Description
Summary
Brook Cottage is one of the most idyllically situated properties in the Cotswolds, sitting on a quiet lane overlooking fields, with only the soothing sound of the babbling brook outside to break the silence. Despite the tranquil setting, the cottage is in the historic heart of Blockley, which is a peaceful, yet thriving village, with two pubs, a community owned village shop & café, a historic Norman church and a childrens' playground. Blockley has numerous beautiful walks on its doorstep and is well located for exploring the many beautiful market towns and villages of the North Cotswolds, as well as further afield places, such as Stratford-upon-Avon, Blenheim Palace and Oxford.
Parts of Brook Cottage are believed to date back to the 17th century, with the majority of the Grade II listed cottage built in the mid-19th century. The cottage has been beautifully refurbished and retains many character features, including a stunning inglenook fireplace, stone mullion windows, wooden beams and ledge and brace doors. Complementing these period features, the house has modern facilities, including wireless internet access, a TV and a beautiful new kitchen.
The cottage sleeps up to four people, in two bedrooms, both containing double beds. There is a bathroom and a separate toilet. The cottage also has a fully enclosed garden, accessed from the kitchen. The layout of the property makes Brook Cottage an ideal retreat for one or two couples, or a small family.
Description
Walking along Blockley Brook leads you to Brook Cottage’s front door, which opens into:
- Living room: A cosy, beautifully furnished room, with a stone mullion window with window seat, wooden beams, a large inglenook fireplace and a flat-panel TV. The living room is also used for dining and it contains an extendable dining table, with seating for up to four people.
The living room then leads into:
- Kitchen: For a small cottage, the beautifully decorated kitchen is very well equipped, including a cooker with hob, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, freezer and washer dryer.
Returning to the living room, a narrow, steep staircase leads up to a small first floor hallway, off which is:
- Bedroom 1: A cosy bedroom, with exposed beams and brickwork, containing a double bed next to the stone mullion window, which looks out to fields and the brook below. The main bathroom is accessed via bedroom 1 and this contains a bath with handheld shower attachment, basin and toilet.
The staircase continues up into the gable of the house, opening out to:
- Bedroom 2: Another cosy double bedroom, with exposed beams and a stone mullion window, bedroom 2 also has an en-suite toilet and basin.
Heading back downstairs and into the kitchen, double doors lead out into the fully enclosed, south-westerly facing garden, which contains a paved area and decking at the end of the garden. There is an outdoor table and chairs, with a barbecue provided in the Summer. Outside the front door is a small garden area, with a stone bench, which looks down the lane to the brook running past the cottage.
Key Features
Booking and payment
Character Cottages is a marketing agency and we do not own or manage any of the cottages listed on our website. Bookings made via us form a legal agreement directly between you and the property owner.
For bookings commencing more than 10 weeks in advance, a 30% non-refundable deposit is required to confirm the booking. The balance payment is then due 10 weeks prior to arrival.
All payments are made subject to the cancellation policy set out in the standard Booking Conditions.
Security deposits
Security deposits are not required at Brook Cottage.
Pets
One dog is accepted, at a cost of £20 per booking.
For the comfort of future guests, we ask that dogs remain downstairs, stay off the furniture and that no trace of a dog remains after your departure. Dog towels are provided for guests.
Bed linen and towels
Bed linen, bath towels and hand towels are provided for guests.
Arrival and departure times
Arrival time at Brook Cottage is after 4pm and departure time is by 10am.
Bed sizes and configurations
- Bedroom 1: Double bed;
- Bedroom 2: Double bed.
Fuel and logs
Electricity and gas are included in the letting price. An initial basket of logs is provided for the large inglenook fireplace in the living room, and further log supplies can be purchased locally.
Services provided
Brook Cottage has wireless internet access, a TV in the living room and a further TV in bedroom 1. There is also a telephone, for UK calls only.
Blockley is in a valley and guests should be aware that mobile phone reception can be very poor.
