Ilmington holiday cottage rental with walking, log fire, internet access, rural retreat, TV, DVD

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Sansome House Cottage (cottage)

Home description

Sansome House Cottage, in the courtyard of Sansome House, is in a very attractive peaceful setting on the edge of one of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds. It was totally refurbished in 2006. It has its own small private garden reached by patio doors from the large sunny kitchen/dining room which is extremely well-equipped for a self-catering holiday cottage. So this is not so much a typical 'rental' cottage, more a home from home. It is ideal for a romantic break, a family holiday or just for friends wanting to relax together in comfortable surroundings.

The cottage is centrally heated but also boasts a open log fire in the cosy and comfortable sitting room. There is both a shower room and bathroom. The beds in the generously-sized bedrooms all have quality mattresses, electric blankets and cosy duvets. We feel this cottage combines the traditional with modern comforts and it is the sort of place we like to stay in ourselves -ultra clean and well-equipped. As long as I have them in the garden you will find freshly arranged flowers in nearly every room. The cottage is perfect as a base for exploring the wonderful countryside on the doorstep, by car, on foot, or by bike. We look forward to welcoming you and doing everything we can to make your stay a memorable one.

Sansome House Cottage	Sitting room with open log fire
	Large country kitchen

To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/10141

The Central England / Cotswolds / Warwickshire region

The Cotswolds are a 50 mile long limestone escarpment, tilted up at its western edge and rolling into the green and wooded hills in the east. Shakespeare described it as a tract of "high wide hills and rough uneven ways". It extends from the area near Bristol in the south nearly to Stratford upon Avon in the north.

Here are just a few of the events within an hour's drive of the cottage in 2008
Exhibitions and events at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham (NEC) all year round. (This is about 40 minutes drive). Trains run from Stratford upon Avon to Birmingham Moor Street making events such as medical conferences (such as The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress, ADI Congress, Biomedical Science Congress) at the ICC easily accessible from the cottage whilst staying out of the hustle and bustle of Birmingham.

Shakespeare plays performed by the RSC at Stratford throughout the year. The two-year, Complete History Play Cycle, which began in February 2006 will run through early March 2008, including Richard II, Henry IV, Part I, Henry IV, Part II, Henry V, Henry VI, Parts I,II and III and Richard III. Twelfth Night is the delightful summer and autumn comedy. Macbeth, runs alongside Eugene Ionesco's Macbett, at The Swan until late July.

JULY and AUGUST The Cheltenham Music Festival 4-19th July ;Longborough Opera Festival continues until 26th July Das Rheingold (2007 production) plus new productions of Verdi’s La Traviata and Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen;
31st July, Racing, Stratford Racecourse

At Blenheim Palace: Game Fair 26th and 27th July. Victorian Servants and Domestic Service 19 July-31 August, Jousting and the Victorians 8-10 August featuring 'the Knights of Royal England' and Living Heritage Craft Fair 23-25 August.

Programme of summer concerts in at Blenheim Palace (Battle Proms Concert 19 July) Ragley Hall , Warwick Castle and Sudeley Castle 1st- 3rd August,

The Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza at Kemble;
2 - 9th August - Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester;
6 -10th August Mitsubishi Motors Hartpury Horse Trials;
Evesham Vintage Steam Rally 8th, 9th & 10th August;
9th - 10th August 2008 - Go Crazy at the Castle. Sudeley Castle children's event;
until 10th August, The Shakespeare Revue at the Waterside, Stratford. A comedy of sketches and songs; Summer Organ Recital Series at St Mary's Church Warwick.
Countryside and Food Fair at Stoneleigh 9-10 August;
Special events at Warwick castle all summer. (see their website)
16th/17th August, Game Fair, Ragley Hall
Kite flying at Charlecote Park Bat walks here also and at Compton Verney.
Ilmington Village Fete and Flower Show Bank Holiday Monday
Blenheim International Horse Trials Blenheim Palace, Woodstock;
Stoneleigh Park Country Festival 23-25 August.
SEPTEMBER Major one-day Agricultural & Horse Show Moreton-in-Marsh 6th September;11th-14th September
The Blenheim International Horse Trials; Races at Stratford and Warwick. Warwick castle Ghosts alive, Jousting Archery, combat skills. Flight of Eagles. MX5 Owner's club. National Rally. Auto Italia Lady Kilmaine's Craft Fair Ragley Hall; National Cheese Festival Cheltenham; Classic car and Motorcycle Show 21 September.
OCTOBER Mop fair Stratford upon Avon; Cheltenham Literature Festival; Autumn Antique Sale Fortnight (Cotswold Antique Dealers Association Autumn Selling Exhibitions) Music Festival Stratford upon Avon 11 - 19 October; performances of Hamlet, Love's Labour's Lost, The Merchant of Venice, Midsummer Night's Dream.
Stoneleigh Abbey open to the public. At Warwick Castle -Special events for Half-term week Hatton Country World Pumpkin Ancient Cotswold Gypsy Horse Fair at Stow-on-the-Wold; Victorian Halloween at Blenheim Palace 25 Oct - 2 November.
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER EVENTS
Christmas at Blenheim Palace November - Dec. Living Crafts for Christmas 21-23 November.
MPH '08 NEC Birmingham International Motorcycle & Scooter Show; Transport Innovations
: BBC Good Food Show at NEC, Broadway- Late night Christmas shopping with carol singing on the Green, street entertainment, and food. ; Victorian Evening Shipston on Stour December Bourton-on-the-Water Victorian Evening. Stow on the Wold Christmas Fair December. Cheltenham Horse Racing December.
2009
FEBRUARY Celts in the Cotswolds, A weekend of Celtic music and dance from Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Wales and Cornwall Farmer's markets and Antique markets in the area year round.
MARCH Cheltenham, the National Hunt Festival. At Stratford, Shakespeare plays and others. Exhibitions at Compton Verney Art Gallery; Gatcombe Horse Trials

APRIL Literature Festival, Cheltenham 'Meet the Gardener' at Hidcote.(Hidcote garden is 3 miles from the cottage); Farmers' Market Stow on the Wold; Shakespeare birthday celebrations in Stratford
MAY Spring Bulbs at Hidcote; Badminton Horse Trials; Stow on the Wold Gypsy Horse Fair, Jazz Festival; Ferrari Owners Club at Blenheim Palace; Pig and Poultry Fair at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire; Chipping Campden Music Festival ; Cotswold Olimpick Game Dover's Hll Chipping Campden.
JUNE The Shipston Proms; Science Festival, Toddington Steam Gala; Longborough Opera Festival;Kemble Air Day
JULY Royal International Agricultural Show at Stoneleigh; The Cotswold Show and Country Fair at Cirencester Park. Arena events, country pursuits, rural crafts, food village, trade stands; Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, the world's largest military airshow; Stow on the Wold Motor Show; Banbury Hobby Horse Festival.

Ilmington area

Ilmington lies beneath Windmill Hill, the last northern bastion of the Cotswolds. It has been designated as an "an area of outstanding natural beauty" (AONB). The village lies in the southernmost tip of Warwickshire, very close to the borders of three other counties - Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire.

Ilmington was originally known as Elmington, it is said because the village was once well planted with elm trees. Unfortunately, since the onset of Dutch Elm Disease in England there are now no English elms left in the village, but that is not to say that the village is not well endowed with mature and beautiful trees, particularly on the Lower and Upper Green.There are many footpaths throughout the village, winding between the houses and gardens and some of the honey-coloured stone houses and cottages can only be reached on foot. I have compiled a slide show from photographs I took on a walk around the village in May which you can see here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/89883730@N00/sets/72157603641017516/show/

There is a fine manor house which opens its gardens to the public several times a year. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin lies at the centre of the village and is reached by footpaths between the houses and cottages. The church has a fine Norman tower and the pews and pulpit were carved by a well-known Yorkshire craftsman, Robert Thompson in the 1930's. He left his signature carved mice on many of the pieces. Many happy hours are spent by visitors trying to find all the mice! The unusual lantern-like structure by the south porch is an early 19th Century monument to members of the Sansom family, late of Sansome House and Farm as it was then.

Apart from Ilmington there are dozens of beautiful villages around; most of the houses and cottages, often centred around a village green or a village pond, are built from locally quarried Cotswold stone which glows golden in the sunshine.

A five minute drive from Ilmington is arguably the most famous garden in England at Hidcote Manor (National Trust) and over the road from it, another lovely garden, the privately owned Kiftsgate. Both are open from Easter to October. You can have afternoon tea at Kiftsgate and at Hidcote there is a National Trust Shop, plant centre and both a restaurant and a cafe.

