The Kersey Residence

suffolk, england
4 bedroom - 3 bath
(0 reviews)
Travel dates:
1
Adults
1
Children (Ages 4-17)
0
Children (Ages 0-3)
0
Book Now
£236 - £295 per night (GBP)
Proceed to Checkout
  • Air Conditioning
  • Baby Bath
  • Baby Monitor
  • Babysitter / Nanny
  • Backyard / Garden
  • Balcony
  • Bathtub
  • Bed Rails
  • Bicycles
  • Cabinet Locks
  • Changing Table
  • Chef / Catering
  • Children's Dinnerware
  • Corner Guards
  • DVD Library
  • DVD Player
  • Dishwasher
  • Elevator
  • Fireplace Guards
  • Game Console
  • High Chair
  • Housekeeper
  • Outlet Plugs
  • Parking
  • Pet-friendly
  • Pool
  • Pool Gate
  • Stair Gates
  • Television
  • Toys / Children's Books
  • Washer / Dryer
  • Wifi
  • Window Guards
SLEEPS 8
3 king
2 twin / single

Perks for the Parents

A beautifully restored historic farmhouse packed full of Tudor charm, set in walled gardens with glorious countryside views and an excellent village pub on the doorstep. It sleeps 8. There’s plenty of space for all the family with elegant yet homely living rooms, wood burners for cozy nights in and a separate ‘Maltings’ den space for the kids to let off steam in. The bedroom layout ensures maximum privacy with separate staircases to the guest wing and the luxurious primary suite which comes with a kingsize bed and a CP Hart roll-top bath in the ensuite for decadent soaks. The downstairs bedroom has its own entrance and ensuite, ideal for teenagers, a nanny or those seeking ultimate peace. The lovely gardens have ample lawn space for games and picnics, and a BBQ for alfresco dining in the summer. For those keen to explore, there are walking and cycling paths directly from the house, and an historic village pub with good food just a 2 minute walk. The hosts provide a bike for exploring further afield with local farm shops, cafes, markets and a yoga studio a short cycle ride away.

Why Kids Love it

Kids can star in their own period drama at this characterful residence dripping in history and hide and seek opportunities. For those who like to chill, there are board games on offer and a TV room for screening the latest movies. Outside, there’s ping pong in the Maltings building and lawned gardens big enough for games and picnics. Mini wildlife lovers should be on the lookout for local visitors including deer (which you can sometimes spot outside the window), owls and bats. There’s plenty to explore on the doorstep with a field of miniature ponies, and a farm with chickens and a duck pond a short walk away. The village’s picturesque ‘Splash’, where the river flows over the road is minutes from the house and is perfect entertainment for little paddlers. For serious swimmers there's the River Stour and the coast are a short drive away. Harry Potter fans might be excited to see the house used as his family's home in the film, in the nearby village of Lavenham.

Things to Know

Minimum stay: 3 nights. The residence is a historic house, and it comes with beams – there’s a particularly low beam between the guest main bedroom and bathroom, so taller guests may wish to bear this in mind. The house is located directly on the village street, so passers-by may sometimes take a photo of the beautiful old building (although there are shutters which can be closed for privacy). There’s a 'Maltings' connected to the house as well as several outhouses in the garden, a stream running down the side of the residence, and a number of fireplaces and staircases inside, so younger kids should be supervised. Heat comes on with a timer and is synced with the temperature in kitchen but individual radiators can be turned up or off. There is WiFi and a washer/dryer in the Maltings building. Parking is available on site – it is fine to park cars on the street or drive through the wooden gate and park in the drive; car hire is essential if wanting to fully explore the area. There is 1 bike available for guest use in the outbuilding at end of Maltings. Neighbors are lovely and will help guests out if needed. The residence allows pets but please speak to the hosts at the time of booking.

About the Location

The residence is located in the charming village of Kersey, one of the prettiest in East Anglia with medieval houses set amongst idyllic rolling fields and a famous 'Splash' where the river flows over the road. There’s an old country pub, The Bell, a minutes away on foot, so you won't always have to cook, and a historic church at the top of the hill overlooking the house – bell ringers from all over Europe come to ring the bells on a Thursday evening. Nearby Kersey Mill has Pilates and yoga (as well as the working mill) and a cafe. The wonderful local farm shop is a 5-minute drive or 15-minute bike ride away and has everything you need. There’s a local farmers' market in nearby Hadleigh on a Friday morning which also has an award-winning butcher, a good deli and a supermarket (accessible by car or bike). There’s plenty of cultural sightseeing on offer, from Gainsborough's birthplace and gallery and the magnificent wool towns of Long Melford and Lavenham to Flatford Mill and Constable country 20 minutes away. The closest station is Manningtree, 30 minutes away with trains to/from London in 1 hour. The closest international airport is Stansted, an hour’s drive.

