Water Cottage is a beautiful 15th Century weaver's cottage in Kersey; Suffolk's prettiest little chocolate box village. Arriving here was like stepping back in time into the wonderful world of Lark rise to Candleford ... if you haven’t seen that TV series or read the book it I highly recommend it, in fact you could watch it while supping hot choccie in front of the fire while you're in your holiday cottage! Water Cottage is a timber framed 'Hall House’ that has been carefully restored to its former glory. The beautiful beamed rooms, antiques and furnishing, along with the cosy wood burner ensure a super cosy atmosphere in a well furnished, well equipped, luxurious cottage. There are wonderful walks straight from the door, quaint old rustic pubs in jumping distance and there’s lots to see and do in the area ... it's also ideal for kiddies and doggies!
Where is it: Quaint village of Kersey, Suffolk
How much: £508 for the week
Pets: 2 large dogs excepted
Sleeps: 5/6
What is it like?
The cottage itself is lovely, and I'll tell you more about that in a moment. The big draw here is the stunning location. I usually prefer secluded cottages but the sleepy old street, lined with beautiful old houses, the thatched pub, the little stream (or wash) close by to the cottage, and the old church that overlooks the village from the top of the hill are the reason Kersey is Suffolk's prettiest little village. In fact the village hasn't changed much at all in the last 100 years, the only difference being the cars and telephone wires.
The heart of the house
The cottage is beautifully decorated - and while it is very rustic and timeless, it is also incredibly comfy and has a touch of luxury about it. You enter the cottage into the main room which is divided in two by a central open fire fireplace that faces the dining area to the right. Straight ahead is the main sitting room with its massive inglenook fireplace and roaring log burner. The sitting room looks out over the pretty cottage garden (which Ralphy the dog loved). The cottage is so well-equipped with everything you need for comfort - blankets, cushions, books and a wealth of information on the area, including maps, walks and local attractions.
The kitchen & cottage garden
Beyond the sitting room is a little coffee room and galley kitchen, which is small but perfectly-formed ... a bit like Ralphy! It is well-equipped and has ample storage and looks out onto the beautiful cottage garden. The owners have done a wonderful job of making their guests feel welcome (which makes all the difference difference in my opinion, and it's often these cottages we return to time and time again.) Aside from all the helpful information, the owners also encourage you to pick and enjoy the herbs from the garden, and on arrival we were met with a goodie-filled welcome basket of milk, local butter, salad, fruit and the ingredients for scrumptious fry up which was very generous indeed.
The cottage garden is enclosed, well-equipped, private, well-maintained and is filled with flowers, herbs and trees. It's a lovely place to breakfast in the morning and Ralphy and I had a lovely time relaxing on blankets and reading in the afternoon (well I read, Ralphy just slept.) There is also a shed with bikes that guests are welcome to use, and one of the bikes even has a basket! Alas we didn't get around to riding the bikes, in truth I struggle to get up kerbs, I have to get off the bike ... embarrassing isn't it? however I have told hubby if he buys me a small-sized bike with a basket, I WILL learn the ride it so we'll see what christmas brings.
Bathroom & Bedrooms
The bedrooms are very clean, cosy and comfortable with fresh white bed linen in every room. The golden glow of the sun filled our room in the evening and it was lovely watching sleepy village life unfold in the quiet street below in the mornings. Each room is brimming with rustic charm and little touches. The bathroom was a firm favourite with me and I loved the way it had been lovingly but simply decorated; with pretty white cotton curtains, deco mirrors and the bath ... well you know I love a long luxurious soak after getting lost in the wilderness (which is so often the case).
Out and about
I highly rate Suffolk as a cottage holiday destination and I'd like to move there myself one of these days. It really has everything from beautiful coastline, lovely countryside and quirky towns and villages. I found Water Cottage on an excellent website called www.grove-cottages.co.uk - they have a collection of hand-picked romantic holiday cottages set in Suffolk & Essex. Every cottage has five star authentic charm inside and idyllic rural setting outside, and I can't wait to visit more of them. Below are some piccies from our adventures around Suffolk. If you'd like to book Water cottage simply click below.
Water Cottage - Grove Cottages
JM x
The AHC honesty policy
Dear readers: I'd like you to know that the cottages that are featured here on my blog in ahandmadeholiday are featured here because I absolutely love them. I am in no way obliged to write a nice review of a cottage, even if I am invited there as a guest. Only the extra-special cottages that tick all the AHC boxes make it onto the blog.
JM & Ralphy
xx
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