^{Star Rating}

Details Sleeps: 2 Changeover: Monday & Friday  Rooms: 1 double Length of stays: 2,3,4 or 7 nights Price: from £288 to £361 for 2 nights break Children allowed: None Babies allowed: No Dogs Welcome: No Please Note: Very Steep steps Bed Size: King 5'6 x 6'6

check availability

Checklist

	Open Christmas / New Year		Central heating		32" Television		Telephone
	Secure Garden		Barbeque		DVD player		Cooker and hob
	Off road parking		1 bathroom		CD player		Washing machine
	Secure storage for bikes		Shower over Bath		Bed linen provided		Clothes dryer
	Bikes provided		Microwave		Towels provided		Clothes airer / washing line
	Ground floor bedroom		Fridge		Breakfast basket provided
	Ground floor bathrooom		Freezer / compartment		Basics of tea, coffee, sugar provided
	Open fire		Iron and Board		Internet Access *

Penny Cottage has many wonderful period features - broad oak floor boards, ancient beamed and arched rooms, old brickwork and listed wood paneling and mullioned windows.

The Cottage is in Shilling Street, a quiet 16th Century residential street just a 100 meters from the main square and where Jane Taylor lived and wrote the famous nursery rhyme “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.

The bright sitting room has a cosy log burning stove and leads into the kitchen dining area which contains all of the modern conveniences including dishwasher, refrigerator and washing machine.

You can walk straight out from the kitchen onto a private patio to enjoy a glass of wine as you relax looking out over the lovely mature garden to the Suffolk counrtyside beyond.

Steps leading down from the patio bring you into the garden which is shared with Mint Cottage next door and is also part of our small group of holiday cottages. The garden has some nice quiet places to enjoy a picnic or have some privacy.

The stairs winding up into the bedroom give away the age of the building and people with mobility problems should not book this cottage - for the able bodied it is just another bit of the lovely character of Penny Cottage.

The beautiful old bedroom has a high vaulted ceiling with a wealth of ancient oak beams and an en suite bathroom.

There is full central heating throughout the cottage.

This cottage is 5 star rated because of the very high quality of furnishings and equipment, because of this we are unable to offer this lovely cottage to guests with pets or to smokers.
 

This is the cosy Woodburning stove   
 

 
   These beautiful Oak Floor boards are over 500 years old  

 

And this is a very luxurious antique bed 

Lavenham contains an excellent French Restaurant rated as one of the best in England called The Great House.

The Market Place which is 100 yards away also features the wonderful Guildhall which is owned by the National Trust and was the backdrop for the 1960's cult film “Witchfinder General”, The Guildhall now houses a fascinating local history Museum including such interesting bits of information such as the local law passed in the 1940's stopping the rich people from Kent buying up the ancient Village houses to transport them there, this happened after a street disappeared !

There are many fine pubs, restaurants, tea rooms, beauty salons, and lovely old fashioned village shops in the village.

Lavenham although really tiny was once England's 13th most prosperous town - in the 16th Century ! Its importance stems from its wool and weaving activities which is attested to by its wonderful historic buildings, especially the Guildhall and Church.

It is a short stroll to the edge of the village and there are marked circular walks one of which will take you down the disused railway line to Long Melford where the TV series Lovejoy was based and is an antique hunters dream.

This is a beautiful and romantic Cottage in a really outstanding historic location offering 5 star quality and luxury.

Please see my ‘What to Do’ web pages for lots of information on this lovely area.

… And please do contact me with any further questions or booking enquiries.

All prices include vat, towels, soap, linen, heating, a 'Proper English Breakfast' welcome pack and a supply of breakfast basics like real coffee and tea etc.
The cottage is a complete little home and facilities include modern heating, TV, DVD player, books, games and a fully equipped kitchen including electric hob and oven and a microwave.
 

* Internet access can be accessed through the cafe' in the back of Hobbs Butchers. At the bottom of the high street opposite The Swan Hotel. Easy walking distance from cottage.
 

               
Photo taken in Snow Cottage

We can now offer you the hedonistic enjoyment of a really
 lovely massage in this cottage, please click this link for 
more information.  Click for Massage info                                      
  


This is Lavenham...

  Little Hall Museum, The Great House - French Restaurant and The Angel Pub all just 80 yards from the Cottage

  This is the Market Square     This is the beautiful Guildhall which is owned by the National Trust and open to visitors, it contains a very interesting local history of the village.

