Fern Cottage
About the home
Famous for being a childhood home of JRR Tolkien, Fern Cottage was built around 1750. Carefully restored this property is located in a quiet wooded corner at the foot of the Lickey Hills, South West Birmingham. From this great location you really can have the best of both worlds: enjoy rural seclusion with great transport links, from here you can explore other towns and cities, Shakespeares Stratford and Warwick only a 40 minute drive away, the Cotwolds, Oxford and London are within easy reach.
Fern Cottage has a magical charm that you will want to visit again and again. If you are looking for somewhere to have a romantic break or a holiday with the family Fern cottage is the place to be. It has oodles of character and charm whether inside the cottage or outside in the large garden it is such a wonderful and tranquil place you can't help but love it. Wander around the leafy Lickey Hills or play a round of golf on the first municipal golf course in the country which is only a few minutes walk away. Go sight seeing to the many attractions in the region, where ever you decide to go during your stay, Fern cottage is just the best place to come back to.
This is the first time this propety has ever been available for a holiday let.
Full details are available from our website.
| Size: | Sleeps up to 7, 3 bedrooms |
|---|---|
| Will consider: | Long lets Short breaks |
| Access: | Car advised Nearest amenities: 250m |
| Family friendly? | Suitable for children of all ages Unsuitable for people with restricted mobility |
| Notes: | No pets allowed No smoking at this property Self-catering |
Facilities
| Luxuries: | Log fire, DVD player |
|---|---|
| General: | Central heating, TV, CD player, Safe |
| Standard: | Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer |
| Utilities: | Clothes dryer, Dishwasher, Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine |
| Rooms: | 3 Bedrooms, 1 family bathroom |
| Furniture: | Single beds (3), Double beds (1), Cots (1), Dining seating for 6, Lounge seating for 5 |
| Other: | Linen and towels provided Highchair available |
| Outdoors: | Private garden, BBQ |
| Access: | Secure parking |
Further details indoors:
This magical cottage has been completely restored to the highest of standards, with three bedrooms it can sleep 5 -7 people.
The main bedroom is a wonderful room with a high vaulted ceiling, with the most comfy super king size bed, complete with luxurious bedding, you will want to remain snuggled up and enjoy long lazy mornings!
For a family holiday the room is large enough to fit an additional single bed and or a cot!
The second bedroom has a single bed that can be modified to a double, this reduces the floor area and the chair has to be removed.
The third bedroom has two single beds, one is full a full sized single the other is 3ft wide 5ft 10 inches long, so ideal for children. There is a WC upstairs.
Please note that this is a very old property and therefore the stairs are steep, so is not suitable for infirm elderly people, small children will require supervision.
The cottage has gas central heating throughout.
Entry is through the front porch into the dining room, the dining table is extendable and seats 6 to 8 people.
There is a separate lounge with a cosy leather suite and a real log fire, facilities include a flat screen tv with freeview, dvd player and a radio/cd/ipod hi fi system, we also provide a small library of CDs, DVDs, books and games.
The kitchen is newly refurbished with all new appliances and is fully equipped for dining for eight people.
To the back of the cottage is a cloakroom, a utility area and a large bathroom which includes a rolltop bath, separate shower, toilet and large sink. Everything you need is provided, this is a real home from home.
There is ample parking for 6 cars available at the front of the cottage which has a gated entrance.
Further details outdoors:
Fern Cottage has a secluded garden that backs onto the Lickey Hills, there is a seating area with table and chairs in the front garden and a barbecue area to the side of the cottage.
There are multiples of bird feeders in the trees that can be viewed from the lounge, you can spend time watching the variety of birds that come to feed from them, you may occasionally be startled by them tapping on the window panes, we are currently being visited by badgers during the night, who are digging up the lawn!
There is a pathway leading around the cottage to the back door and up into the rest of the garden. It is the most wonderful setting, it has such a magical feeling, it is a really special place.
Further details
Change over day is Friday but we are flexible.
Towels and linen are provided for your stay, every bedroom is provided with a hair dryer. If an additional bed, high chair or cot is required, please ask in advance of your stay.
A small pack of essentials are provided i.e. Milk, tea, etc.
Some people might consider the property unsuitable for small children as the banister arrangement will not allow the fitting of a stairgate. If you feel this may be a problem please contact us with any questions.
