Cottage Walk Through

As you enter the main room to this lovely cottage, you see in front of you the lovely millstone built into the breakfast bar. A whole slice of tree was used for the work top showing the ‘waney edge’ of the tree on both sides.

There is a Belfast sink and gas hob with an electric grill and oven. Beyond the Millstone is the main room with its massive inglenook fireplace and enormous Kilim covered Knoll Sofa, almost a room within a room! You can hide away from the world and cosy down for a romantic afternoon in front of the roaring log fire.

The end of the room is dominated by the wonderful roof to floor handmade oak windows which cuts through the bedroom floor above. We have created a handmade iron balcony which affords lovely views straight from the bed across the orchard gardens and fields into the setting sun.

With its old ‘Suffolk White’ brick floor, soft red brick walls and lime-washed paintwork; this cottage has all the ingredients for a wonderfully cosy and relaxing atmosphere. Dons Barn is one of six cottages that make up the Old Grove Farm which dates back to the 1720s.

Dog owners please note there is an acre of dog exercise Orchard and meadow at Dons Barn along with a pretty Dog washing station for muddy doggies including white fluffy towels ! – plus  there are footpaths directly from the cottage into open countryside with a lovely dog friendly pub just a 15 minute walk away.

Up to 2 well behaved dogs are always welcome, it costs £20 per pet for up to 7 nights. please refer to this webpage All About Bringing Pets for charges, rules and how this cottage may suit your pet.

The Gardens

You enter the cottage through a small herb garden, you are welcome to take any herbs you wish.

There is a mature orchard garden at the front of the cottage where guests can laze around under the apple and pear trees and have a BBQ in summer. There’s a table and chairs directly outside the cottage.

We have a large central courtyard where you can unload your car when you arrive. The courtyard has a large open sided historic ‘Cart Lodge’ barn where guests can pull out a BBQ or just sit under the fairy lights and and watch the night skies.

A second barn contains bikes for guests to use, a coal bunker and log pile for guests to purchase fuel – (don’t worry the cottage is warm and cosy with its central heating alone).

Behind the ‘Cart Lodge’ barn in a second orchard garden where we have established some peaceful, private areas with tables and chairs. This is an ideal dog exercise area – next to it is a large off road car park.

You can walk directly from the gardens onto footpaths leading to the church, pub or circular countryside walks.

The South Suffolk Cycle route runs past the cottage.

Outside

The Old Grove Farm is set in open countryside and is made up of brick buildings in a E shape, which were once a farm workers cottage, winnowing barns, dairies and bakeries.

It has a large central courtyard with a long barn creating a double quadrangle. The buildings are now converted into six lovely holiday cottages with individual entrances from different areas and surrounded by gardens and orchards. This is where our business started and where we are based.

While being right in the countryside, we are not cut off from civilisation and a 5 – 10 minute car drive will get you to shops and supermarkets, cafés, swimming pools, museums and the river Stour.

Good pubs are all around us and our local which is ¾ mile walk across the fields, has it’s own micro brewery and a selection of the best beers and ciders – The White Horse Edwardstone.

Dons Barn is a very special place that is a joy just to be in. Perfect for a couples romantic getaway.

Green Credentials

This building dates back to 1700 and is renovated and repaired with traditional and reclaimed original materials, like the ancient reclaimed wood, doors and beams, traditional lime plaster and paints, original Suffolk White floor bricks, locally sourced timber and locally fired or reclaimed bricks.

We operate or own Clear Water Treatment plant which biologically cleans all our waste water to such a pure degree that it can be discharged back into the environment.

We use many ecover products whenever possible.

We encourage guests to explore the local area by bicycle (we have bikes for guests to use free of charge) or foot.

Guests can take fresh herbs from our herb garden and fruit from our own apple, pear, plum and quince trees – some of these trees were thought to be extinct, but we have them!

We sometimes keep bees and have many flowering plants to encourage them to our gardens.

We share our grounds with bats, badgers, foxes, hares, rabbits, deer and an amazing array of birds – from buzzards and owls to blue tits, goldfinches and woodpeckers: all these animals and more find food here and shelter in our hedges.

Kitchen: All cottages are complete little homes and facilities include modern central heating, refrigerator, hobs, oven and / or microwave, toaster, crockery & serving dishes, cutlery, many utensils, fire-extinguisher, lots of pots & pans, glasses & mugs, kettle, coffee maker, teapot, kitchen towels, oven gloves, olive oil, salt & pepper, sugar, herbs, tea, fresh and instant coffee, washing up liquid, cloths, general cleaning materials, etc.

Bathroom: Soap, fluffy cotton towels, bath mats, shaver point, toilet brush, toilet roll.

Bedroom: Cotton bed linen, wardrobe with coat hangers / chest of drawers, iron, ironing board, hairdryer.

Living room Logs and coal are available at cost – a packet of firelighters will be provided. TV, books, games, magazines, local brochures, OS and other maps, folder with our special ‘What To Do’ insiders-guide to the local area.

Bikes: Please check with the owner that these are available before you arrive to avoid disappointment if they are in for maintenance

Washing: There is a washing machine and dryer in the walk-thru which is for the use of the 6 cottages on the old Grove Farm. There are also deck chairs and rugs for the garden.

Baby: Cot and high chair provided in cottages accepting babies (please bring babies bedding).