       The ancient Market Place is home to a French Market which is great fun and a source of some real delicacies.

 

 

   

 

About Suffolk

These are some images of the countryside and tiny unspoilt vilages around Lavenham.

In Charles Dickens's days, boys living in Scotland and here in East Anglia would be allowed to leave boarding school a day early because it took so long to get back home to those places.

Even though we are just 60 miles from London, this area was always very inaccessible and remained so until very recent times.

Now the local mainline train journey to London is a mere 45 minutes and a car journey takes about an hour and a half.

But still Suffolk has retained an unusually strong independent rural atmosphere and one of the great joys of the area are the beautiful little hamlets that even locals get lost getting to though the meandering 'spiders web' of tiny lanes and byroads. Many of these villages are wonderfully preserved in their medieval origins, our local village of Lavenham being a fantastic example.

The area is very rich in History from the Saxon treasure of Sutton Hoo and the rebel Queen Bodicea who defeated the Romans, right up to the many expeditions of Settlers leaving for America - in fact the First Governor of Massachusetts came from this tiny hamlet of Edwardstone when I am based at The Old Grove Farm.

The landscape and the Architectural beauty of the area has long inspired Artists to work and move here. The greatest English landscape painter John Constable painted all his famous masterpieces along the Stour which is just 5 miles from The Grove Cottages. His work undoubtedly created this landscape as the quintessential English Landscape, which is one reason why visitors to the area feel so at home.

Flatford Mill where many of Constables most well known works of art such as 'The Haywain' were painted is now a National Trust area devoted to this artist and preserving his memory and the area he made so famous.

The Great Portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough lived in Sudbury which is the closest town to us and it is a real pleasure to visit his home which is now a very interesting museum and exciting showplace for local artists and events, it also has a wonderful print making workshop where courses on all kinds of printmaking are constantly held and very much sought after.

The great artist Sir Alfred Munnings, famous for his portraits of Rural Suffolk Life lived and had his studio close to the river Stour at Dedham and these are now an interesting museum devoted to him and his works of art.

For more information, please visit: my  'What to Do' Web Pages where I have an extensive insiders guide to South Suffolk

Above are a few photos I took around the area of Lavenham, Long Melford and Polsted - The seaside is at Aldeburgh which is a totaly unspoilt seaside village, famous for its Arts events and good food - it is about 50 minutes from Lavenham.


Below is a recent article about the Suffolk Coast

Joanna Symons, Telegraph Travel Newspaper January 2nd 2010.

'Popular though the Lake District and West Country are as tourist destinations, they can be rather damp. If you want to reduce the risk of a rainy holiday, statistics show that you should head east.

Suffolk for instance, had only about a third as much rainfall as the Lake District last summer. It also happens to have one of the loveliest stretches of coastline in Britain.



The Met office regional statistics per annum.

                        The Lake District             Suffolk

Rain fall         2300 - 3900mm          600 - 660 mm


 

Monday, 18th of January, 2010, Maryanne:
The perfect place to chill out in historic and picturesque rural suffolk. No stone left unturned to provide every comfort.

Monday, 18th of January, 2010, Mary-Anne and john:
What a great find! From the warm welcome extended by Maryka to David pulling out all the stops to solve the temporary heating problem, we cannot praise this place highly enough. Absolutely everything we needed, and more (fresh flowers - how many holiday lets go this far!) for a quiet break in the English countryside. This aside from the history and picturesque villages which, in themselves, are more than worth a visit. Even though we were here in the worst winter period for 30 years, we managed to get out and about. We thoroughly enjoyed everything we did including a beautiful Sunday walk round Stoke-by-Nayland, with families tobogganing and great pub (The Crown) to two peaceful days at Minsmere. Perfect!! We hope to return.

Tuesday, 29th of December, 2009, Hazel and Ray:
An excellent cottage in an exemplary village.

Monday, 28th of December, 2009, Pete:
Our first ever Christmas away from home on our own and we couldn't have chosen a more cosy olde worlde cottage in which to spend it. Lots of lovely welcoming touches including a Christmas Tree and a big tin of choccy biscuits. Although it was freezing outside the cottage was so warm we hardly needed to light the fire stove. Quality accomodation.

Friday, 4th of December, 2009, Elaine and Jim:
Another delightful stay at Penny Cottage, warm welcome from Maryka. Cosy and charming, sorry to be leaving !

