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Historic large house set within beautiful gardens

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Exterior
Garden
Entrance
Drawing Room
Drawing Room

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
6 bedrooms3+ bathroomsSleeps 14

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Pet-friendly
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Burford, Tenbury Wells
  • Tenbury Pump Rooms
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Ludlow Castle
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Mortimer Forest
    ‪31 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

6 bedrooms (sleeps 14)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed and 2 Single Beds

Bedroom 2

1 King Bed

Bedroom 3

1 King Bed

Bedroom 5

2 Single Beds

Bedroom 5

1 King Bed

Bedroom 6

1 King Bed

3 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet

Bathroom 3

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Toilet 1

Toilet

Spaces

Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Historic large house set within beautiful gardens

Sleeping 14 this house is perfect for entertaining allowing for large groups to come together in comfort.
Whether you're hoping to host a formal dinner in the beautiful dining room, while away hours playing board games in front of the fire or spend relaxed afternoons playing croquet on the lawn whilst the children jump on the trampoline.

Downstairs there is a convenient mud room (with washing machine) leading to a large kitchen and breakfast room and a downstairs loo. The entrance hall connects the kitchen to an elegant drawing room and cosy snug room, a grand dining room (all three rooms offering log fires) and a large conservatory looking out over the gardens, croquet lawn & trampoline.

Upstairs there are six bedrooms sleeping 14: two kings with en-suite bathrooms, two doubles, one twin room, and one family room with one double and two single beds. There is a shared bathroom with bath & shower.

The large garden is a wonderful space for children or adults to walk or run around, play croquet or football, or just lie on the lawn and read a book. Tennis is also possible on local courts 1 mile away in Tenbury Wells (2 racquets and balls provided).

The oldest parts of the house date back to the Tudor period, with most of the present house dating to the late 1800s. The house is full of character with wooden beams, carved wooden mantelpieces, antique furniture and even a nineteenth century grand piano.

The Old Rectory is perfect at any time of year.
Spring is a lovely time to wander round the garden and enjoy the daffodils and bluebells. In Summer, enjoy a picnic or barbecue and get the croquet set out. In Autumn you can pick damsons and apples from our trees or go blackberry-picking in the nearby hedgerows. In Winter enjoy the log fires and walks or cook up a storm in our well-equipped kitchen.
Even when it’s raining you have plenty to keep you busy including board games, jigsaws, card games.

Property manager

Patrick Williams
Premier Host

Languages

English, German

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
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Pets

Pets allowed: limit 9 total
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Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas
Only in the garden please
Check in is usually on a Friday or Mondays. Although we do consider other check in times, particularly for midweek bookings - please contact us.
Please note that we have a 3 night minimum booking. For some peak times of the year we have a minimum of a 4, 5 or 7 night booking.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 14
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Tenbury Wells

Located in Tenbury Wells, this holiday home is in a rural area and on a river. Berrington Hall and Castle Lodge are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Shropshire Hills and Queenswood Country Park. Travelling with kids? Consider Ludlow Food Centre and Clee Hills. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and fishing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking and mountain biking.
Map
Burford, Tenbury Wells

What's nearby

  • Tenbury Pump Rooms - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Ludlow Castle - 12 min drive - 13.6 km
  • Ludlow Brewing Company - 13 min drive - 15.7 km
  • Titterstone Clee Hill - 20 min drive - 14.7 km
  • Mortimer Forest - 31 min drive - 17.5 km

Getting around

  • Ludlow Station - 18 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Market Tavern - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪The Charlton Arms - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Pembroke House - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪The Bridge - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪The Queens - ‬13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic large house set within beautiful gardens pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 9 total).

What time is check-in at Historic large house set within beautiful gardens?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic large house set within beautiful gardens?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Historic large house set within beautiful gardens located?

