People | 5 |
Bedrooms | 3 |
Bathrooms | 4 |
Separate WC's | 1 |
Space | 1,150 sq ft |
Property type | cottage |
Minimum Stay | 3 nights |
Imaginatively restored this delightful Coach House is full character and charm. Two minutes from Ely's historic cathedral, it is stands at the end of the owners secluded walled garden.
Functioning as a Coach House until the 1950's great attention has been paid to the conversion so that original details,such as stable paviors, latch doors, exposed beams and wood floors are much in evidence.
On the ground floor there is a kitchen with an old pine dresser decorated with an array of kitchenlia. Appliances include a fridge, electric cooker, microwave and toaster plus all the crockery, cutlery and utensils required. The cosy sitting/dining room has lots of books, digital TV and radio.
The bedrooms upstairs comprise - two doubles with Victorian brass and cast iron beds, made up with interior sprung mattresses and crisp white linen. Originally the grain store the single is a very comfy cabin size room appealing to young and old alike. All rooms have an en suite with a half size bath with hand-held mixer taps. N.B. NO POWER SHOWERS
Location: Ely the historic cathedral city is only 12 miles from Cambridge and an ideal base for touring the Fens and East Anglia.
The city itself has several attractions in addition to the magnificent 1000 year old cathedral: Cromwell House where Oliver Cromwell lived with his family between 1636 - 1647, Ely Museum which is in the building that was once the Bishop's gaol, and finally the Stained Glass Musuem, There is also a delightful riverside area with a variety of pubs, eateries, teashops, art galleries and antique warehouse. Every Thursday and Saturday there is a market. Events and festivals include Ethelreda's Fair, Eel Day, Apple Festival and Ghost Tours
Within the hour there is the Ouse washes which attracts a wide variety of wildfowl and birds. Newmarket for its horse racing and several National Trust properties . .
There are excellent rail links to all parts of the country including Norwich, Peterborough, Leeds, Nottingham, Stansted Airport and Kings Cross London & St Pancras for Eurostar.
Your hosts are Jenny & Robin Farndale. Semi-retired they came to Ely in 1995. They both have a great interest in history and architecture. Over the years they have enjoyed suitable pictures and ephemera to decorate the Coach House.
Jenny Farndale purchased this cottage in 1995
An historic building uniquely furnished in a quintessential English style. It is centrally located, has parking, and is walking distance from a wide choice of restaurants, pubs, tea & coffee houses, one of the UK's best bookshops and a host of other shops.
Only a matter of yards from the 900 year old medieval Ely cathedral famous for its 'Octagon Tower'. Historic town house C1850 with walled garden.
The Coach House is very different from the scores of self-catering cottages we have stayed in. Every room is fascinating and has so many features to interest and entertain you. We were particular impressed with the rooms upstairs, all with their small en-suites, but perplexed by some bricked-up or boarded windows reducing the light in bedrooms 2 and 3. Downstairs, however, was positively weird. On what turned out to be some of the hottest and brightest days of the year the living room was so dark that all the lights had to be on all the time we were in the house. A combination of blocked out windows, a courtyard full of ancient items protected by a sloping roof which blocked out so much of the light and a garden on the other side of the kitchen which was so overgrown that barely any light could get through meant that you were in a state of perpetual darkness downstairs and had nowhere to sit outside. It just cries out for an elegant courtyard and an accessible garden with a couple of tables and chairs. We longed to sit outside each morning, enjoying a leisurely coffee before setting forth or a glass of wine at the end of the day.
The potential is enormous but we have the feeling that the property is veering away from a cottage packed with character and history into a cross, especially downstairs and outside, between Steptoe's yard and a Malaysian rain forest.
I'm not sure how we would have coped had we brought 2-3 friends with us, as the present arrangements in the lounge are inadequate, with only one two-seater sofa and just one other upholstered chair and a very narrow table that would struggle to cope with 5 people.
We loved Ely and enjoyed our chats with the hosts, Jenny and Richard. Our bedroom was very comfortable and we will have fond memories of our stay, but we left feeling a little frustrated and spent part of the journey home discussing what could be done to turn the Coach House into the very best self-catering accommodation in the city.
Cottage is like a little hideaway. Very peaceful and comfortable. An amazing experience!
I have stayed a number of times in this beautifully appointed, charming period cottage, and it has become for me a 'home away from home'. It is centrally located within the lovely market town of Ely, and five minutes walk from the wonderful Cathedral. Cambridge is only 15 minutes away on the train. Robin and Jenny Farndale are delightful hosts, whose hospitality is warm and kind. I will stay there again, and again ...
The coach house is situated close to the town and cathedral but a very peaceful and quiet retreat. We felt stepping one century back as it is full of lovely historic furniture and decoration. Everything was very clean, well equipped and we appreciated the en-suite bedrooms. The owners (living next door) were so helpful, friendly and communicative!
Tucked under the spires of Ely Cathedral, this cottage is a hidden gem. Leave the busy road, through the garden gate and you have a pleasant walled garden. Through another gate, into a cobbled courtyard and the old stables have been tastfully converted into a 5-person cottage.
The cottage is full of interesting items, approach the room from a different direction and you will always see something new. The bedrooms are extremely comfortable with bijou en-suites in each. Each room was very clean, quite a task because this is as far from clutter-free as you could get.
The owners are very personable and knowledgeable, make sure you put aside a little time to talk with them.
Great location with good days out. We went to Duxford (don't forget to get tickets with Tesco Clubcard), The Newmarket National Stud (a bargain tour for £10) and an easy train journey into Cambridge (use the tour bus and visit Maddingley American Cemetry). Real Ale enthusiasts must visit the Liberty Belle (10 min walk).
Highly recommended.
There are many cottages that look the period outside but this one looks and feels the period inside, as well. The attention to detail is remarkable which made our stay so enjoyable. Crisp white linen, soft towels, brass fittings, iron radiators, cartridge filling device - this is Classic style in the 21st century. We loved it - you'll love it.
The historic city of Ely is the home of one of England's most magnificent cathedrals. Known as 'the ship of the fens' it has been a prominent landmark for almost 1000 years. The Coach House at 17 St. |Mary's street is not only two minutes from the cathedral but is also Cromwell House, The Old Gaol Museum and The Stained Glass Museum. Equally close are a vairiety of eating places, the shops etc.
Ely is ideally located for visiting the University City of Cambnridge, Newmarket - the capitol of horse-racing, as well as being within easy reach of the north Norfolk coast and Suffolk with its quintessential English villages.
The surrounding countryside has a wealth of National Trust stately homes and gardens..For bird-watchers there is the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Welney; Wicken Fen - one of the few surviving fragments of undrained fenland - is a nature reserve of national importance.
In short this unique landscape and its diverse attractions has something for everyone.
Other Activities: Horse-racing Newmarket, bird watching, historic houses
Fees | No additional mandatory fees |
Please see our own website for Terms & Conditions and a Confirmation Booking Form for deposit details.