Monday, 30th of November, 2009, Mike and Claire:
Fantastic stay in a beautiful, very well equipped, cottage. Spent most of our time relaxing but enjoyed the farmers market and browsing the shops of Lavenham. Great meal at 'The Great House' on Saturday night.

Monday, 16th of November, 2009, Peter:
A perfect cottage in everyway. This was our second visit but not our last we hope. It felt like coming home ! Walking by the river at Iken Cliff was magical.

Monday, 19th of October, 2009, Angus and Mary:
Beautiful comfortable cosy cottage, fitted out to the high standards we have come to expect from Grove Cottages.

Monday, 19th of October, 2009, Michael and Vera:
How refreshing to find somewhere that actually lives upto and even exceeds expectations.

Sunday, 11th of October, 2009, Helen:
Fresh flowers everywhere, a fire ready to light, the softest bed linen and a super beamy cottage - absolutely beautiful ! So quiet too, although 2 mins walk to village.

Friday, 2nd of October, 2009, Richard and Alex:
Penny cottage completely surpassed our expectations - a gorgeous and romantic place to get away from it all !

Saturday, 19th of September, 2009, Chris:
You will not be dissapointed with Penny Cottage. It thoughtfully combines the medieval character with modern utilities such as the kitchen and bathroom. Spacious bedroom with a fantastic preserved vaulted roof and cosy large living room with its lovely wood burner. Fantastic. We will come again!

Friday, 11th of September, 2009, Denis and Barbara:
The cottage was absolutely delightful - a perfect base from which to explore the many charming villages in Suffolk. The welcome food basket was very generous and much appreciated. We are so glad we discovered Lavenham -a real gem.

Friday, 4th of September, 2009, Derek and Jan:
So tranquil yet so close to all that the beautiful village of Lavenham has to offer, Penny Cottage is perfect. Ideal for a break, and so comfortable.

Friday, 4th of September, 2009, Wendy:
Wonderful cottage, great location. Highly recommend this property to friends and family.

Sunday, 30th of August, 2009, Sam and Johanna:
Excellent standard of cleanliness. Perfectly formed cottage with everything thought of. Brilliant to have a realistic supply of towels and toilet paper!

Thursday, 27th of August, 2009, Maureen and Colin:
The perfect retreat, in a beautiful cottage, in lovely countryside, can't wait to return.

Friday, 14th of August, 2009, Alison and Paul:
Absolutely fabulous - great cottage and location. Everything on the doorstep, yet quiet! The extra small but special details are lovely - the welcome hamper, the flowers and that wonderful, comfortable bed; all worth the 4 hour drive for a lovely chilled out week.

Friday, 31st of July, 2009, Christine Cork:
The cottage is beautiful, immaculate and homely. The 'little' touches are so appreciated-the welcome pack of eggs, bread and fruit was delightful!

Monday, 20th of July, 2009, Moy:
Wonderful - the cottage has been so lovingly restored and kept that we've felt as if we've spent the week in a real life 'Country Living' magazine!

Monday, 13th of July, 2009, John and Tina:
A superb cottage in a superb location.

Friday, 10th of July, 2009, Sean and Anna:
Probably the best appointed holiday cottage we have ever visited - and we have visited many !

Friday, 26th of June, 2009, Jacqueline:
The personal touches and attention to detail makes a holiday with Grove Cottages an absolute delight. Most relaxing holiday in years. Grove Cottages, A class act!

Friday, 19th of June, 2009, Jim:
Penny cottage is a lovely 'home from home' and doesn't feel like a holiday cottage. Peaceful with lots of character - a real pleasure.

Friday, 22nd of May, 2009, David and Amanda:
Exceeded our expectations - a beautiful cottage with some lovely little touches - you didn't forget a thing!

Monday, 4th of May, 2009, Sally:
We came here on our honeymoon - The cottage was so romantic and perfect, no detail left out and the location of lavenham was just lovely. Thank you for helping make our honeymoon so special!

Monday, 4th of May, 2009, Sally:
We came here on our honeymoon - The cottage was so romantic and perfect, no detail left out and the location of lavenham was just lovely. Thank you for helping make our honeymoon so special!

Friday, 17th of April, 2009, Edward and Fiona:
Beautifully appointed cottage in a lovely village, superb countryside. A great holiday, especially for those that enjoy english countryside. We were made to feel welcome everywhere we went.