Conditions
Please be aware that the top of the garden and the stairs are steep so children must be supervised at all times, due to the stairs the property is unsuitable for the elderly infirm.
Strictly no smoking inside the cottage, smoking permitted outside.
50% deposit is required to secure a booking.
Photos
The Central England / Cotswolds / Worcestershire region


The Lickey Hills are of significant geological interest because of the range and age of the rocks, (part of the jurrassic belt).
The region has many places of interest including Shakespeares Stratford and Warwick where you can enjoy a castle experience, both are only 40 minutes drive away.
Worcester is another lovely city, visit the Catherdral or maybe have a day at Worcester races!
A few miles away there is West Midlands Safari Park, The Severn Valley Railway, Ragley Hall, Witley Court, Drayton Manor and Alton Towers theme parks.
We have to mention Cadbury World, great for chocolate lovers, a great day out! Please note: if you are taking children the whole experience takes about 4 hours with lots of chocolate!
The Rednal / Lickey Hills area
The Lickey Hills is the beauty spot of Birmingham located 11 miles South West of the centre. It is a 525 acre country park which includes a golf course, alongside are tennis courts a bowling green and duck ponds.
In springtime Bilberry Woods has the most amazing display of bluebells- a carpet of blue covers the ground.
A sight to behold!
There are three car parks in the country park, one by the visitor centre, one by the golf course, one on Beacon Hill where kite flying is a major attraction, the views from the Beacon reach to the city and out over the wonderful countryside..
Within a short distance are many local Pubs with dining, restaurants and takeaways and if you fancy a night out you are only a few miles from the city centre!!
You may wish to take in the vast amount of musems and attractions in the city, including the many markets, the Jewellery Quarter or the Botanical Gardens, don't forget the Symphony Hall, the many theatres, the NEC, the NIA and the newly regenerated Town Hall, .
Take a drive out and visit other towns and cities, Blenhiem Palace, Stratford, Oxford, Worcester. London is only an 1:1/2 hours commute by train.
How to get there
Click map icons for more information
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| Nearest Travel Links | |
| Airport: | Birmingham International 30 mins: 37 km |
| Railway: | Barnt Green or Longbridge: 2 km |
Fern Cottage is 30 minutes drive from Birmingham International Airport, which has many direct and indirect flights which include budget airlines.
There is a direct rail link from the airport (Birmingham International) to the city centre Birmingham New Street..
Two services to Rednal;- Longbridge and Redditch services
New Street to Redditch - get off at Barnt Green - runs every 30 minutes
New Street to Longbridge - get off at Longbridge - runs every 10 minutes
We can arrange collection from the local stations if required.
Motorway links - M42 Junction 1 and the M5 Junction 4 from here the Lickey Hills are only minutes away.
Detailed road directions to Fern cottage are available on our website please use the link provided.
Activities near Rednal
Tennis in town
Horse Riding
Golf less than 15 mins walk
Fishing
Walking holidays
Rural / countryside retreats
Guestbook for Fern Cottage
Feb 11
This cottage is a hidden gem. We have had a lovely, relaxing week in Tolkiens old home and it is a wrench to leave! Thank you for preserving this piece of heritage and looking after it so we can enjoy it. We will certainly return and will spread the word about this wonderful place. The real fire is such a brilliant touch and adds to the atmosphere of peace and calm in a quieter world. Erwin, Tim & Friends - Netherlands
Jan 11
Thank you so much for the postcard Christmas! White Snow covering the grounds and the cottage will be something I will never forget. My first white Christmas and it will be hard to beat. Chris - New Zealand, Shazza - Indonesia
Dec 10
Yet again, another fantasic long weekend with the family. Thank you so much for all the little extras that makes it so special to stay in this cosy retreat. I had the best 3 nights sleep in a long time and batteries are restored for the forthcoming crazy season! We hope to make this a yearly occasion.
August 10
Many many thanks for our lovely stay at your beautiful cottage! We enjoyed it very much! We would like to thank you both for the advice you have given us!! For over 19yrs, we have rented cottages in Europe(always once or twice a year) This is the best cottage we have ever stayed at! We will definately recommend to family and friends in the Netherlands.
