Dating back to 1250, this idyllic cottage has bags of charm. It’s in the town of Hadleigh, so shops, restaurants and cafés are just a short walk away, along with cycleways across the countryside and a meandering riverside walk.

Hide away from the world in a timber-clad bolthole where Tudor windows let in plenty of sunlight during the day. By night, it’s time to get a fire crackling in the fireplace and snuggle up with a glass of wine on the sofa. Antique, rustic furniture has been hand-selected to keep the medieval feel to the cottage, including cast-iron pans suspended from the wooden beam in the kitchen. Heading up the narrow staircase to bed, you’ll find a sound sleep beneath the old roof beams.

Home truths:
*Towels are not provided, bedlinen is provided
*Your host supplies a lovely breakfast basket containing eggs, tomatoes, butter, bread and milk, all local produce if possible - season permitting
*The cottage also contains tea, coffee and olive oil, salt and pepper
*There is no garden with this home, but there is a courtyard to sit out in
*This old home with narrow stairs is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility
*There is a wild pond in the host's garden which has been designed to encourage amphibians and grass snakes
*The cottage is on the edge of the small town and there is unrestricted parking outside and opposite in the quiet cul-de-sac