Tuesday, 14th of April, 2009, Catherine:
The best cottage we have ever stayed at - it's the little touches, fresh flowers, laid fire, candles. Beautifully done.

Monday, 13th of April, 2009, Maxine:
Once again, Grove Cottages proved to be the only people providing a charming, stylish and practical cottage in the right location. I don't even bother looking elsewhere now.

Friday, 10th of April, 2009, Dan and Vicky:
Who needs Paris and Venice for a romantic weekend when you have Penny cottage in Lavenham!

Friday, 27th of February, 2009, Gareth & Julie:
A very high quality cottage, in a great location; walking distance to pubs & restaurants; a totally relaxing weekend; sheer bliss!

Friday, 30th of January, 2009, Steve:
A perfect cottage for our anniversary weekend - absolutely beautiful in sunshine and snow!

Monday, 15th of December, 2008, Sue & Geoff:
Attention to detail and quality furnishings, produce and equipment plus an idyllic location make Penny Cottage an eminently, repeatable experience - lovely!

Monday, 8th of December, 2008, Cassie:
Penny Cottage is a fantastic cosy cottage in beautiful Lavenham. All we could ever need just on our doorstep; cannot wait to come back!

Monday, 10th of November, 2008, David & Susan:
Wonderful, wonderful cottage - it took our breath away!

Monday, 3rd of November, 2008, Richard & Melanie:
We had the most relaxing break. The cottage was impeccable - every detail was considered

Friday, 24th of October, 2008, Carrie & Tony:
A really relaxing and comfortable holiday in an idyllic cottage. We have never been greeted with such a friendly welcome. Our holiday got off to an excellent start & we thoroughly enjoyed the cottage and it's comforts.

Monday, 20th of October, 2008, Richard & Elizabeth:
A lovely, well appointed cottage. Cosy & beautifully furnished. One of the nicest cottages we have ever stayed in.

Friday, 17th of October, 2008, Barbara:
A real gem of a cottage. A wonderful weekend retreat. Everything you expect and more. Attention to detail 1st class. Fresh flowers wonderful. Thank You!

Friday, 10th of October, 2008, Linden & Gary:
This is the most perfect cottage we have ever stayed in. Everything about the cottage is perfect. Attention to detail is Very impressive.

Monday, 29th of September, 2008, John:
Well equipped and comfortable cottage with lots of character. Peaceful location, felt like home !

Friday, 19th of September, 2008, Peter:
Exceptional find! Very well appointed and a perfect place from which to explore and enjoy Suffolk.

Friday, 12th of September, 2008, Stephen & Diane:
Penny Cottage was beautifully prepared and very welcoming. Near to the town, and yet very quiet and peaceful. Looking forward to our return visit!

Monday, 1st of September, 2008, Roz, Simon & Imogen:
What a find! A beautiful & stylish cottage in the heart of lovely Lavenham. Weve been really impressed by all the service from Eloises helpfulness with the booking, to the thoughtfulness of Kate in making the cottage baby friendly and so welcoming. Amazing attention to detail. Thanks!

Friday, 29th of August, 2008, John & Helen:
Sometimes you just happen upon perfection

Friday, 22nd of August, 2008, Tony & Angela:
Pound Cottage has been a beautiful sanctuary! We have enjoyed Suffolk hugely and this has been the best holiday cottage we have ever stayed in! Thank you for making us feel so welcome!

Monday, 28th of July, 2008, Hedley & Jane:
Penny Cottage is stunning, sensitively restored & beautifully furnished. It exceeded all our expectations. We can’t speak highly enough of the cottage. It has been a thrill to stay here. The posies and quails eggs were great. Thank you so much for making our stay so special and comfortable.

Tuesday, 15th of July, 2008, Angelique:
WOW! Be transported back in time, to this beautiful, cosy cottage. Peace & tranquility - so good to relax and get away from your busy lives.

Tuesday, 10th of June, 2008, Alastair:
A really lovely cottage with everything one would need, but the personal touches made it very special  fresh bread and flowers. Many Thanks for a wonderful weekend

Wednesday, 4th of June, 2008, Maddie & Ben:
Fantastic Cottage - really beautiful and luxurious! Amazing views and Lavenham is gorgeous!

Tuesday, 3rd of June, 2008, Claire & Alex:
Wonderful! Beautiful cottage with fantastic views and a really cosy feel. We were in a home away from home and the team at Grove Cottages really do tailor each stay to the individuals needs. Thank you.