Atherstone Farmhouse
Atherstone Farmhouse is a recently modernised four bedroom farmhouse that still retains many historic features; making it a charming and comfortable base for exploring the local Somerset countryside
SLEEPS: 10
BEDROOMS: 4
BATHROOMS: 4
OVERVIEW
Atherstone Farmhouse is a recently renovated 17th Century grade II listed farmhouse.
The house is full of traditional charm, with a thatched roof, stone floors, ancient oak beams and a wood-burning stove set into a huge fireplace. It has recently been refurbished so its interiors now match the stunning setting – and now benefits from a new wood-fired hot-tub in the garden.
The Farmhouse can be rented as a four bedroom house (sleeping 10) or we can open an interconnecting corridor and combine it with the Farm Cottage to create a larger six bedroom property Atherstone Farmhouse & Cottage (sleeping 14).
All of the bedrooms in the Farmhouse are en-suite, one is on the ground floor for easy access and another contains four beds (two are bunk beds).
The open plan kitchen / dining room is well equipped for those who enjoy cooking, and the dining table seats 10. There is a separate utility with washing facilities next door.
Next door is a spacious living room with a wood-burning stove, large flatscreen TV and comfy sofas. The house also has a garden, with outdoor eating / seating, and a private parking area for four cars..
The rural location makes the house a great escape for those looking to spend some time in the countryside, with plenty of pubs to walk / cycle to and things to see and do nearby, and convenient shopping in Ilminster is not far away.
BEDROOMS
There are four comfortable bedrooms (or six when the Farm Cottage is also rented), all are en-suites, with deep mattresses, 400 thread count cotton bedding, indulgent mattress toppers and fluffy bathrobes, so you can fully relax in this home from home.
The ground floor bedroom has a superking-sized four poster bed, a fireplace with wood-burning stove and a roll-top bath within the bedroom and en-suite loo.
The three upstairs bedrooms can be arranged as superking-sized doubles or as twins, and one of these also has 2 bunk beds for extra guests. The third upstairs bedroom is a king-sized double. The room with extra bunk beds has a bath with a shower above it, while the other two rooms have tiled walk-in showers.
LIVING AREAS
The kitchen / dining room is well equipped with an induction hob, double oven and a large fridge freezer with ice-machine, and the dining table can seat 10 comfortably. The house also has a washer-drier for any laundry that can’t wait until you get home.
The sitting room has a wood-burning stove set into a large stone fireplace and is equipped with a 55’’ flatscreen internet-connected TV with Bluetooth soundbar and a Bluetooth DAB radio sound system.
And there is a good-sized lawn, a charcoal bbq and a teak outdoor table with chairs for the summer, as well as a wooden hot-tub complete with lights and an air-bubble system.
SETTING & LOCAL AREA
The Farmhouse is part of the old grade II listed farm at Atherstone that has been part of the Dillington Estate since at least 1725. The farm is in the tiny hamlet of Atherstone, which is surrounded by fields and woods that are accessible on foot and bicycle through the myriad of local country lanes and footpaths.
Nearby there are several pubs, some within walking distance – like the Barrington Boar – others a little further, but worth cycling or driving to, such as the Dinnington Docks or Lord Poulett Arms. We also recommend the micro-brewery at Stocklinch – Stocklinch Ales – which is open for visitors on Friday evenings after 7pm and Sunday lunchtimes.
Barrington House, a National Trust house with gardens open to the public, is nearby, as is Dillington House. The Dennis Chinaworks in Shepton Beauchamp are also very close and worth a visit, for the tea rooms as much as anything else.
There are several local cider producers whose orchards and presses are worth seeing, Perry’s Cider in Dowlish Wake being one, and Julian Temperley’s cider and cider brandy distillery over at Burrow Hill another.
A little further away the beach at Lyme Regis and walks along the Jurassic coastline are 40mins or so to the South, and the Hauser and Wirth gallery near Bruton is 40 mins or so to the East.
ACCESS
The Dillington Estate is very easily accessed by car just off the A303, and the cottage has private car parking space for four cars.
The train stations of Crewkerne (15 min drive), Castle Cary and Taunton (30 mins each) are all nearby..
Keys can be left at the house, so you can check-in at your convenience and the staff at the Dillington Estate are available to help with anything unexpected.
“We had such a fantastic stay at the Farmhouse. It was so clean and so comfortable and from the welcome basket (including fresh loaf of bread) to the fantastic amenities, it was just perfect.
We were staying for a family birthday, so we were blessed with sunny weather so we made use of the fantastic bbq and sat out in the lovely, big garden, which our 2 year old loved and it was very, very safe for him to play in as the property is gated.
Our only complaint is we didn’t book for a whole week, so we fully intend to come back at some point in the future. Highly recommend!”
– Hannah
“Atherstone Farmhouse is full of charm. The building is rustic and beautiful and the interiors stylish and spacious. A perfect rural setting for our large family gathering” – Lucy
“If you are looking for a tranquil and relaxing retreat come here. It truly has a “Cider with Rosie” vibe. The farm house is quiet and spacious and wonderfully appointed. Perfect for families or groups of friends. All of the accommodation is tasteful, spotlessly clean and comfortable. Illminster is only a couple of miles away and you can get anything you need there. Communication is exceptional. We wanted for nothing. Come here you won’t be disappointed” – Daniel
“Beautifully furnished and immaculately presented. Lovely peaceful location. Plenty of space to accommodate 2 families of 4. Highly recommended as is a visit to nearby Dennis Pottery and tearoom” – Patrick
“Wonderful house beautifully kitted out and with generous touches including a lovely goody bag. The dog loved it too!!” – Katie
“Stunning house, total luxury, in a very rural location. We shall definitely be returning…..” – Jo
“This is a beautiful cottage which easily housed 4 adults and 6 children. The decoration is stunning and the whole feel of the cottage is one of warmth and comfort. Our children couldn’t believe their luck at having their own bathrooms and everything that we needed for the weeknd was in the cottage.
The welcome basket and Easter egg were very much appreciated and demonstrated the thought that went into ensuring that we had a lovely stay.
Beaches to the south are about 30 minutes drive and Ilminster, the nearest town, is a really pretty little place to visit and has food shops etc. Ewen was really helpful and professional from the start of our booking, right up to when we checked in and he phoned from a Vancouver to make sure that everything was ok! All staff that we met were friendly and hospitable.
I really can’t recommend the cottage enough, we certainly hope to return one day” – Kirsti
“This was the best cottage stay we’ve had so far. Absolutely beautiful cottage with so many amenities available. It is exactly as seen in the pics and the rooms are spacious with very comfortable beds. Ewen was very helpful and easy to contact.
Only thing to bare in mind is that there is no shops within a short walking distance and we were unable to find a takeaway place that delivered to this location.
I will be rushing back to stay here! It was literally perfect! – Deepa
“Great Place! Ewen is a perfect host” – Rajkamal