (Frida