Parking
Brook Cottage is located on a peaceful lane, approximately 75 yards away from the nearest road. Free, on street parking is available on High Street, which is a quiet no through road, approximately 150 yards from the cottage. Please note that the walk from the end of the road, where luggage can be unloaded, to Brook Cottage is approximately 75 yards, on a flat footpath alongside the brook.
Housekeeping
Where a letting exceeds nine nights, a mid-stay clean, bed linen and towel change may be included in the price. Please check with us to confirm. Additional housekeeping services are available on request.
Child friendly facilities
A travel cot (without linen), high chair and safety gate are provided.
Initial consumables
A small quantity of initial consumables is provided for your convenience (eg. tea, coffee, sugar, dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, soap, washing powder, etc), however, you should not expect the quantity of these provisions to be sufficient for the duration of your stay.
Accessibility, health and safety
Brook Cottage is an old, Grade II listed property and has many character features, including narrow and steep stairs, low beams and multiple floors, which could pose difficulty to guests with limited mobility, or carrying babies, both in terms of their general movement and their ability to quickly exit the house in the event of an emergency.
The smoke and CO detectors operate on a sound only basis and, therefore, those who have serious impairment of hearing may not be able to hear the alarm systems and could be at risk.
Smoking
No smoking is permitted throughout Brook Cottage.
Photographs
In order to provide you with as much detail of our properties as possible, we sometimes use wide angle photography, which can make certain rooms, or spaces, appear larger than they actually are. Wherever possible, we try to include a floorplan, with detailed dimensions of rooms and areas. If you have any queries regarding the size of any rooms or spaces, please do not hesitate to contact us.
National Heritage
As one of Blockley's many historic properties, Brook Cottage was given a Grade II listing by English Heritage in August 1983 and details of the list entry are shown below:
Mid C19 in C17 style. Two storeys and attics. Terrace stepped down in pairs to stream. Cut, squared and dressed rubble, slate roofs. Each pair 4 bays with 2 centralised gables for 2-light attic windows and outer ranges of windows; chamfered mullion-type windows in rebate surrounds, of 2 and 3 lights. Plain doors in line with dormers.
Buildings in this position are shown on a map of 1819; the present buildings may incorporate or even reflect the style of these earlier cottages.
Reviews
Brook Cottage was launched as a Holiday Let with Character Cottages in December 2011 and is in the process of building up customer feedback. With its outstanding presentation and ideal location, we have little doubt that the cottage will be a favourite with guests.
Other Customer Feedback:
- "Beautiful picturesque cottage. Perfectly situated. Idyllic. Will definitely stay here again.", Magda, May 2017
- "Lovely cottage in a beautiful situation." Jessica, April 2017
- “A lovely little cottage with everything we needed. A beautiful location. Thank you!”, Hannah, December 2016
- “Fantastic cottage. Very clean and within a beautiful, tranquil village. Highly recommended by us.”, Brian, September 2016
- "Everything about the cottage and the service leading up to it was excellent. We enjoyed our stay very much and found Brook Cottage to be of a high standard that met up to expectations from the details and photographs we had been given. Just one small detail we felt that somewhere to hang wet coats etc would be good , possibly some hanging space just behind the front door but also appreciate that the cottage is very small and this might affect the look of the room?! Just a thought. Information given for surrounding areas was very helpful and instructions for getting there and getting in etc very good. We really liked the cottage and will be having a look at other properties in your portfolio for the future as well as hopefully making it back to Brook Cottage!" - Chris, October 2012
