What's for dinner?
Light up the wood-burner and enjoy.
Welcome to The Gardens.
A pretty space to enjoy spending time together.
A peaceful night's sleep awaits!
The cottage door opens onto the path with the garden just across from it.
A bright and airy space to make some lovely meals together.
Pretty as a picture.
The bathroom is on on the ground floor.
The cottage has been thoughtfully decorated throughout.
The beds in this room can be made up into a king-size bed on request.
There are homely touches in each room
The dining space is tucked away at the front of the cottage overlooking the garden across the path.
A spot of al fresco dining!
The cottage is found tucked away down this path.
Catch up on some reading.
Pretty in pink!
Take time to catch up with each other.
Sherborne Abbey, built in the 8th century, is spectacular and a short walk away.
Old Sherborne Castle is a lovely place to walk to.
Take a trip to Gold Hill in Shaftesbury.
The stunning Jurassic Coast is less than an hour away in the car.
There is plenty of glorious countryside to discover - Hardy's Cottage close to Dorchester offers the chance to take in some beautiful walks whilst learning more about Dorset's most famous literary writer.
The Gardens
5406Sherborne | Sleeps 4 + cot*
7 Nights from £431
The location of attractions is intended only as a guide. Distances are 'as the crow flies'.
Nearby pub
Perfectly situated in the centre of town, The Cross Keys is a delightful and welcoming inn. Call in for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a drink or two. The menu changes seasonally and children are very welcome.
Nearby beach
Take in the views and let the salty sea air whip your worries away. Found near Burton Bradstock, Hive Beach is a sweeping sandy strip backed by regal golden cliffs. With parking nearby and a celebrated café, Hive Beach is a lovely destination for a day's wandering and relaxing. Eagle-eyed visitors may even be so lucky to spot some fossils hidden along the beach.
March 2022
Disappointing
Having read rave reviews we were disappointed by the breakfast we had there…cold, hard tomatoes and reheated squelchy mushrooms. The upside was sitting out in the sun next to the sea.
March 2020
Fantastic waves,
This beach, even on a windy march day was spectacular and blew away the cobwebs and was very invigorating. Food in the Hive Cafe was great too.
August 2010
Hive Beach Cafe serves superb food suitable for all the family from an informal premises right on the beach. Get there early as it's very popular, but even when busy the service is usually reasonably quick.
July 2009
Brilliant place; so popular you may have to wait! Food is more top-class restaurant quality than cafe.
Nearby walk
A circular walk around Sherborne of approximately six and a half miles. The going is fairly easy on country lanes, footpaths and tracks, although there are nine stiles. Park on the road by the church at Haydon village and follow the directions on the Web site.
Nearby town
A fabulous castle built by Sir Walter Raleigh, so well preserved it remains a family home to this day, an impressive abbey and any number of medieval buildings – it’s no wonder that Sherborne is a favourite among historians. Sherborne’s glory isn’t all in the past, though – this gorgeous town has some of the most diverse shopping you’ll find anywhere.
Also nearby
A fabulous castle built by Sir Walter Raleigh, so well preserved it remains a family home to this day. There are walks around the lake and gardens and a tea room for refreshments. A tour inside the castle reveals wonderful paintings, porcelain and furniture before going down into the cellars where Raleigh’s original kitchen, family artefacts and archaeological finds from the old medieval castle are on show.
August 2020
Beautiful
The house was closed but the grounds open. How beautiful and tranquil they were. We walked around the beautiful lake then sat under a shady tree with a picnic. We were there approx 5 hours. Stunning scenery and so peaceful. Will go back next year when house re opens.
September 2013
Wonderful
We have had a rare old time visiting locations we have missed in previous years as well as some old friends. This one was new to us and another beautiful location and building. Again we were met with attentive and helpful staff who helped make the visit even more enjoyable.
Visit the world-famous gardens at Stourhead and sit amongst tranquil scenes. Described as ‘a living work of art’, the gardens lead visitors on a breath-taking journey. Spend a while in the 18th Century Palladian villa and Hoare family home, before wending your way around the grounds, falling in love with the beautifully thought out landscapes and classical architecture.
November 2021
Beautiful landscapes to explore
A short drive away and you're in the impressive landscape of Stourhead, with its magnificent trees, lake and iconic garden structures. We visited early November when the autumn colours were blazing. A perfect morning out, whether for a lazy amble round the lake or exploring the footpaths to viewpoints and monuments. Good National Trust cafe and shop too.
June 2021
A highlight of our 5 night stay
We stayed in nearby Nunney for 5 nights. Stourhead was definitely our top pick. On a sunny day it was absolutely beautiful. The scenery is stunning and it was nice to have a well-earned ice-cream in the pretty courtyard of the pub after a good walk. There are plenty of spots for taking beautiful pictures. We'd be interested to return one Autumn or see it covered in snow too.
October 2014
Magical!
This is the most beautiful place you can imagine - the walk around the lake, dropping into the various buildings and grottoes, is breathtaking. All I can say is you really must visit.
September 2013
Superb
A wonderful must in Dorset. Great gardens and interesting house. Well worth a visit.
An exceptional Elizabethan house filled with treasures, including 17th Century textile samplers and Elizabethan art. This house featured in the 1995 film ‘Sense and Sensibility’.
May 2018
Marvellous Montacute
Absolutely wonderful in every way. We enjoyed many hours here. A must visit property.
May 2016
Shame.
A lovely house and location . It was a pity it was spoilt by a very heavy handed and hard sell approach in the ticket office to join the N.T. I had to be very persistent to get into the house and gardens without joining up .
Once we had managed to get in we had another issue with an officious lady in the long room who basically told us off for taking the wrong staircase up . It turned out that a rope had not been put in place . How were we to know! Other staff members tried to make up for this and were excellent but the impression overall was poor.
September 2013
Very interesting
Another West Country gem to consider when in the Somerset or Dorset areas. Although the house was endowed to NT as an empty shell much work has been done by introducing surplus items from other properties and there is a current fascinating exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery which is a must.
A pretty village on the river Wiggle, worth a visit to see the honey coloured limestone cottages. At the heart of the village you'll find the Oak House Stores, a grade II listed building famed for its cheese and local produce.
September 2020
The Old School Gallery and Cafe
Home made light lunches and cakes - very delicious! Plus a shop selling unusual gifts and Local produce. Highly recommended.
Founded by St Aldhelm in 705 AD, this Abbey was the place that Sir Walter Raleigh chose to worship. Some say it is the finest building in Dorset, so a visit to this glorious church is a must if you're in the area.
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