Self-Catering at The Laurels | Holiday Cottages in Shropshire Hills

Holiday home
The Laurels is a wonderful, detached Grade II listed cottage, situated in the town of Bishop's Castle in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Shropshire. The cottage is set over three floors, with six bedrooms spread out over the first and second. On the first floor is a twin room and a family bedroom with one double and one single bed, that can be accessed through the first floor bedroom or from a private staircase from the ground floor. On the second floor, there are two king-size double bedrooms and two more family bedrooms, each with one double and one single bed, and one of which also enjoys its own en-suite shower room. As well as the bathroom on the first floor, offering access to the family bedroom there, the cottage also has a shower room on the second floor and a WC downstairs on the ground floor. Also on the ground floor is a kitchen with a small dining area for six, a dining room with two tables seating 15 together, and a sitting room seating eight with an electric fire. There is also a garden room, with doors leading outside into the garden, which offers a third dining area for eight and a sitting area for seven. The garden is at the back of the property, lawned and enclosed with furniture and a barbecue, so summer afternoons and evenings can be spent blissfully basking in the sunshine while the kids run around and play. The Laurels is a wonderful holiday home for large groups of friends and families exploring Shropshire and the Heart of England. Please note that this property can only accommodate check-ins Monday to Friday.

Accomodation Details
Over three floors. Six bedrooms: 2 x second floor king-size double, 1 x twin, 1 x family room with 1 king-size double and 1 single with Jack-and-Jill access to bathroom, 2 x second floor family rooms with 1 double and 1 single (one with en-suite shower, basin and WC). Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin, WC. Second floor shower room with shower, basins and WC. Ground floor basin and WC. Kitchen with dining area (seats 6). Utility. Dining room. Sitting room (seats 8) with electric fire. Garden room with dining area (seats 8) and sitting area (seats 7).

Area
The attractive market town of Bishop's Castle is situated in the Outstanding Natural Beauty of the South West Shropshire Hills. The ancient town offers a weekly market and an excellent variety of shops, pubs and places to eat. It is famous for its annual Real Ale Festival and regular fairs, with the Michaelmas Fair being particularly popular.

Region
A E Houseman once wrote that Shropshire was "the quietest place under the sun" and today the county remains something of a rural idyll, recognised as one of the least crowded and most peaceful regions in England.

Amenities
Oil central heating with electric fires. Electric double oven and hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, TV with basic Sky, DVD, CD/radio, WiFi, selection of books, games and DVDs. Fuel and power inc. in rent. Bed linen and towels inc. in rent. Cot and highchair. Off road parking for 3 cars. Lockable bike storage. Enclosed rear lawned garden with furniture and BBQ. Two well-behaved dogs welcome. Sorry, no smoking. Shop and pub 5 mins walk. Note: First floor family bedroom accessed via bathroom or separate staircase from ground floor. Note: Second floor family room accessed up four additional steps. Note: Main table in dining room seats 10, with additional table for 5. Note: Owner can provide details of outside caterers. Please note that this property can only accommodate check-ins Monday to Friday.

home457

June 2024

We were a family party aged 10-77 and every decade in between and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their time in this house. There was everything you could ever need and all in excellent, clean condition. Beds were comfy, bedding and towels were excellent. The lounge was comfy, the garden room was delightful. The garden is beautiful but unfortunately due to the weather we didn’t get to enjoy it. Stacks of parking, we managed to park 4 cars and a van within the drive. There is so much space it is perfect. Nice touches of milk, wine, shower gel, washing up liquid and coffee etc to start you off. Just sad we couldn’t stay longer.

VickyG728

January 2023

The Laurels was the perfect Christmas house for 3 generations of our family, 13 in all…we all loved the space and beautiful olde worlde charm.. The children especially loved the labyrinth of rooms and nooks and crannies for hide and seek, the Christmas decorations were great fun and the “Dickens Room” (wood panelling etc.) a magical setting for lots of Christmas evenings of fun. Bishops Castle itself is a lovely ancient little town, pubs great (shame that some were not open over Christmas) and all in the beautiful setting of the Shropshire Hills for walking (and even wild swimming in reservoir at Carding Mill!) and castle spotting. One word of warning …beware of tripping up on steps and very old uneven floors in the house! Pat, the housekeeper, was really helpful and the house was immaculate when we arrived. It’s an amazing house to stay in ..a truly memorable family holiday. Thankyou. Vicky and family

Mrs Mccunn

August 2020

Not really.. It's a good place for exploring southwest Shropshire and parts of Wales. Great for walking. The housekeeper was particularly welcoming.