- "Hi Andy, Yes. I enjoyed my stay at Brook cottage very much. It was comfortable and situated in a wonderful spot." - Paul, September 2012
- "We loved our stay in Brook Cottage. It is charming, cosy and comfortable with great facilities and use of space. Being tall, the low doorways were a bit tricky (even though there are plenty of signs to warn you!) and my encounter with 2 large slugs cruising across the carpet in the sitting room one night gave me a bit of a fright (as I stepped on one in the dark with my bare feet!!). The only thing I would say is there wasn't any indication of where to put the rubbish (and what to do with recycling etc). But it is a beautiful spot and we were made to feel really welcome with the cake and milk in the fridge - and loo roll/soap provided. There's nothing worse than turning up somewhere where abolutely nothing is there for the (usually weary) guest. I actually know Blockley well as my parents live very nearby so I probably wanted different things from the cottage than the majority of your guests (i.e. we weren't there as tourists). I would definitely like to come back (I especially liked the kitchen!)" - Kate, September 2012
- "We absolutely loved our stay at Brook Cottage thanks! It was the absolute perfect choice for our honeymoon – idyllic, beautifully finished, cosy cottage in a beautiful little village in the Cotswolds! Particularly loved the freestanding bath! We had a great week and would love to go back again for a break sometime when we can escape the big smoke. Thanks!" - Emma, August 2012
- "We had a great stay, thank you. The cottage was beautiful. Blockley is a village that we do not know well even though we spend much time in the Cotswolds. It is a shame that on Sunday afternoon, the folk next door parked a large yellow van across the front and then made a lot of noise. It spoilt things somewhat but something such as this is obviously beyond the control of you or the owners.
We will certainlty book through you again." - David, August 2012
- "Fantastic. We loved the cottage- perfectly appointed, very cozy, but really loved the fact that it was right on the path where so many of the locals walked their dogs. We got to know one of the couples and their family quite well (it helped that they had 2 really cute daughters who were roughly the same age as our boys), and had drinks with them on two separate occasions. We have continued to stay in contact by email a time or two per week. It was a wonderful week. As a family we have decided the next trip to England we will skip London and stay in the Cotswolds- and Brook Cottage- again." - Forrest, August 2012
- "We loved Brook Cottage! It was very cozy and quaint. We really loved the kitchen. It was very cute. We loved that we could hear the brook from inside the house or sitting in the garden. Blockley is a lovely village. We have visited the Cotswolds many times and found the quietness of Blockley to be a welcome relief from the crowds of tourists. It has an interesting history as well and we enjoyed the self-guided walking tour. We would highly recommend Brook Cottage to anyone who wants to experience the Cotswolds without the crowds" - Bonnie, July 2012
- "Being a wedding anniversary treat I had high hopes of a special weekend, what can I say - superb! Beautiful little cottage in an idyllic setting. Everything as it should be, cottage was well presented and the cake that I presume was left by one of your team was much appreciated. Character Cottages set high standards but that is as it should be. My wife has placed comments on Trip Advisor which I hope potential customers will view. Many thanks for helping to make our stay so enjoyable." - Ian & Anne, June 2012
- "We had a lovely stay at Brook Cottage, very relaxing. We all loved the cottage and the location, we would definately return for another stay. I would not hestitate in recommending the cottage to friends. We found the cottage comfortable, very clean, with everything you need to hand. Lovely!" - Kim, May 2012
- "You wouldn't beleive it, but about 5 minutes ago I was just on your website forwarding it to a friend of a friend who has heard how much we enjoyed it and is planning a trip up that way!