This family-friendly Tenbury Wells holiday home is located on a river, within 2 mi (3 km) of Tenbury Pump Rooms and Tenbury Museum. Shropshire Hills and Titterstone Clee Hill are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 33 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 33 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 33 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 33 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 33 reviews

8.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Frances B., New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fabulous large character house in Tenbury Wells
This is a lovely large house with an air of faded grandeur. It is very clean and comfortable and our extended family of 12 aged from 22 to 88 loved it. There is a lot of space inside and out it was a real pleasure to stay here. Our hosts were very responsive to our questions. Thank-you for a wonderful family get together.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Keith W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
70th Birthday Celebration
An excellent location and venue for my wife's 70th Birthday Celebration with all her family.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sean P.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Luke T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Large Family Stay
Incredible property, great location. Garden is fantastic for kids.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sharon S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family Celebration
A lovely rambling old house, the family of all ages thought it was perfect for our get together (7yrs-70 yrs) Parts of the house are from the Tudor age so very old and quirky, so if you want high end fittings and modern furniture this is not for you. We found the many rooms down stairs meant that our murder mystery evening was a great success. The kitchen was well stocked with glasses and plates, and there was plenty of hot water. The huge garden is amazing, large pond with a (fence round it) large trampoline, Boule, croquet to name a few. If you are into books this is the house for you there are books on every subject, Would defiantly go back. The surrounding country side is stunning.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Roger P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family New Year 2023/4
Lovely big home, with some of the issues you should expect from an old house. Can be cold in winter but helped by several fireplaces. Kitchen and cooking facilities good for a large group (we numbered 12 from age 3mo to mid-70s). Piano could do with a deep service. Good opportunities for exploring locally.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nick J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful, relaxing, perfect for a large group
We spent a really wonderful week in the Old Rectory - our extended family (including 4 x children aged 4 to 8) and assorted friends. First major thing to note is the size of the house: it's massive! As well as a living room featuring a grand piano (in tune but with some of the top notes a little wonky), there's a dining room, a "snug" room (larger than many a London flat) with a chess table in a bay window and wood burning stove, and a large kitchen perfect for breakfast and casual dining. There's even a conservatory (not really an option in late December / early Jan, but would be amazing in the summer), as well as a boot room and a sort of baronial entrance hall. And two staircases! Ideal for children engaged in endless games of hide and seek. Not to mention the lovely garden with a huge trampoline. Were I an estate agent I would refer to the many original features in the house ... it's impossible not to imagine the assorted rectors and their families who have lived there in the past couple of centuries. At any moment one can imagine Mr Darcy wandering through the door, encountering Elizabeth Bennett on the grand. The location is great - just on the edge of town but in its own little cocoon - and there are plenty of day trips / walks / castles / etc etc within half an hour, or you could just hole up in the house. Despite the size of the house, it has a very friendly atmosphere ... eg I loved that the shelves were so generously stacked with a great variety of books. Part of the friendly vibe comes from the fact that the house is very lived in - pernickety types might feel that a few gallons of Farrow and Ball could be deployed to good effect, and I wouldn't have minded a slightly more modern hob / oven. But it was a relief not having to worry that a cream carpet / expensively upholstered sofa / etc etc might get trashed by careening children, and it was all wonderfully relaxing. Very happy memories of this place, and greatly recommended especially if you're a big group who don't want to be on top of one another. Big up the Old Rectory!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2022

8/10 Good

Nick H.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family getogether
Brilliant for getting together with our four boys and their partners, plenty of space .
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Andrew C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful house, garden and location
So much to do in the area and the house was a large and ideal base. There were country walks from the house including a countryside walk into Tenbury Wells which is a small pleasant town with plenty of shops and cafes. Sunday lunch at the Rose and Crown was excellent.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Hazel D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Pre Christmas stay
We had a wonderful 6 day stay at The Old Rectory. It is during this week that we celebrate Christmas as during Christmas Day itself we are all off in different directions. It is such a beautiful house and had so much space for all of us (11). The kitchen is really well equipped and we were all able to enjoy the house and surroundings.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Liz G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family reunion
Lovely property with good accommodation. Spacious bedrooms and reception rooms. Well equipped kitchen. Lovely garden where we enjoyed lunch outside, rounders and croquet.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

julie w.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A great retreat
The house is full of character and lends itself to a group stay. Beautiful garden and conservatory.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