June 10
In the footsteps of Tolkien, the shadows of the halflings linger on in Fern Cottage - where the Old World meets the New, where time seems to stand gently amidst the beams and the rolling landscape. Thank you Joe and Kelly for sharing your magical cottage. USA & France
We had a wonderful time staying in Fern cottage. The children loved the garden. Thanks for a great stay.
Gold Coast, Australia
April 10
We had a super weekend in Fern cottage, beautiful cottage, delightful setting, clean and warm with welcoming touches. We will be visiting again. So much to do in this part of the country. Amory Family
Feb 10
This is the place where we fell in love with English tea! We'll never forget it!!! Romania
Dec 09
A perfect Christmas cottage for our family Christmas - the first one with our first grandson. Would love to come back in the summer to really make use of the garden. USA & Scotland
Don't know if anyone else had a spooky experience but the picture fell off the wall in the dining room whilst we were having dinner! This just added to the ambience. Thank you for the extra touches we'll be back! Cornwall
Aug 09
The cottage is lovely, warm and cosy and the garden a children's adventure - they loved the rope swing and badger watching. The woodwork inside the cottage is stunning - well done Joe! The Paes Family - Liverpool
July 09
Wonderful holiday, beautiful cottage. All our relations who visisted us while here have fallen in love with this amazing place. Many a memory making time has been spent in this place - memories to treasure a lifetime.
The Shillabers (South Australia).
June 09
This beautiful retreat is wraped in a peaceful bubble, hidden from the world. Priviledged are those who are chosen to stay here, blessed by your compassion and dedication to maintaining this piece of heaven on earth. Heartfelt thanks.
May 09
Very sad at leaving this hidden treasure! Many thanks for your help. John, Sarah and Cameron.
April 09
Your cottage is by far the best we've stayed in, and we wish we could stay another week. You've thought of everything can't wait to get back. Many thanks, Tony and Rajju Dubai
This has been our best stay yet! Such a beautiful hidden little cottage. You provided us with everything we needed and some great stories! The Zambonin's from Prince Edward Island. Canada.
March 09
Fern Cottage is a true home from home! You seem to have thought of everything and staying here has been a real pleasure! Look forward to a return trip! Thanks a lot! Lousie and Dave
What a great retreat after a busy day at the NEC! Thanks very Much
Feb 09
Thank you so much for a fantastic weekend. An absolutely gorgeous cottage well equipped with everything we could need. A good location with lots of things to do in easy reach. And also a lot of history to go with it ! Thank you again - will definitely be recommending you to friends and family. Many Thanks...Rita, Anna, Ruth, Jen, Dorothy, Laura and Katie.
Fern Cottage is delightful - we had a lovley break. Thank you for the welcome pack which was much appreciated. We look forward to visiting again! Many Thanks Sally, David, Jesscia and George. (Lancashire)
December 08
We had a very comfortable and enjoyable stay in your lovely cottage. All the little touches, decoration and good facilities made our stay very homely. We made full use of the fireplace and enjoyed it every evening - just like our childhood. We will be spreading the word. Many Thanks. The Phillips and the Watsons.
Had a really lovely Christmas here in the cottage. Thanks for the decorations is made our stay very atmospheric. Everyone who visited commented on our little "haven". Have given everyone the website details. Well Done!! Sally and Malcolm. France
We really enjoyed this cottage. Great escape from the NEC. Very comfortable, quiet, well equipped. Perfect for us. Happy Days. Kieran and Pam from Norfolk
October 08
Thanks for a great hidden retreat, the welcome pack and flowers. What a lovely place to call home for a week. Great comfy bed and the extra beds when our friends joined us for a couple of nights were comfy too. Lovely log fire and swing! We never got to see the badger but what lovely birds visited the gardens as well as squirrels! Thanks again for a super break to recharge our batteries. Both pubs in the village did super food and a great choice. The Wells family. (Yorkshire)
We will be back, that should say it all !...You did a fantasic job with the cottage, it was a priviledge staying here. We loved the kingsize bed, so did the kids! Thanks to Lynne, she really made us feel welcome. Thanks for being great hosts, even if we still have to meet you....and we will! Michael, Alison, Emily, Alexander and Nicholas.
September 08
Literally home from home. Wanted for nothing, stay made very special and memorable by extra personal touches. So cosy and comfortable we didn't want to venture far from the cottage, so we'll have to come back to explore the local area. Loved it !! Fiona, Shennagh and Morag.