Ilmington is 4 miles from the old wool market town of Chipping Campden which boasts a wealth of antique shops, ancient buildings, the old market place and is great if you are into cream teas! 4 miles in the other direction is the historic town of Shipston on Stour. This is a good old fashioned town with 'the butcher the baker, the candlestick maker' mix of shops plus two small supermarkets and two banks. It also has a fish and chip shop, a teashop, an Indian/Balti restaurant (bring your own alcohol!), as well as several good pubs for dining and drinking. Nearby Moreton in Marsh has a very big street market every Tuesday. There is a variety of eating places here. Stow on the Wold and Broadway are both within a 12 mile radius, Leamington Spa and Warwick, with its famous castle, 14 miles. Other castles to see in the area; Sudeley Castle at Winchcombe, Broughton Castle near Banbury and Kenilworth Castle ruins. National Trust houses abound and Blenheim Palace is under 30 minutes drive away.

This is Shakespeare Country - Charlecote Park, all the houses associated with Shakespeare, and the art gallery at Compton Verney are all within a 10 mile radius. Coughton Court ( a magnificent Tudor house associated with Guy Fawkes) is near Alcester. For all-round entertainment for all ages Stratford on Avon is only 15 minutes away. Stratford upon Avon offers the theatre (there are three!), boating, very good shopping, cinema and restaurants, plus varied attractions like a Butterfly Farm, the racecourse and the Teddy Bear Museum. You can wander through the gardens by the river, watch the boats coming through the locks on the canal, take a carriage ride or open topped bus to tour the town or visit the Leisure centre for its pool and gym. Apart from the theatres you will find street artists performing in the summer.

Oxford (33 miles) and Cheltenham are each only approx. 40 minutes by car. The station at Moreton in Marsh, 8 miles south, has frequent direct trains to Worcester (50 mins), Oxford (32 mins) and London Paddington (1 hour 20 mins).

There is so much to see and do in the area within a short drive, or even walk, that you'll wish you could stay longer. In the cottage you will find plenty of information on attractions in the area from wildlife parks through Roman remains, art galleries, historic houses and gardens to walking tours, cycling routes etc.

Ilmington has its own village tennis club with two all weather courts and visiting players are welcome. They also have an artificial wicket which seems to be very popular with the cricketers and a skateboard ramp in the playground. There is a public swimming pool three miles away. Brailes golf club, 7 miles from Ilmington, welcomes visiting players as do the many clubs in the Stratford area. There are riding stables in the area and cycles can be hired locally. - I can drive you to pick up. There are many marked cycling routes (flat as well as uphill) around Ilmington so the cottage can be used as a base for a cycling holiday and we keep cyclists' route maps in the cottage, for your use (as well as driving maps and walking routes).Further away, Cirencester water park, offering many different water sports, is about 40 minutes drive.

How to get there

London Heathrow approx 1 1/2 hours drive to the cottage. If you do not have a car you can take a train or tube to Paddington Station and from there to Moreton in Marsh station which is 8 miles from the cottage. Taxis can be ordered in advance to pick up from the station.

Birmingham Airport 45 minutes
Coventry Airport (Thomson fly budget airline) 30 minutes East Midland airport 1 hour 15 mins. Bristol Airport 1 hour 30 mins.

Railway Station at Moreton in Marsh is 8 miles away. Trains to London take 90 minutes and to Oxford 30 mins.

By road.
From London. Approximately a two hour journey via the M40 and Oxford.

Detailed directions given on booking.

Activities near Ilmington

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The centrally heated cottage is furnished in small country house style with a mix of contemporary and antique furniture and pictures. Persian rugs lie on wooden floors downstairs and it is carpeted upstairs.

The kitchen is very attractive with an old pine country table and pretty painted dresser and is equipped as a home from home. It also has a small TV and video player.

The sitting room, with open log fire, has two large sofas and a widescreen TV with the extra free channels (but not Sky!). If you want to curl up with a good book in front of the fire, extra logs are available from the village shop (your first basket is free). You can order from tesco.com and get groceries delivered to your door ready for your arrival (I will put them in the fridge or freezer for you), or wander around to the excellent village shop which is well stocked with most of the things you might need. In the summer you can relax in the small cottage garden and cook your meals on the barbeque. There is a wide selection of books on the bookshelves as well as some DVDs, (Blackadder hire shop is in Stratford for more) CDs, games and puzzles for rainy days . There is also a table tennis table in the adjacent garage with bats and balls provided.

