The Old House is a former rectory set in two acres of garden, with an outdoor heated swimming pool, tennis and pickle court; it has been in the family for nearly a hundred years and is part of a working farm. While the house, largely 18th century, is regularly used by all the family and friends, It is available with eight bedrooms, sleeping up to 16, for short term holiday lets (no more than 30 nights at a time); we are usually available in the adjacent property for advice and help if needed. Please contact us if we can help with ideas you may have for renting, weddings, smaller parties etc.
As a family house it is comfortable rather than luxurious, full of character rather than perfect!
We welcome families with children, wedding and special occasion parties (but no stag or hen parties please), and shooting parties, or those wanting a comfortable base from which to explore the south of England. We are afraid that no pets are allowed because we have free roaming chickens, sheep with lambs, pigs with piglets, and racehorses grazing in the summer. We have our own dogs which have been trained not to interfere with the animals.
It is self-catering although we can normally recommend a cook. For those booking by the week a cleaner will come in once or twice a week.
We are happy to discuss shorter or longer stays, also weddings. The large lawn and front field are perfect for a marquee and for you to create your dream day, when taken with the house.
The normal pricing is £1100 to £1500 per night and for a minimum of 3 nights.
The house layout the ground floor of the house consists of a large hall with a dining room table for up to 14 comfortably, a large kitchen with a table for eight, a library / television room, and a drawing room with a window which slides up to allow access onto the lawn.
The first floor has the master Super King bedroom with dressing room/twin bedroom (also suitable for children) with ensuite bathroom with shower, two super King/Twin bedrooms with ensuites (one with shower only), and a Kingsize bedroom with separate bathroom with shower as well
The second (top) floor has three bedrooms (A super king/twin, King and double) with a shared bathroom with shower as well.
The garden of around two acres has a large lawn in front of the house overlooked by a large 18th century cedar of Lebanon, and four very high English Lime trees. At the upper end of the garden, through an arch, is a summer house beside the heated swimming pool (for use normally from mid-May to mid-September), and a hard tennis court (recently resurfaced and Pickleball marking added)
The Location: The Old House is a mile outside Kingsclere, midway between the towns of Basingstoke and Newbury (a 15-minute drive from each), both of which have fast trains to London in under an hour (check www.thetrainline.com ) . The historic cities of Winchester (at 558 feet is has the longest medieval cathedral in Europe), and Oxford, are both less than an hour away by car. It is also just over an hour to the Cotswolds.
Among the many places of interest within easy reach are:
Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) is 6 miles away. Booking is essential – see www.highclerecastle.co.uk
The Vyne, an historic Tudor house visited by Henry V111 and Ann Boleyn is 8 miles away – see National Trust www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Steventon, the birthplace of Jane Austen and where she spent the first twenty-five years of her life, is 11 miles away to the South, and St Nicholas church there is where her father the Reverend George Austen, was rector, as were her two brothers and her nephew. She lived latterly in Chawton, 22 miles away, where she finished writing most of her books – see www.janeaustens.house
Stonehenge is under an hour by car, as is Salisbury Cathedral (with Magna Carta on display)
Windsor Castle is 35 miles away, and Hampton Court is 44 miles.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, with HMS Victory and Henry V111 ‘s the Mary Rose, is also an hour away by car – see www.historicdockyard.co.uk.
The famous racecourses of Newbury and Ascot are within easy reach.
Golf courses: There are plenty to choose from including Sandford Springs less than a mile away – see www.sandfordsprings.co.uk
For children Legoland is 37 miles away – see www.legoland.co.uk , and Marwell Zoo is under an hour – see www.marwell.org.uk.
Clay pigeon shooting is usually available at a shooting school 5 minutes’ drive away – see www.frobury.co.uk.
For opera lovers – in the summer The Grange Festival is 45 minutes away – see www.thegrangefestival.co.uk.
Walks: because it is a working farm with heavy machinery, and gamebirds in the fields, walking on the farm is not permitted (although a guided tour may be available on request to see the kune kune pigs and pedigree Black Welsh Mountain sheep). There are however footpaths nearby, in particular a 15-minute walk up the lane takes you onto the Downs.
Pubs and restaurants nearby
The Bel and the Dragon in Kingsclere (One mile) – www.belandthedragon.co.uk
The George and Dragon in Wolverton Townsend – www.georgedragonpubhotel.co.uk
The Wellington Arms at Baughurst – an award-winning restaurant. Booking essential – see www.thewellingtonarms.com