Thankyou for our stay in your wonderful cottage, it really is a home from home and not just a 'base' for a holiday.
The kitchen is great to cook in. The lounge and fire is great for evenings and the garden is great for playing - our boys loved it - especially the newly added swing which was a nice thought. Thanks again. Team Wilson
I have had a great time here in your beautiful cottage. It really is a cosy honey cottage and the garden is amazing. Thankyou for the swing me and my brother both enjoyed it. THANK YOU! K Wilson
The facilities were excellent, it's the best equipped cottage we've stayed in. The cottage exceeded our expectations - loved the contrast between the front and the countryside at the rear. The facilities in the cottage and information about the area was second to none, lots to do, we had a really great holiday. Lovely to have such a friendly welcome and to know we could contact you, we have never experienced this before. We will certainly recommend the cottage to friends and family. The Mc Williams - Sommerset - 21/08/08
We have had a fantastic time staying in your gorgeous cottage - we will all remember it for a long time. You provided us with everything we could have possibly needed- and more! Thank you so much. Nixon family (Cleveland) 10/08/08
Dear Kelly and Joe,
We really enjoyed our stay in your very nice cottage. Everything was made to feel comfortable, it was like at home! We thank you very much for all the things you put in the cottage for us.
We also enjoyed the very nice Lickey Hills golf course. Beatrice, Daniel, Audrey, Alexis and Julie (France). 30/07/08
We really really loved our stay here, everything we could have possibly needed was here. You've done a gorgeous job and the house is beautiful. The only thing is, we wish we could have stayed longer!
The Bennetts (Canada) 7/05/08
We've spent a wonderful week at Fern Cottage and what a hidden gem it is!! Took some fantastic photos of the wildlife in the garden, although Mr Badger continues to be camera shy! We look forward to visiting again soon and quite loathed to leave.
I can't thank you enough for such a wonderful place to escape to, we loved it and hope you will have us back again soon, in the not to distant future! P.S. Thankyou for being fantastic.. Rachel and friends 15/06/08
Rental prices
| Rental prices originally quoted in: British £ | Convert to: |
| Prices for group size 7 | ||||||
| Period | From![]() | To![]() | Weekly![]() | Nightly rate | Minimum stay | |
| Weekday | Weekend | |||||
| Mid Rate | 29 Apr 11 | 27 May 11 | £ 460 | - | - | 1 Week |
| High Rate | 27 May 11 | 10 Jun 11 | £ 620 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Mid Rate | 10 Jun 11 | 22 Jul 11 | £ 460 | - | - | 1 Week |
| High Rate | 22 Jul 11 | 2 Sep 11 | £ 640 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Mid Rate | 2 Sep 11 | 4 Nov 11 | £ 460 | - | - | 1 Week |
| Low Rate | 4 Nov 11 | 16 Dec 11 | £ 370 | - | - | 1 Week |
| High Rate | 16 Dec 11 | 6 Jan 12 | £ 680 | - | - | 1 Week |
| low rate | 6 Jan 12 | 10 Feb 12 | £ 370 | - | - | 1 Week |
| mid rate | 10 Feb 12 | 24 Feb 12 | £ 460 | - | - | 1 Week |
| low rate | 24 Feb 12 | 30 Mar 12 | £ 370 | - | - | 1 Week |
| mid rate | 30 Mar 12 | 4 May 12 | £ 460 | - | - | 1 Week |
| low rate | 4 May 12 | 1 Jun 12 | £ 370 | - | - | 1 Week |
| mid rate | 1 Jun 12 | 16 Jun 12 | £ 460 | - | - | 1 Week |
| low rate | 16 Jun 12 | 20 Jul 12 | £ 460 | - | - | 1 Week |
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.
There are no additional hidden costs.
We only accept payment by cheque, please enquire if this is a problem for you.
We do not provide travel, personel or cancellation insurance, we advise guests to have their own insurance cover.
If additional beds, highchair or cot is required please state in advance so we can have them ready for you.
Availability
See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
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Contact the owner
* Required fields Please check the following errors: | 3 years listed You are contacting Kelly Seldon Fletcher
Languages spoken ![]() The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2008. This cottage has so far received 0 reviews. ![]() |
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