Mr Thompson

July 2020

We were delighted to have been able to take this holiday week as we had been looking forward to it for months.. I believe we were the first visitors this season, so had no reservations about entering a Covid19 free environment.

Mr Thompson, July 2020

March 2020

The house and location were fantastic.. Everything had been thought of in the house. Maybe one more toilet/bathroom would have been useful but overall a fab place to stay

Ms Stynes, August 2019

August 2019

The comfort and facilities of ‘The Laurels ‘ made it an excellent beginning to a wonderful large family holiday.. There was ample space to accommodate all ages from grandparents to youngsters aged 3 . A lovely garden to relax in and upstairs room for the teenagers. The bedrooms were very comfortable and kitchen and eating rooms were very suitable for us all. A really beautiful house. Pat, the housekeeper met us and gave us lots of useful information and contact numbers in case of any problems ( there were none). The Laurels in Bishop’s Castle is in a very good part of Shropshire with lots of places to visit and very central for many walks on the Shropshire Hills. A lovely village, not too touristy. Trips we enjoyed were to Ludlow and Castle, Shrewsbury for a boat trip and a tour of the prison. The village Brewery tour and a local vineyard were very good. Further afield you can visit the Ironbridge Museums ( we needed two days for these) and even Cadbury World at Bournville. After these trips it was a delight to return to the peace and quiet of the village and The Laurels.

Ms Davison, March 2020

We had a great holiday.. We loved The Laurels, especially the beautiful spacious garden. We were made to feel very welcome and communication with the housekeeper was very good. Left items have been returned. Thanks for a great holiday!

Mrs Tyson, August 2019

June 2019

The Laurels was a wonderful home from home in the lovely little town of Bishop's Castle.. It is a stunning property full of character yet equally full of modern day comforts. There was so much room for the family to spread out and we were lucky that we had some lovely weather so could enjoy the beautiful garden. The location of the Laurels was perfect as we had easy access on foot to the lovely Castle Hotel for Sunday lunch, The Three Tuns, cafes, quirky shops, SPARC and supermarkets. Everyone in the family had a great week staying at the beautiful Laurels.

Mrs Hancock

May 2019

This is a wonderful house for a large family celebration.. ...in our case a Ruby Wedding. There are 6 extremely spacious and comfortable bedrooms...three with king size beds and an extra single, one twin and two doubles...one with a cot. There were enough bathrooms for no queues, and three different areas where we could eat. The recliner sofas in the lounge tempted us to relax with a book, while the garden room, leading out into the beautifully kept garden was the focal point for children and dog. We had five children with us...aged 8-1...and they loved this house...it even has a “secret” staircase, and they felt it was “Just like the Famous Five”. There were plenty of toys, indoor and out, and books. On the top floor , teenagers could have played pool, darts or on a PlayStation. ( the dads were found up here occasionally). It is, without doubt the best equipped holiday house we have ever rented. We stopped asking is there a......? and instead asked where is the....?Our 8 year old summed it up as “The best house ever”.

Mr Parker

April 2019

We were a family group of 9 adults and 6 children wanting a large house for a family holiday.. The Laurels fitted the bill excellently.The main dining room provided just what we needed - a large dining table easily able to accommodate the adults plus a separate table for the children, which they liked very much. The separate morning room also had a smaller table which was very useful for breakfasts. We arrived at the Laurels at the agreed time on Friday afternoon and were met by Pat the keyholder/housekeeper who gave us a comprehensive guide to the property and was a mine of local information. The following morning unfortunately we had to report to Pat that the shower hose in one of the bathrooms was leaking badly. We had a ring at the door that afternoon, Pat was there with a replacement hose. That's what I call excellent service!! Monday morning another ring at the door - Delivery of new garden furniture, which we were able to make good us of later in the week as the weather improved.