We absolutely loved our stay at your beautiful cottage, who would have known it was going to be just like the photos (but even better). The location was just beautiful and made even more special by the fact that you couldn't park directly out the front. The lovely "welcome" cake was just what we needed with a cuppa after we didn't have access to our computer or i phone and therefore no directions. It did take us some time to find it as our phone battery died and we had a lot of problems getting through to you by public phone. All 4 of us who spent 6 weeks travelling through the UK, France and Italy still say Blockley is our favourite and will be highly recommending it to anyone going to the Cotswolds. The little brook running by is beautiful, we just loved watching all the locals taking thier dogs in the brook as part of their daily walk! We found everything in the cottage great and can think of nothing else it needs for a wonderful stay. So a big "thank you" for leaving us with very fond memories of Blockley!" - Melissa & Matt, May 2012
- "It was nice to hear from you. We did enjoy our stay at Brook Cottage. This was our first time staying in a cottage and we found it to be very comfortable. We fell in love with Blockley and the cottage. I wish it was easier for us to get to England! Thanks to you, Mat and Sue for a great stay." - Teresa, May 2012
- "Just to say we loved Brook Cottage, superbly well equipped kitchen and we look forward to returning. Many Thanks!" - Judith, April 2012
- "We thought the cottage was lovely - full of character and very cosy. The setting was also fabulous" - Mandy, March 2012
- "Yes we had a lovely stay thank you! The cottage is really pretty, very cosy and we really enjoyed using the fire and that lovely roll-top bath! Thought the location was excellent and had I not been pregnant we would have made good use of the two local pubs! We did enjoy a meal at the Western Arms which was good and reasonably priced. The locals were so friendly to us it was quite unusual getting such a warm welcome in a small village" - Victoria, March 2012
- "Hello Andrew, I loved my stay and wished I could have stayed longer? It was beautiful and a great peaceful stay before I go into hospital! Thank you for your Lovely welcome and help. If there are any more peaceful places to stay then please do not hesitate tolet me know xxx" - Jemma, Feb 2012
- "Everything was just perfect. The cottage was amazing, we had a really wonderful time." - Julie, Feb 2012
- "We had an absolutely wonderful weekend at Brook Cottage. We loved the cottage, it exceeded our expectations in every way and was a fantastic place to stay. It is full of character and extremely well equipped. Blockley is a really lovely village and a good covering of snow on the second night of our stay added to the magic!! I would not hesitate to recommend Brook Cottage to friends and family and do hope to return for another stay in the future. I note that Brook Cottage is on Tripadvisor and will provide a (very positive) review shortly." - Jennie, Feb 2012"
Floorplan
Inventory
Our aim is for you to enjoy Brook Cottage as if it was your own home and this information is provided to ensure that you are aware of, and are able to use, all the facilities that are available.
| Main appliances, furniture and facilities |
|---|
| Cooker and hob |
Freezer |
Fridge |
| Kettle |
Microwave |
Washing machine/dryer |
| Dishwasher |
Toaster |
High chair |
| Telephone (UK calls only) |
Travel cot (without linen) |
TV (x2) |
| Wireless internet |
DVD player |
|
| General provisions |
|---|
| Bin bags |
Dishwasher tablets |
Hand soap |
| J cloths & scourers |
Salt and pepper |
Small quantity of instant coffee |
| Small quantity of sugar |
Small quantity of tea bags |
Toilet roll |
| Washing up liquid |
Bathroom spray |
Cling film |
| Duster |
Flash All Purpose |
Kitchen roll |
| Multi-surface polish |
Tin foil |
Tissues |
| Other equipment and facilities |
|---|
| Wine rack |
Mop and bucket |
Vacuum cleaner |
| Fire guard |
First aid kit |
Torch |
| Companion Set |
Iron |
Ironing board |
| Stair gate |
Tourist information |
|
Travel
Brook Cottage is located on a very quiet lane, not accessible by cars, in the peaceful, picturesque village of Blockley.
Travelling by car
Blockley is easily accessed by car, being located approximately 1 mile away from the A44 and approximately 3 miles away from the A429 (Fosse Way), which are two of the main roads through the North Cotswolds.
Travelling by train
The nearest railway station to Blockley is Moreton-in-Marsh (approximately 3 miles away), which has regular, direct services to London Paddington, with a typical journey time of approximately 90 minutes.
Travelling by plane
Blockley is within easy reach of a number of international airports:
- Birmingham International Airport: 42 miles, approximately 60 minute drive;
- Heathrow International Airport: 76 miles, approximately 90 minute drive;
- Bristol International Airport: 75 miles, approximately 90 minute drive.
