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Down Farm Manor

Slad

Sleeps 7
Bedrooms
4
Bathrooms
3
Dog Friendly
3
Sitting above the Slad Valley with far-reaching views that will steal your attention, Down Farm Manor is an inspiring place to stay in the heart of Laurie Lee’s ‘Cider with Rosie’ country. Set on a working farm you are surrounded by rural countryside with many picturesque Cotswold towns and villages within easy reach including Stroud and Painswick. As you explore Down Farm Manor you will find spacious rooms with original tiled flooring, comfortable sitting rooms, impressive fireplaces and four charming bedrooms. This is the ideal place to gather family for a special occasion, host feasts in the dining room and enjoy drinks with a backdrop of sweeping valleys.
Full Description
Down Farm Manor is hidden along a winding country lane before suddenly appearing, sitting proudly above the Slad Valley, perfectly positioned to gaze across the picturesque Cotswold countryside which so inspired the author, Laurie Lee. You are immersed in the setting of Cider with Rosie and walks from the door take you out to discover the landscapes described in this famous novel. Holding over 300 years of history, arriving at Down Farm Manor will take your breath away. The house sits on a working farm, but you are secluded in this rural location with only livestock for neighbours.

Inside Down Farm Manor you feel welcomed by the comfortable sitting rooms, one with a wood burning stove and the other with a large open fire. You can choose your favourite spot and relax with a good book or evening drink while taking in the country inspired artwork. The spacious kitchen, equipped with an electric AGA, is made for preparing decadent meals, perhaps even hiring your own private chef, to be enjoyed in the elegant dining room. High ceilings, wooden beams, stone floors and mullioned windows add grandeur to this property letting you feel like the lord or lady of the manor. Upstairs are four comfortable bedrooms sharing three bathrooms. The master suite with a spacious dressing room has fantastic views across the valley to wake up to. Each bedroom has its own character with decorative fireplaces and antique furniture.

On fine days, you will find yourselves spending most of your time outdoors. The covered cider press to the rear provides a charming space to enjoy meals outside in a unique setting. There is a side lawned garden and the front sweeping green is yours to enjoy. Take a book and your morning coffee outside, serve meals here in the evening, or wander the grounds with a glass of champagne in hand, truly relishing this special place that will live long in the memory.

Ground Floor

Kitchen:
This spacious room is a true country kitchen with tiled flooring, wooden beams and an inglenook fireplace which now houses the electric AGA. Alongside the large central island is a dining table, perfect for a quick breakfast. There is a 5-ring gas hob, Nespresso coffee machine, kettle and toaster, microwave, 2 dishwashers, and 2 fridges to ensure you are not missing anything in this well-equipped property.

The washing machine and freezer are in the basement which is accessed from the rear patio garden.

Dining Room:
Serving your meals in the dining room adds elegance to your occasion. Set the table, adding the silverware and some fresh flowers before enjoying conversations over home-cooked dishes long into the evening.

Sitting Room:
Gather in front of the large open fire and enjoy its atmospheric crackle from the sink-in sofas. This warm room is incredibly homely and you will feel at ease here. There is a 3-seater sofa, armchairs and additional space for the whole group to gather. You are surrounded by stone flooring and antique wooden furniture with beams above, filling the room with history. Behind a disguised bookshelf is a wine fridge from which you can serve your favourite chilled drinks.

Snug:
Here you can catch up on your favourite shows making use of the Sky Glass TV. A wood burner keeps you warm on cooler evenings and the walls are panelled giving this room the feeling of a gentleman’s country club. There is comfortable seating for six.

Cloakroom:
From the hall off the dining room is a cloakroom with WC and sink.

First Floor

Bedroom One:
This master-suite at the front of the house looks across the spectacular tree-lined valley. There is a super king-size bed, bedside tables, chests of drawers, a sofa and a decorative fireplace. This is a lovely room to wake up in, opening the curtains to the Cotswold countryside beyond.