Mrs Mckillop

March 2019

The house was very comfortable , warm and homely.. The family got lost in all the rooms and the Grandchildren loved playing hide and seek, as so many places to choose from. The garden was lovely and well maintained. The host, Tim, was very friendly when we arrived and showed us around the house. He had thought of everything, plenty towels, soaps , kitchen materials, and even provided indoor and outdoor toys for the children. A lovely holiday and happy to return there again.

Mrs Stamper

February 2019

Fantastic property.. Large and rambling house, with all amenities. Attention to detail from owners means all needs are met - even bowls for the dog! Large garden, good in February, must be great in summer! Rooms and layout meant all members of our big party had space to relax and enjoy. Great market town, shops, pubs - many places to drink and eat. Ideal for walks, cycling and country drives. Responsive owner, prompt communication. Highly recommend.

Mrs Cooper

December 2018

We all loved the Laurels, a wonderful family house,comfortable, warm ,and welcoming.. We are a family of 14 and 2 small dogs ,plenty of room for us all.Well equipped in the kitchen ,towels and bedding provided and toys and games for the children, a great place to play hide and seek.But also a few quiet places to be found ,to just sit and read.Also we all really liked the little township of Bishops Castle, we remarked how friendly the local People were,seemed like a proper community. I could have stayed much longer,hope we'll go back sometime

Mrs Nicholas

November 2018

Fabulous weekend break with 3 generations, so much room for everyone, extremely well stocked, everything we looked for, we found.. Toy cupboards, games room, just wonderful. Large garden, plenty of parking. Two minute walk into town amazing history to Bishops Castle. Good pubs, restaurants, unusual shops.

Mrs Jones

October 2018

Although the weather had suddenly turned very cold for the time of year, the house was beautifully warm and comfortable.. Everything we needed was provided, all being of high quality (lovely beds!) There were 12 of us, aged from 4 months to 74 (family celebrating a golden wedding anniversary), and everyone's needs were catered for. The house itself is a delight, more quirky and characterful than I expected from the listing. It was a pleasure to make it our home for a week.

Mrs Giorgi

June 2018

The house is beautiful yet really comfortable.. It was perfect for our large family group of all ages. It had a lovely garden which was ideal for the children and the two dogs to play in. The surrounding area and the village was enjoyed by all.

Mrs Pugh

We had a lovely stay at The Laurels.. The weather made it even better. The house and the facilities were great, would definitely recommend.

Mrs Webb-bourne

We stayed at the Laurels to celebrate my mum's 80th birthday - 3 generations aged 7 to 80 and a dog! We had an amazing time. The cottage was fantastic, plenty of space to sleep, eat, drink and hang out. The garden was perfect for the 5 kids and the dog and the 'formal' dining room was great for us to host my mum's birthday dinner. The owner Tim was very helpful and accommodating. Lots of nice local walks and fab local pubs too - we didn't move the cars all weekend! Would definitely recommend staying at the Laurels for a family get together or weekend with friends.

Mrs Gloyne

April 2018

We received a very warm welcome when we arrived at the Laurels.. The house keeper could not do enough to ensure our stay at the house and Bishops Castle was memorable. The house met all our needs. All 14 of us and a dog. Rangeing from the age of 1 to 80. The house is extremely comfortable, well appointed and clean. There has been thought to everything, so you don't have to. We will definitely be staying again. Thank you Tim and family. Kind regards Mrs Ruth Gloyne.

Dr Regan

March 2018

A lovely house in a superb location.. The facilities in the house were excellent and the owner gave very useful advice on the local amenities.

Mr Thomas

January 2018

Just a brilliant old house, quirky and modern, wonderful for family get togethers.. Did not want to leave and could have spent another week just exploring the house.

Catherine W

October 2017

We were a family group of 12 ranging in age from 1 to 66 and dog. This house was perfect. We spent the first half hour exploring the house and watching the utter amazement on the faces of the 5 and 7 year olds. So many doors to open and rooms to find! The house had everything we could possibly need from games, toys, books, and take away menus, to a very well equipped kitchen. the location is fantastic, a short walk to the high street, or scenic walks right from the front door. We could not have asked for more!

Mrs Court

Beautiful house in a lovely area..

