Description
Summary
Oyster Barn is a beautifully converted barn, peacefully located within the grounds of the owners' property, in the picturesque Cotswold village of Naunton. The village benefits from a well regarded pub, and is surrounded by stunning rolling countryside, with many walks available directly from the door of the cottage. The famous market towns of Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold are nearby, and the cottage is well placed for exploring the whole Cotswold region, as well as famous places such as Oxford, Blenheim Palace and Stratford-upon-Avon.
The name of the cottage references the oyster shells that were found deep in the walls when the barn was being converted, which would have been eaten by the labourers building the barn in the 18th century. Inquisitive guests will be able to find three of these shells embedded in the stonework in the cottage. Built from Cotswold stone, the cottage has lovely character features, including exposed Cotswold stone, oak beams, and a stone fireplace with a wood burning stove. Following the recent conversion, the barn has a warm and contemporary style, which is complemented by modern facilities, including wireless internet access, three TVs, and a spacious, well presented kitchen and dining area.
Oyster Barn sleeps four people, in two bedrooms, with two bathrooms. There is a patio area outside the cottage, plus a separate beautiful garden area and there is off street parking for two cars. The property is perfect for a family, friends, or two couples seeking an idyllic rural break in the heart of the Cotswolds.
Description
Oyster Barn sits in the grounds of the owner’s property. The main entrance to the cottage is via a stable door into the kitchen, with the well laid out ground floor containing the following rooms:
- Living room: A stylish and bright room, with a wealth of character features, including an exposed Cotswold stone alcove leading to the kitchen, oak beams, a traditional wooden settle, and a feature stone fireplace with wood burning stove. Two sofas provide plenty of comfortable seating, and there is a large Smart TV with a DVD player, plus a selection of books, toys and games. Wooden French doors lead directly out to the patio area in front of the cottage;
- Kitchen/dining area: Accessed from the living room via the Cotswold stone alcove, the country style kitchen is beautifully presented, with maps illustrating walks and other local areas of interest, and is equipped with a double electric oven, four ring ceramic hob, fridge, slimline dishwasher, microwave, kettle, toaster and cafetiere. There is a dining table with seating for six, and a stable door opens onto the patio area outside.
Stairs lead up from the living room to the first floor landing, off which are the following rooms:
- Bedroom 1: A beautiful, well proportioned eaves room, with exposed beams, which contains a king size bed and a wall mounted Freeview TV and DVD player. There is an ensuite bathroom, which contains a free standing bath with handheld shower attachment, walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin;
- Bedroom 2: Another lovely eaves room, with exposed beams, which contains either a king size bed or two 75cm wide single beds. There is also a mounted Freeview TV and DVD player, and a built in wardrobe;
- Wet room: Conveniently located adjacent to bedroom 2, this bathroom contains a walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin.
A freezer is provided in the garage which is exclusive for guests to use. The open patio area outside the cottage faces the owner's property, and has a table with seating for four. The Oyster Barn garden is separate from the property and is located just past the log store. Beautiful wooden steps lead up to the attractive main garden comprising of a fenced patio area with a garden table and chairs plus a barbecue, in addition there is a small grassed orchard area with a nice wooden seat and a drinks rest. The garden has lovely views of the owners’ garden and surrounding countryside and is the perfect place to relax. Two off street parking spaces are available, with one space in an open garage attached to the property and a further allocated space on the driveway - the owners have access to the garage, where tools and gardening equipment for the property are stored.
Key Features
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 (please note that guests are still liable for any damage or additional cleaning required as a result of their actions).
Occupancy
The maximum occupancy of the property is four guests, at any point during your stay. Unauthorised over occupancy is a breach of our terms and conditions and may result in the cancellation of your booking and additional charges. Please consult us prior to booking if you wish to discuss the possibility of having more than four guests at the property.
Infants who sleep in a cot do not count towards the occupancy figure, however, due to space restrictions, the occupancy figure may only be exceeded by one additional infant.
Pets
Up to three medium sized dogs are accepted, at a cost of £20 per booking per dog. Please note that the garden is not enclosed, so dogs will need to be supervised at all times.
For the comfort of future guests, dogs must remain downstairs (stair gates are provided), stay off the furniture and we ask that no trace of a dog remains after your departure.
Bed linen and towels
Bed linen and towels are provided for guests.
Arrival and departure times
Arrival time is after 4pm and departure time is by 10am. Access is via a key safe, therefore it does not matter if you are arriving late at night.