From this room is a large dressing room, perfect for additional storage and ideal for a travel cot. This is also accessed from the first-floor landing.

Bathroom:
The bathroom acts as an en-suite to the first bedroom and has a large double ended bath, with a handheld shower, WC and sink. This room also has a decorative fireplace adding character to the room.

Bedroom Two:
At the rear of the house along a separate hallway, is a second super king-size double room. Overlooking the farmyard there is a window seat and decorative fireplace and a dressing table for storage.

Bedroom Three:
Next door, this colourful single bedroom would be ideal for a younger member of the family, perhaps with parents sleeping in the double room. There is a chest of drawers and bedside table with lamp.

Bathroom:
The second bathroom is handily positioned for the second and third bedroom to share. It has a bath, WC and sink.

Bedroom Four:
The final bedroom is a spacious twin with two single beds sharing a bedside table. There are two armchairs and a chest of drawers and the window seat enjoys a view of the surrounding hills.

En-Suite:
Through a hidden sliding door, the en-suite shower room has a rainfall shower, twin basins and a WC.

Outside

The outside space around Down Farm Manor makes this a magnificent place to stay. The large sweeping front lawn is perfect for letting the dogs out and there is a separate side garden. Enjoy picnics, garden games and simply sitting in the fresh country air. Behind the house is a covered cider press with space to dine in a unique, rustic setting. There is off-road parking for five cars and many walking routes pass close by.

Full List of Facilities

Indoor

  • Bedroom One - Super king-size
  • Bedroom Two - Super king-size
  • Bedroom Three - Single
  • Bedroom Four - Twin
  • 3 Bathrooms - 2 bathrooms with bath, WC and sink, 1 shower room with shower, twin basins, WC
  • Hairdryer
  • Fire - Open fire and wood burner - logs provided for initial fires 1st October to 31st March
  • AGA - Electric
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Toaster
  • Kettle
  • Fridge - 2
  • Freezer - In basement
  • Wine fridge
  • Coffee machine - Nespresso
  • Dishwasher - 2
  • Dining table
  • Washing machine - In basement
  • Iron
  • Drying rack
  • WiFi *Please note that speeds are for guidance only and are not guaranteed - 1-11 Mbps
  • TV - Sky included
  • Travel cot (cot linen not provided) - 1
  • Highchair - 1

Outdoor

  • Dog friendly - 3 well-behaved dogs welcome for an additional fee
  • Garden - Fully enclosed when gates closed
  • Outdoor dining area
  • BBQ - Gas
  • Fire pit
  • Parking - Off-road parking for 5 cars
On your Doorstep
Supermarkets and Shopping:
The closest supermarkets are in Stroud (3 miles) including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and a Waitrose. Most major supermarkets will deliver. There is an award-winning farmers’ market in Stroud every Saturday 9am-2pm. Down Farm Manor is in a beautifully rural location and the picturesque towns and villages nearby offer independent shops and delis. Stroud (3.5 miles) is a cultural hub with many galleries, boutique shops and delis. The village of Painswick (3 miles) is a lovely small village to browse the tea rooms, shops and famous St Mary’s Churchyard.


Eating Out:
  • The Painswick Restaurant, Painswick – decadent meals and afternoon tea (2 miles)
  • The Falcon, Painswick – a seasonal menu served in their charming dining room (3 miles)
  • Woolpack Inn, Slad – atmospheric pub that was Laurie Lee’s favourite haunt (1 mile)
  • Butchers Arms, Sheepscombe – welcoming, traditional village pub with enjoyable pub classics on the menu (4 miles)

Walks:
Walk in the footsteps of Laurie Lee and follow the five-mile circular Laurie Lee Wildlife Way. Covering the Slad Valley it passes through the village and can be joined from Down Farm Manor. The trail takes you to Snows Farm, Swift’s Hill, Laurie Lee Wood and Frith Wood. The whole of the Painswick Valley offers wonderful walking and both the Wysis Way and Cotswold Way are within easy reach. The Painswick Beacon is just a short drive away, where you can join a 2-mile circular walk, which takes in part of the Cotswold Way.