Loved this house.. The garden was beautifully maintained. Everyone was very happy (12 of us in total). The house was comfortable and well equipped. clean and tidy. The kitchen was fantastic and the laundry room excellent. We all loved it and the town. We would definitely stay here again.

Jean-Peter0108

July 2017

We stayed for a week and felt completely at home. A group of 14 walking friends shared this lovely house, we had loads of space both in the bedrooms (just the twin room a little lacking in space) and many socialising areas both in the attic games rooms as well as the many rooms on the ground floor. We made full use of the very large gas BBQ, this along with the fire pit allowed us a very memorable evening at home. Goes without saying it was spotlessly clean, kitchen well equipped with plenty of eating out options within easy walking distance. For walking, we had the weather and plenty of information around the house for suggesting routes, we walked each day in the most stunning countryside from the doorstep. We shall return.

Beautiful clean and spacious house, owner could not have been more helpful and friendly.. Would recommend Sara Mellor catering. We had a super week in a super house, thank you to all concerned.

Lisa F

April 2017

Stayed here for a week with my husbands family - it was his mums 70 th whilst we were there so we had a sit down meal on the sat evening catered for by Tims recommendation Sara never seen so much food . The house is fantastic full of charm & character - we had great weather as well so made full use of the garden playing cricket & tennis . Brilliant time was had by all .

Mrs Ward, April 2017

March 2017

We had a great experience with the website and the host/housekeeper of the property were very friendly and easy to communicate with.. The cottage was better than expected, in a great location and excellent value for money.

Mr Gore, October 2016

October 2016

The Laurels is an excellent comfortable house for large family groups, finely furnished and fitted.. It has a large kitchen, several dining and living rooms and a garden room, patio and large garden. Entrance for cars is narrow but four cars could park. Many TVs including a large games one in one of three attic rooms with games and an excellent toy cupboard on the ground floor. We were well looked after by the caretaker. Charming historical centre for walking with a good hotel, restaurants and pubs. We will recommend to friends and hope to visit again. Rail travel from Church Stretton 12 miles away is possible. The floor numbers are confusing in the listing and could be clarified.

Mr Wignall, March 2017

House was brilliant.. The grandchildren loved it.

Mr Miller, October 2016

September 2016

We booked the holiday to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary with all our family around us, it was the perfect place for all ages.. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Mrs Lillie

August 2016

The Laurels is a lovely property offering everything needed for big groups of people. It is ideally situated for the amenities of Bishops Castle and short drives from a wide variety of outings in the environs.

The Laurels is a wonderful quirky property for large groups holidaying together. It has a safe and secure garden and the BBQ makes the garden a useful addition to the property. The location is close to the amenities of Bishops Castle and is a short drive from many other tourist attractions. Thoroughly recommended.

Mrs Cassidy, September 2016

Totally brilliant.. The house was amazing and the owner Tim and housekeeper pat could not have done more for us. We loved it and it was more than we'd hoped for. Ideal for all the children with lots of space and an amazing garden. The location was brilliant and the whole holiday was fantastic. We'll be back!

Rev Clowes, August 2016

The Laurels is a lovely big family house very clean well maintained a great place for a family holiday it had everything we needed plenty of toys and games for babies up to teenager, lots of space to chill out, plenty of room for family meals if needed, but also within walking distance to great pubs and shops.. Bishops Castle is a beautiful small town nice walks around the town and within easy reach of fun days out for all the family.

Mrs Randle, August 2016

The Laurels is THE best cottage that we have ever rented from you and it deserves a higher rating in your brochure.. The housekeeper Pat, who is a member of the owner's family was wonderfully welcoming and very, very helpful. Nothing was too much trouble for her. Everywhere was spotlessly clean and it was the best equipped place we have ever stayed. We celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary there with our immediate family (11 of us) and we had an outside caterer for the occasion, recommended by the owner. That too, was a wonderful meal. The location is great too for exploring beautiful Shropshire. We can't rate the Laurels highly enough - and can't wait to go again.

Mrs Baker

July 2016

A wonderful house, everything was there and everything has been thought of. We had a really warm welcome from the owner and nothing was too much trouble. Would love to go back again. It was a perfect venue.