8/10 Good

Gordon S.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely property for a short break
Each year, myself and my university friends go away for a few days to catch up. The Old Rectory is a massive property that seems to just keep on going. It's rough around the edges and could do with a little money being spent on it to make it perfect, but it is cheap so can't really complain too much. The bed sheets were clean although other areas of the property weren't. We even had an entire bee colony in one of the fire places (although they were dying out), we sealed the fireplace and this wasn't an issue, but how it was missed by the cleaners I'm not sure as there were dead bees all over the place. Some of the lights in the kitchen could do with a proper clean also to remove dust and dead insects. But it was a nice stay and we would stay again.

10/10 Excellent

Derek H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Sally's 70th with great family
Wow we all loved it the children thought it was magical as did the older ones !! Atmosphere amazing and we just had the greatest of times . Thank you

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect setting for a reunion
We absolutely fell in love with this house. The gardens were beautiful and the house was spectacular. We felt like we have found a perfect place to return to. Our family reunion was made even better because of this home. Thank you !
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Philippa H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family
What a super place. A home from home for us to enjoy seeing our family, entertaining them, and enjoying watching younger cousins reconnect. Plenty of room for everyone. Comfortable beds. Bathrooms exactly what you'd expect from an old country home and they functioned extremely well with all of us using them. All ages enjoyed it immensely, my 14 year old learned 4 new songs on the piano, 6 children were introduced to, and are now pro's at croquet (with some house rules thrown in) and everyone lauded the gardens and how this family had opened up their home to us. This house is fairly accessible too, you could certainly set up a bedroom for someone downstairs, as there is a downstairs loo, and easy movement with no bumps for a wheelchair from room to room on the ground floor. Property manager was available when needed. We very much hope to come back.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019

6/10 Okay

James A.

Great place but in need of some maintenance and a really good clean
We loved the house, with a great location and surroundings. The garden was great and the layout interesting. The decor, facilities and overall feel of the property was a time capsule from the 60's, 70's and 80's and this adds character in some respects but in others requires some updating from a functional and comfort perspective. It was great to have a gra d piano in a room, but it was amongst broken and mismatched furnishings. It could be an amazing house and a few little changes and a really good clean would make it a good one. We felt that we needed to wipe down all surfaces and clean any pots, pans, glasses etc before we used them. For the same price, we would come again if we knew the water was reliable for a shower/bath and it was going to be clean. So much potential, but not quite what we expected.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

James P.

Everything it appears to be and more......
This place is an absolute gem! One can visit an English Manor house ....or one might rent something akin to one. This home, the Old Rectory, is a very well appointed large house loaded with wonderful antique furniture, each room of which is distinctive and delightful. The crowning room is the conservatory in which we spent the vast majority of our time. Bright, airy, and comfortable, we enjoyed the garden views, the constant parade of birds and rabbits and cats...the perfect room. Wi fi was good, the kitchen fully appointed, excellent laundry facilities, comfortable beds, excellent and extensive HDTV reception (world cup fever), ...everything good. Anne Yarnold, who supervises the home, was helpful and quick to respond to rare questions. We didn't realize that we were next to a 700 year old church, St Marys, and a nationally recognized location, Burford Gardens (a two-minute walk away) A 15-minute drive away is the wonderful town of Ludlow, which contains a magnificent castle ruin and a beautiful and impressive church, as well as a market square that is held four days each week. Moreover, the town is full of interesting late medieval edifices. Tenbury Wells is a nice town to walk to, 20 minutes through the fields and curious but non- threatening cows, with some very good restaurants nearby, the Peacock and the Pembroke. Best fish, the Salwey Arms and groceries galore at the Tesco plus an excellent bakery midtown. The house the town, the environs are an outstanding experience. We plan to return in future years. James and Elise, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Brenda R.