The principal bedroom has a TV and small ensuite dressing room with basin. The bed is king-sized. All beds have electric under blankets for the winter months.

We have equipped this cottage so it is like being a house guest where the owners have gone away and left everything ready for you. Although of course a self-catering cottage means you provide your own food and toiletries you will find small amounts of store cupboard basics( salt sugar, tea etc), shower gel in the shower etc. so you don't have to remember to pack the loo paper and the diswasher powder - you will find 'starter' supplies already here and we just ask you to replace anything that you happen to finish. Every effort has been made to make it a really cosy comfortable and relaxing experience. When you arrive you will be greeted by us, the owners and will find a tea tray laid ready with home made biscuits. There is home made bread and jam also. If you are travelling from afar I can do a small amount of fresh food shopping for you with advance notice. A bottle of wine is left for your dinner. The owners are available with help and advice, should you need it, during your stay.

The internet access is wi-fi Broadband so you need a wireless card in your computer to use this. Please note that there is no computer in the cottage so you need your own! There is no landline telephone in the cottage but I have a 'pay as you go' mobile phone which I can lend you if you do not have your own.

Further details outdoors:
This traditional stone-built cottage, converted from 250 year old farm buildings, is hidden away in the courtyard of Sansome House with its own small secluded garden and the situation is very quiet and peaceful although the bird song can be deafening in the spring! The garden of Sansome House has two long term residents - a pheasant sheltering from the local shoots and a deer and both of them wander into the courtyard every so often so you may get a visit.

The hill above the village is the highest point in Warwickshire and there is wonderful walking country all around, the whole area being criss crossed with walking and bridle paths; you can wander through open fields, along escarpments and through wooded areas. You can start your walking right across the road from the cottage in our fields. Two notable trails are nearby: The Centenary Way which connects with the Heart of England way at both ends, starts a few miles away at Upper Quinton and runs through Ilmington (Kingsbury Water Park to Upper Quinton - 98 miles if you feel like a long walk!) and The Cotswold Way starts at Chipping Campden 4 miles from Ilmington and runs to Bath.

In the village there is a well stocked shop and post office, a beautiful church and two good dining pubs, both with gardens - The Red Lion and The Howard Arms. The Howard Arms won an award - Dining Pub of the Year - so that speaks for itself. There are other good pubs in the villages around. There is a Sports Club which has tennis courts (all weather surface) on which visitors can play, an artificial wicket and a skate board ramp. All of this within 3-4 mins walk of the cottage. Just 3 miles away, you can swim and work out at an excellent leisure centre. It is also wonderful cycling country with many marked routes and you can avoid hill riding if you want a flat route. Maps are available for borrowing.

Further details

Our terms and conditions (the Agreement) will be emailed to you for signature when you confirm the booking. For this, please supply your full name and address and a landline number please. A deposit is payable on booking, (£100 for a bookings of a week or less) with the balance 8 weeks in advance of arrival.

AND.... I have a second home, a large one-bedroom apartment in Dublin that I am now making available for occasional holiday lets. See my other listing, ( Ailesbury Road, Listing number 45086) on this site for details.

Conditions

Regrettably, although I do not allow indoor animals the cottage because of the allergy problems of many of our guests, you are welcome to bring outdoor pets, such as rabbits, as we have ample room in our garden for hutches or runs. Please enquire if you would like to do this.

This is a non-smoking cottage for the comfort of all our future guests.

There is quite a steep staircase which we feel is unsuitable for toddlers or the infirm. All well behaved children are welcome but this is quite a 'grown up' cottage with cream furnishings and pale carpets and if your children are at the sticky fingers and spilt drinks stage then you might feel more comfortable elsewhere.