Bed sizes and configurations
- Bedroom 1: King size bed
- Bedroom 2: King size bed or 2 x single beds (75cm wide)
Bathrooms
- Bedroom 1 ensuite: Freestanding bath with handheld shower attachment, walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin
- Wet room (adjacent to bedroom 2): Walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin.
Heating, fuel and logs
The property has an electric central heating system.
Electricity is included in the rental price. An initial basket of logs is provided for the wood burning stove and further log supplies can be purchased locally.
Services provided
The property has free wireless internet access and three Freeview TVs.
The owners have a laundry room close to the cottage, containing a washing machine and a tumble dryer. If necessary, guests may make arrangements with the owner to use the laundry room.
There is no telephone at the property.
Mobile phone reception is variable, typically being better outside the property than inside.
Parking
The property has a driveway and a garage, which provides off street parking for two cars.
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 may be available on request.
Child friendly facilities
A travel cot (without linen), stair gate and high chair are provided, and there is also a fixed stair gate at the top of the stairs. The travel cot measures 120cm x 60cm and will fit in bedroom 1, or to allow more space it could be placed in the ensuite bathroom.
The property’s private garden is not enclosed, therefore children should be supervised outside at all times.
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, toilet rolls, etc), however, you should not expect the quantity of these provisions to be sufficient for the duration of your stay.
Accessibility, health and safety
This property has some low beams, two floors and a step into some rooms, 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 the property.
Owners
Oyster Barn is a self-contained cottage, which is located in the grounds of the owners’ house.
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.
Reviews
Oyster Barn was launched as a Holiday Let with Character Cottages in January 2018. Customer reviews and feedback for this lovely property are provided below:
Other Guest Feedback:
-"Spotlessly clean, comfortable well equipped. Owners were helpful without in any way bring intrusive and it was a great location for exploring the Cotswolds. Thank you Doug and Penny.", Mary-Clare, October 2018
-"Was a fantastic stay and we loved the cottage! Thank you for all the extra touches and the kids toys were fab! We really like that you had necessities there as well as that’s not always the case. The only thing (if anything) we would want would be a Nespresso coffee machine.”, Lucila, October 2018
-"Oyster Barn was perfect in every way! It was extremely comfortable and very well maintained. We would highly recommend staying at Oyster Barn.", Molly, September 2018
-"Perfect cottage, great welcome, exceptional welcome food pack. Can't wait to return.", Dot, September 2018
-"Fabulous cottage which had everything you could need. Beautiful village location and lovely warm welcome from the owners. Delighted to find a welcome pack including milk, eggs, cheese, homemade jam and wine on arrival. 10/10.", Tanya, September 2018
-“Great location, the owners, facilities and the ‘little touches’ made us feel at home. Beautifully appointed too. BBQ equip. was ideal. Thank you.”, Timothy, August 2018
-“Oyster Barn is a perfect cottage for a Cotswolds vacation. Very clean and comfortable and well-appointed. Penny left us milk, eggs, bread, croissants, jam and butter for our arrival. Naunton is an idyllic and peaceful village. Very quiet and authentic. Some of the other Cotswolds villages are overrun with tourists and we were glad to have picked Naunton as our home base. The Black Horse Tavern is a short walk away and has excellent food and hospitality. The famous Cotswolds walking trails are easily accessed from Oyster Barn and there are maps provided by Penny at Oyster Barn. I would highly recommend Oyster Barn!”,Matt, August 2018
-"Beautiful house in a beautiful village. Perfect for a relaxing gateway to enjoy everything the Cotswolds have to offer. Penny was very friendly and helpful. We strongly recommend the Oyster Farm.”, Colette, August 2018
-"Penny & Douglas were fabulous hosts. It’s very rare to say, “They thought of everything!” Yet they did! The Oyster Barn is a beautifully appointed accommodation, quiet with a wonderful pub a short stroll up the street. We loved it!", John, July 2018
-"Fantastic cottage with lovely hosts!", Michelle, July 2018
-"Naunton is a beautiful village, well located for exploring the Cotswolds, Oxford and beyond. Penny and Doug have gone to enormous trouble to fit out the cottage with any amenity you might need. They are excellent hosts. We will happily return.", Fiona, June 2018