Accommodation Details

The residence has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Downstairs are the residence’s main living areas including 3 large receptions rooms and a kitchen. The living room has a Tudor inglenook fireplace surrounded by a sofa and armchairs, and access to the garden; there’s a TV room with books, games and of course, a TV, and a characterful dining room with a large table seating 10 comfortably. The farmhouse style kitchen is fully equipped, with a Bertazzoni oven, as well as a wood burning stove that can be used for cooking. There’s a large Tudor inglenook fireplace and a dining table seating 8 for more casual dinners and laid-back breakfasts. There’s 1 bedroom downstairs with a super kingsize bed (Hypnos zip-and-link so it can be set up as twin beds on request) and an ensuite bathroom with a shower and roll top bath, plus its own entrance from outside. Upstairs there are 3 bedrooms; the primary bedroom is accessible via a spiral staircase from the entrance hall. It is dual aspect with views over the garden and has a super kingsize bed and a spacious bathroom with a roll top bath. The guest wing is accessible from this primary suite (as well as having its own staircase from back door) so this might be helpful for parents who want to have children sleeping close by. The second and third bedrooms are in a guest wing accessible via a separate staircase from the back door. One is set up with a super kingsize bed, the other is ideal for children and arranged with 2 twins (although they could be connected to make an additional super kingsize bed). They share a bathroom with a tub only. Please note: the bedroom in the annexe (with the ensuite bathroom and walk-in shower) is only accessible by going outside and this ensuite bathroom is the only bathroom with a shower. Outside, there’s a walled garden with a lawn, a BBQ, an alfresco dining table, outbuildings and a Maltings building attached to the house with a ping pong table.

Style Notes

Historic farmhouse. A beautiful Grade 2* listed period residence, recently renovated and sympathetically restored to retain many original features whilst injecting plenty of contemporary comfort. Original wooden floorboards, beams and panelling can be seen throughout, alongside Tudor inglenook fireplaces and feature doors that create an atmospheric setting, ideal for candlelight suppers. The owners have weaved in plenty of modern homely touches including colorful rugs, cozy lamps, eye catching artworks, log burners, and state of the art radiators. Unusually for a house of the period, it is both bright and light, benefitting from Georgian period updates which increased the size of both rooms and windows. Lovely valley views pour in throughout with most ground floor rooms also designed to open out onto the walled garden space. We love the farmhouse kitchen which is both cozy and dramatic, with flag stone floor and sky-blue cabinetry set off by a striking Tudor inglenook fireplace for breakfasting in style.

Payment policy
When a host accepts your booking, we will automatically charge your card 30% of the total cost of the stay on acceptance if the check in date is more than 6 weeks away. We will send you a balance payment reminder at 6 weeks before check in and you will be required to submit your payment to finalise your reservation. If a host accepts your booking and the check in date is 6 weeks away or less, we will charge your card 100% of the total cost of the stay on acceptance.
Cancellation policy
For cancellations notified up to 6 weeks before the check in date, guests will receive a refund of any amount paid less 10% of the total cost of the booking. For cancellations notified at 6 weeks or less before the check in date, no refunds are given unless the host agrees. If a host does agree to a full or partial refund, this amount will be returned to the guest less 10% of the total cost of the booking. Some hosts will also allow a stay to be rescheduled. Guests should contact their host for further information regarding any request to change the dates of a stay.
Alice L.
Member since January 20, 2024
Contact Host
Member since Sep '23. We have two listings - our house in Camden and our house in Suffolk. My husband works for a Think Tank focusing on foreign relations and I am an educationalist, currently working with an ed tech start up funded by the UN. We have two grown up children who are now at university and grew up in our house in Camden.

Suffolk, England

Pebble beaches, waterways and culture

Browse our selection of luxury family and kid friendly vacation rentals in Suffolk. Search by neighborhood, amenity and more.