Mrs Wallace, August 2016

The Laurels is a lovely property offering everything needed for big groups of people.. It is ideally situated for the amenities of Bishops Castle and short drives from a wide variety of outings in the environs.

Mrs Lillie, July 2016

June 2016

A wonderful house, everything was there and everything has been thought of.. We had a really warm welcome from the owner and nothing was too much trouble. Would love to go back again. It was a perfect venue.

Mrs Mitchell

May 2016

The house offered everything we needed and was spotlessly clean throughout. There were lots of rooms downstairs, so no one was on top of each other. There was a lovely garden and patio, and ample parking. We all loved the character and quirkiness of the building, it was just beautiful, perfect for us. Bishops Castle is a wonderful quirky little town. We would definitely highly recommend this property.

Baker, June 2016rt

The house offered everything we needed and was spotlessly clean throughout.. There were lots of rooms downstairs, so no one was on top of each other. There was a lovely garden and patio, and ample parking. We all loved the character and quirkiness of the building, it was just beautiful, perfect for us. Bishops Castle is a wonderful quirky little town. We would definitely highly recommend this property.

Mr Woolgar

April 2016

The house was amazing, we feel very fortunate that the owner let us share it. The dog was delighted with the fully enclosed garden, and we were delighted with the comfort of all the rooms. Our teenage granddaughter loved the games room on the top floor. We had such fun with the table football. Overall we could find no fault with this stunning house, and there was nothing we could think of to improve it. Superb!

Mr Lunt

March 2016

A wonderful house furnished and equipped to a very high standard reflecting the generosity of spirit of the owner and his team. We will be back!

Mr Woolgar, March 2016

A wonderful house furnished and equipped to a very high standard reflecting the generosity of spirit of the owner and his team.. We will be back!

Mrs Mitchell, May 2016

The house was amazing, we feel very fortunate that the owner let us share it.. The dog was delighted with the fully enclosed garden, and we were delighted with the comfort of all the rooms. Our teenage granddaughter loved the games room on the top floor. We had such fun with the table football. Overall we could find no fault with this stunning house, and there was nothing we could think of to improve it. Superb!

February 2016

The Laurels is a cosy house with plenty of room for 12 people. The property is convenient and close to the high street and footpaths.

678nickw1984

We had two big birthdays to celebrate and our only spec really was that we needed a dog-friendly house that would fit fourteen of us and which wouldn't break the bank. We got that and a lot, lot more. None of us had been to Bishops Castle before and that was an unexpected gem: tiny, quirky, picturesque. And The Laurels was the perfect place to enjoy it. It's close to the centre ( mind you, everything in BC is close to the centre ) with lots of space to park and a big, tantalizing garden ( tantalizing because in February there was no temptation to be in it ). The place is big. Inside you can actually get lost. On day three one of us exclaimed, "Oh. There's another bathroom!" Very well appointed, characterful and stylistically higgledy-piggledy, in a really good way. Extremely comfortable and homely above all else. The walks in the locality are wonderful and the staff are friendly and eager to please. I'd give this place ten out of ten.

Mr Lunt, March 2016

The Laurels is a cosy house with plenty of room for 12 people.. The property is convenient and close to the high street and footpaths.

Ms Firth

November 2015

The accommodation exceeded our expectations. It is a very short walk to town and there are plenty of country footpaths to explore. The enclosed garden is ideal for children and the dog.

Mr Ridge

October 2015

For our family long weekend The Laurels had plenty of different rooms for the ten of us to be all together or be in own space if required. It was well equipped, had large bedrooms, and was centrally located within the delightful hilly village; with all shops, pubs and restaurants within walking distance. Walkers of all capabilities will find plenty of routes direct from the property.

Ms Firth, October 2015

For our family long weekend The Laurels had plenty of different rooms for the ten of us to be all together or be in own space if required.. It was well equipped, had large bedrooms, and was centrally located within the delightful hilly village; with all shops, pubs and restaurants within walking distance. Walkers of all capabilities will find plenty of routes direct from the property.

Mrs Jones, February 2016

The accommodation exceeded our expectations.. It is a very short walk to town and there are plenty of country footpaths to explore. The enclosed garden is ideal for children and the dog.

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The Laurels in Shropshire Hills, Shropshire