-"Great location, quiet local friendly area is very beautiful! Accomdation first class, and comfortable; owners next door checked to see we had everything we needed. Provisions provided to welcome us. Therefore no rushing around before check in. Highly recommended great village pub! Recommend the Sunday lunch (good value). Great little fox terrier old would visit every day (name is Rhubarb) as well as all pheasant and bird life!", Brian, June 2018
-"A really lovely place to stay- really well thought out accommodation with every aspect well thought through. Friendly and helpful hosts. Gorgeous location. Would recommend”, Cherry, June 2018
-“Delayed by a day due to heavy snow. Exceeded all our expectations. Warm, cosy. Lovely comfortable beds. We could not have asked for anything more. Thank you.”, The Hickmans with 2 dogs, March 2018
-“Thank you for making us feel so very welcome in Oyster Barn! It’s a fabulous place to stay; you thought of every possible detail. We’ve had a wonderful vacation and count’t have asked for more!”, Bram and Saskia (Netherlands), March 2018
-"A really comfortable and well equipped cottage in a beautiful part of the Country.", Simon, February 2018
-“The Barn is beautiful and I couldn’t have asked for more. In respect of dogs, I found plent of places to walk our boy, who was very happy. It would be good if there was somewhere gated to let them out quickly last thing and 1st thing in the morning. You also might want to invest in a gate from the kitchen to living room if dogs are staying especially for wet days. (we do have a mobile stairgate now)
-"We have had a lovely long weekend here and would definitely recommend you.”, Melina Richards, Paul and Bruce the dog, February 2018
-“A very relaxing week – weather mixed but it is February after all. Mud everywhere. Lovely walks at Cleeve Hill, Broadway Tower and from here to Temple Guiting. Many thanks to Penny for her helpfulness.”, Moger family and dog, February 2018
-“Thank you for a lovely weekend. The cottage exceeded our expectations in every way. Will definitely return. See you soon!”, Thomas and Katy, February 2018
-“We felt so at home – it’s cosy, comfortable, with all the little details you’d want thought about. Loved the stonework – such skill. Great walks locally, can recommend the pub – and try to get a look round the Dovecote! Penny & Dougie were impeccable hosts – so welcoming. Thank you. Wish we had longer.”, David and Olwen, February 2018
-“Overall a very wonderful experience in your cottage. Everything that we would need in a accommodation was provided including a hairdryer for my wife and daughter. Very good insulation in the cottage compared to some we have stayed in in the past. Maybe just a little bit too warm if the temperature is not that cold outside but definitely cosy though. In general everything was perfect and we would recommend this cottage to friends and online reviews. We would love to come back soon especially for your hospitality and accommodation.” Mark Jeeveratnam and Party, January 2018
-“A beautifully appointed barn with lots of lovely personal touches. Loved the woodburner too.”, The Lloyd family with dog, January 2018
-"A lovely welcome pack ( including homemade jam) and all the essentials provided in the property. Lots of lovely touches - extra large bath towels, cosy wood burner. The barn is in a pretty village, well situated for exploring and the local pub serves good food.", Kim, January 2018
Floorplan
Inventory
Our aim is for you to enjoy Oyster Barn 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 |
|---|
| Double electric oven |
Four ring ceramic hob |
Kettle |
| Toaster |
Microwave |
Freezer |
| Fridge |
Dishwasher |
Washing machine (if required - by arrangement) |
| Tumble dryer (if required - by arrangement) |
Cafetiere |
2 x Freeview TVs |
| Bed linen, bath sheets and hand towels |
Wireless internet |
1 x Smart TV |
| Travel cot (without linen) |
High chair |
2 x DVD players |
| Outdoor table and seating |
Charcoal barbecue and utensils (without charcoal) |
3 x stair gates |
| 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 |
|
|
| Other equipment and facilities |
|---|
| Clothes drying rack |
CO detectors |
Smoke alarms |
| Fire blanket |
Fire extinguishers |
First aid kit |
| Hair dryer |
Iron |
Ironing board |
| Fire guard |
Books, toys & games |
|
Travel
Oyster Barn is located in the quiet village of Naunton, within 6 miles of the popular market towns of Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold.
Travelling by car
Naunton is easily accessed by car, being located approximately 4 miles away from the A429 (Fosse Way) and approximately 6 miles away from the A40, which are two of the main roads running through the North Cotswolds.
Travelling by train
The nearest railway station to Naunton is Kingham (approximately 10 miles away), which has regular, direct services to London Paddington, with a typical journey time of less than 90 minutes. There is no taxi rank at Kingham station, so it is worth pre-booking a taxi, if required.
Travelling by plane
Naunton is within easy reach of a number of international airports:
- Birmingham International Airport: 50 miles, approximately 70 minute drive;
- Heathrow International Airport: 78 miles, approximately 100 minute drive;
- Bristol International Airport: 60 miles, approximately 80 minute drive