Rental rates

Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
	23 May 08	5 Jul 08	590£  590	9898	131131	3 Nights
See notes^^	5 Jul 08	6 Sep 08	630£  630	140140	140140	3 Nights
	6 Sep 08	4 Oct 08	590£  590	9898	131131	3 Nights
	4 Oct 08	31 Oct 08	530£  530	9090	120120	3 Nights
	31 Oct 08	19 Dec 08	510£  510	8585	114114	3 Nights
	5 Jan 09	7 Mar 09	510£  510	8585	114114	3 Nights
Cheltenham Festival week	7 Mar 09	15 Mar 09	610£  610	126126	112112	3 Nights
	15 Mar 09	10 Apr 09	550£  550	9292	126126	3 Nights
Easter	10 Apr 09	18 Apr 09	610£  610	0-	0-	1 Week
	18 Apr 09	23 May 09	580£  580	9797	129129	3 Nights
	23 May 09	4 Jul 09	590£  590	9898	131131	3 Nights
	4 Jul 09	5 Sep 09	630£  630	140140	140140	3 Nights

The owner's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
NOTES:
EURO AND DOLLAR PRICES FLUCTUATE WITH EXCHANGE RATES AND YOUR PRICE IS THE RATE SHOWN FOR THAT DAY. THE ULTIMATE PRICE IS THE STERLING QUOTE.

.
NOTES ON TARIFFS DISPLAYED IN THE CHART ABOVE

NOTE ON LENGTH OF STAYS:

SHORT BREAKS
Three night breaks are Friday to Monday, four night mid-week breaks Monday to Friday (minimum charge of £300 for three nights, otherwise at the daily rate shown for up to four days - see below), not usually available in high season periods but if I have gaps very close to the time then I do consider it so it is worth asking.

Normal booking days are Monday for a mid-week break of Monday to Friday and Friday to Monday for a weekend stay. Of course you are welcome to stay only two nights at the weekend (and stay late on the Sunday) but the price is as for three. In the high season, weekly bookings of Saturday to Saturday are the norm but we can sometimes be flexible on this.

Bank holidays, if available as a short break, are based on 4 nights at the weekend rate.

5 NIGHT STAYS ARE THE SAME PRICE AS A WEEK because this upsets the balance of normal start dates making it less easy to fill odd spaces. However there is a 6 night period available from 11th to 17th August which, if booked for 6 nights, will be let pro rata at 1/7th of the daily rate/night (£90/night)

Special notes on particular times of the year:

^^I do not usually book short stays more than a 2 weeks in advance for the months of June, July and August. I can sometimes be flexible on start days but it is usually Monday or Friday in low season and Saturday to Saturday from about June to September. There is minimum stay of three nights and in the case of a winter mid-week 3 night stay there is a minimum charge applicable of £300 so it is probably worth staying 4!

Christmas week for 2008 will run from Saturday 20th December to Saturday 27th December.
New Year week from Saturday 27th December to Saturday 3rd January. Both of these periods are £800 per week. and are not available as short breaks. but full weeks only.



PLEASE ENQUIRE ABOUT METHOD OF PAYMENT IF YOU ARE FROM ABROAD. FOR THOSE IN GREAT BRITAIN, EITHER CHEQUE OR BANK TO BANK TRANSFER PLEASE.

Guestbook

"Wow!!! Sansome Cottage has everything. Great location, fantastic accommodation, lovely host. It is a home from home (well better actually). We too have stayed in many self catering cottages preferring it to hotels. I can honestly say this is the best we have stayed in. Thanks!" G.M.

"Thank you for making this cottage such a wonderful and welcoming place to stay. We have enjoyed being here enormously and have very much appreciated your attention to detail and for making it such an exquisitely lovely place to be. We very much hope to come back again" A.G.

"I can honestly say that this was the best one (cottage) yet. The welcome was warm and friendly. As soon as I unpacked it seemed like home. ..... it was located far enough away from the hustle and bustle to unwind, but all the places of interest only being a short drive out. I have already recommended it to my friends. An all round 10 out of 10". N.P.

" What a lovely cottage. Felt at home within seconds of walking in the door. Lovely thoughtful and kind host who just wanted to please. What a pleasure to spend a few nights and days in this lovely house. Will be back I am sure. " R.B.

"Wonderful weekend. Lovely cottage. Nice and clean. Everything you could possibly need is here. Lovely tranquil surroundings". M.T.

Availability notes

To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/10141

Contact owner

To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/10141

Contact details for home 10141 Please mention Holiday Lettings
Name:	Felicity Ausden
Tel:	+44 (0)1608 682555
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Advertiser joined: 10 Mar 2006 This property added: 10 Mar 2006

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