Among five acres tucked away in an ancient hamlet, the topiary lawns look like they’re prepared with nail scissors, but the woods are a little wilder. Head out there with the kids to find see-saws and swings and return to the green carpeting for croquet and cricket, football goals and fire pits.
Alternatively, simply stroll and enjoy the medieval magic, including the orchard, the Norman church and the medieval courtyard’s planters, fruit trees and climbing roses. For barbecues, you’ll want the Cider House, once the place where apples from the orchard were pressed, but now home to a large terrace for outdoor dining.
The local Shropshire area, with the bustling historic market towns of Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock, was named a top global “Destination to Watch” for 2024. With ABTA reporting “This idyllic English county on the Welsh borders has some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes, towns and villages. Shropshire is a rural gem”.
Across the Coach House, Gatehouse, Moat House, Cider House and Dragon Hall, you’ve plenty of spaces for getting together and plenty more for sliding apart. These five properties, within 150 yards of each other and connected by the central medieval courtyard, can accommodate from 16-22 guests in any combination.
The accommodation comes packed with period charm, but not at the expense of modern touches. You’ll find 14 TVs dotted around with a full Sky package, plus Amazon Prime Video and Netflix streaming over the superfast Wi-Fi.
Pour drinks from the mirrored cocktail bar, dig into the DVDs, pick a book from the shelves, and burn logs and the midnight oil over board games, cards and darts.
It all comes together here in the big chill-out space in the Dragon Hall. The in-house catering team can create seasonal menus for memorable meals, all served on Wedgwood china. This unique private dining area is the recreation of a 15th-century Florentine palazzo banqueting room painted by muralist Adam Dant. There’s a private members drawing-room feel among the comfortable sofas and huge Palazzo-style fireplace with Clearview stove.
Prefer your dining al-fresco? The Cider House terrace is perfect for group barbecues and outdoor dining with a magnum of rose. And if you’d prefer to chill than grill, just let us know and we’ll ship in the catering team. Want an early-morning pick-me-up? Talk to us about our breakfast hampers and reds, whites and champagnes from Tanner’s wine merchants.
Take time off for takeaways from Thai Arts in Bridgnorth, Legend’s Chinese and the Himalaya Tandoori. Pub it at The Pheasant at Neenton for local, seasonal menus and delicious fresh fish, The Acton at Morville for wood-fired pizza and gourmet burgers, or The Gaskell Arms in Much Wenlock for light lunches, cottage pie or a 10oz rump.
Bit of a foodie? Consider Mortimer’s in Ludlow for upmarket gastro based around beef, guinea fowl or monkfish. Tuck into an ever-changing seasonal menu at The Tally Ho, including venison haunch and chicken schnitzel. Or head to The Walrus, a gastro restaurant lauded by the national media serving venison, souffle and halibut.
Fussy about your accommodation? Choose from rooms in five properties, tucked around a medieval courtyard alive with climbing roses and fruit trees. Whichever room you pick, you’ll sleep soundly in the shadow of the Shropshire hills. Dragon Court sleeps up to 22 in soft Egyptian cotton, in all sorts of combinations.
In The Gatehouse, the Thatcher Suite – where the former PM stayed – offers a superking with private turreted bathroom and adjoining sitting room suite with open fireplace complete with Sky TV. The Prince Rupert Suite – where the commander of the Royalist forces stayed in 1646 – offers a superking four-poster plus a single child’s bed, in-room clawfoot bath and TV. The Moat House provides the Courtyard Bedroom, an en-suite kingsize with TV and another en-suite kingsize.
In the Cider House, the en-suite master comes with a superking bed and French windows that lead out to a terrace. A further bedroom offers a TV, kingsize plus a single and an en-suite bathroom with bath/shower.
The Coach House’s en-suite master gives you a superking and a child’s day bed, plus TV, while a second en-suite bedroom provides a kingsize and a third mezzanine room has twin beds and a shared bathroom.
There’s another kingsize en-suite with TV and kitchenette in the Library, part of the Dragon Hall.