Simply wonderful
Lovely, lovely large home full of magical bits to explore both inside and out. Spacious and fully functional for large family gatherings. Plenty of fun things to do - books to read, games to play, puzzles, piano, snooker table. Very comfortable and it felt like home away from home. Thank you.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Dil M.

Lovely family home
Loved it , gorgeous garden. Lights not working in conservatory
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Finola W.

A rambling house with plenty of room but faded gentility
Just a little too far to walk to Tenbury Wells so you really need a car to stay here. Lots of lovely places to visit nearby and good choice of restaurants. Would recommend the Selway Arms for choice, service and price. The house itself is spacious and has everything you need just needs a little TLC her and there. Perfect place if there's a crowd of you.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

A Fabulous Long Weekend
Our party of 11 spent a long weekend at the Old Rectory in May 2017, with 3 generations present to celebrate a 50th birthday. What a place! The stay could genuinely not have been better in any way. The house is perfect for this type of event, grand and full of character yet perfectly homely, not overly luxurious, the sort of place you can relax in and enjoy. Well equipped, spacious, flexible, and with fabulous well tended gardens for the kids to play in. Booking was well handled by the owners, and keys made available by a friendly local contact. The surrounding area, with St Marys and Burford House as neighbours was delightful and in spring bloom. Tenbury Wells a short walk away with useful amenities, and Ludlow a 15 minute drive with interesting castle and fine walk by the river. We have no hesitation at all in recommending this as a wonderful place for a large party to stay, and enjoy this tranquil part of the world.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Jane S.

This was an amazingly spacious country house, with a beautiful garden.
We shared a family weekend here, it was fabulous space for grown-ups and children alike. It would be a great setting for a ' cluedo' or 'murder mystery weekend' . The key keeper gave us a warm welcome..there were a couple of minor housekeeping details which we felt could have been improved.....i.e. we had people arriving late at night, and we couldn't find an outside light at the main entrance, but these details were much outweighed by the character of the place. It was clearly a much loved family home. We loved the fireplaces, and made use of all of them, the piano was used. We admired the paintings, and fantastic book and fame collection. I would have liked a history of the house.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sheena L.

An ideal place for a family holiday
We (7 adults, 5 children; 3 generations) had a wonderful family holiday at The Old Rectory. We loved the house, which is full of character & just about everything else you could want, & the huge & lovely garden. There was so much to do there & nearby that we didn't venture far afield (apart from a day in Ludlow, which is well worth a visit). Tenbury (which is a lovely little place - we can particularly recommend the Spotty Dog cafe!) is just a walk across the fields away, & has among many other useful shops a Spar open 7 days a week, so no problems when we ran low on supplies. The weather was good the whole week, & we all enjoyed our stay very much & would certainly love to return.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2016
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Frances H.

Beautiful, homely house in a lovely setting
I stayed at the Old Rectory with my (extended!) family for a week. Booking was straightforward and the owners extremely polite and helpful. It is a lovely old house with a wonderfully homely feel, clean and well equipped with everything you could possibly need. Despite there being 12 of us in the house, there was enough room that we never felt on top of each other and plenty of room to eat in either the dining room or the conservatory. The house has indoor and outdoor games and loads of books. There is plenty to do nearby. Tenbury Wells is an easy walk away across the fields and has all the shops and cafes you are likely to need (a strong recommendation here for the Spotty Dog tea rooms!). The river Teme is less than 5 minutes walk and great for paddling (or, if you are brave, swimming). Burford House Gardens across the road are well worth a walk round (and free) and that is all without getting into a car! We had a really great stay and would love to come back to the Old Rectory again. Almost a shame the weather was so nice we had no excuse to use the impressive fire place...

About the host

Hosted by Patrick Williams

Host profile image
Justin, Rupert, and Patrick Williams grew up in the Old Rectory Burford and love the house very much. We don't live in the area any more but we don’t want to sell this wonderful house! Instead we’ve decided to share it with guests to cover our costs, and allow us to come back every so often. We hope you enjoy the house as much as we do.

Languages:

English, German

Premier Host

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