Places to Visit:
  • Painswick and the Rococo Gardens - visit the beautiful village and the only Rococo Gardens in the UK (4 miles)
  • Stroud Farmers Market - award-winning market every Saturday 9am-2pm (3 miles)
  • Miserden Estate and Garden – walled garden overlooking a deer park (5.5 miles)
  • Painswick Golf Club – an 18-hole course high above the Cotswolds atop the Painswick Beacon (4 miles)

Travel:
Train – Stroud railway station (3.5 miles) has a frequent and direct service to London Paddington.
Taxis - A&A Taxis, Wonky's Wheels

There is so much to discover in the Cotswolds, why not have a look at some of our favourite Bolthole Retreats Experiences.
Points of Note
  •  3 well-behaved dogs are permitted at the cottage for an additional fee.
  •  Please note that additional guests above the maximum capacity are not permitted.
  •  This property has a strictly no-smoking/no-vaping indoors policy. If you do smoke outside, please extinguish properly and respect future guests by removing cigarette litter.
  •  The garden is fully enclosed when all gates are secured. Children and dogs should be supervised as there is livestock in the surrounding fields and areas of the garden are uneven and steep.
  •  Please follow the Countryside Code of Conduct when walking dogs in the surrounding area.
  •  There is stabling and kennels on the farmyard and at certain times of year there may be more activity from farm vehicles and tractors.

Reviews

This house and farm is amazing. It has so much personality and is big. Can't go wrong staying here. We loved it.

|
Spencer
| 05/06/2024

Couldn’t have enjoyed our stay more; this manor house is really unbelievable. The house and grounds are incredibly beautiful. Keep in mind it is remote, but it’s just what we wanted. Set upon a hill within the Slad Valley, sheep graze in the front yard. The house has been extensively renovated with beautiful furnishing and historical details. We wanted peaceful and serene, and it delivered! Easy access via car to small villages within the Cotswolds. Make sure to have at least one dinner at the Wolfpack pub; top rated in the UK and only 5 minutes drive.

|
Jett
| 20/05/2024

Lovely place to stay, it’s in a beautiful location surrounded by great views. It also helped that our stay was perfect timing for the northern lights being visible in the UK, so we took advantage of the lack of light around to see them! The property itself was a great size and perfectly suited for what we needed.

|
Laura
| 08/05/2024

We had a great stay at Down Farm Manor for a family get together. The house is well presented and gave us lots of space in an amazing setting. We enjoyed walking and visiting the Woolpack.

|
Kate
| 26/04/2024

Spent seven days at the Down Farm Manor in April with extended family. Everyone was very comfortable as there were plenty of bedrooms and everyone had their own bathroom.The house has so much character and history, absolutely charming property to experience quintessential English countryside living as lord and lady of the manor.Views down the hill are absolutely stunning too. The kitchen is very well equipped.In summary: Absolutely outstanding property that feels like home.

|
Stuart
| 08/04/2024

Location

The village of Slad holds an important part of Cotswold history. It is here that the author Laurie Lee grew up, went to school, based his novel Cider with Rosie, and ended his days being buried in the local church. The spectacular valley scenery can be explored on foot, or enjoy a drink or meal at The Woolpack where Lee spent many an hour. There are a number of nature reserves to explore here, and circular routes, including the Laurie Lee Wildlife Way, are fantastic ways to immerse yourself in nature. From Slad you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Rural countryside is on your doorstep and you can discover the picturesque towns and villages of Painswick, Stroud and Nailsworth. Cheltenham, Gloucester and Cirencester can all be reached in around 30-minutes and make lovely day trips.
 
 
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Max Adults:
7
Max Children:
3
Max Infants:
2
(Under the age of 2 and sleeps in a travel cot)
Note: Sleeps 7 in 4 bedrooms across 2 super king-size, 1 twin and 1 single
Maximum number of adults and children is 7
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