Old Bridge dates back to 1580 and is a small Elizabethan Manor, built in the gorgeous local honey-coloured Ham Stone. The house is set in an acre and a half of woods and gardens, with stream, tennis court and solar heated pool. There is accommodation for 12, in 6 bedrooms, two sitting rooms, one with a large inglenook fire place, two dining rooms, large kitchen with 4-oven Aga.

The outside entrance to the kitchen is through one of two ‘back-kitchens’, one with the dishwasher, the other with the washing machine and downstairs loo. The kitchen is very spacious with four-oven Aga, old pine dressers and a large kitchen table. There is also have a gas cooker with oven and grill for those bigger catering occasions. The view from thekitchen looks out onto an enclosed sheltered yard area. If most meals will be taken in the kitchen though there are two dining rooms available for the more formal occasion. The dining room that is closest to the kitchen seats eight on a period refectory table in a baronial hall type atmosphere with portraits and shields with velvet curtained mullion windows, however the other dining room seats twelve on a large circular polished gateleg table. There are two sitting rooms, both with televisions, are very comfortable with deep sofas; with both having wood burners, one in a large inglenook. The smaller of the two sitting rooms also has a piano.

The garden can be reached via two main doors, one leads to the patio on the south side, and the other, through the front porch, onto the front lawn. There is a bar-b-que and plenty of garden furniture and a croquet set for the seriously summery evenings! 

On the first floor there are two big rooms facing south, both with hand basins and beautifully furnished in pine; one has three single beds and the other with a kingsize double and a single. There is also a smaller single room, that also has a hand basin. The main bathroom comprises of a toilet, basin, large enamel bath and airing cupboard. The master bedroom has windows east and west onto the front lawn,  a luxuriously large 5ft6in double bed, walk-in hanging cupboard and en-suite shower and loo. A cot is also available, but please bring your own cot bedding. 

On the top floor there are two attic rooms, one single and one double (5ft bed but mind your head!) with the expected sloping ceilings are tucked away with their own shower room (power shower), basin and loo, and makes an ideal teenage penthouse.

Hand and bath towels and all bedding are provided and included in the price. Please bring your own swimming towels. Electricity, gas and oil for the Aga are also included in the weekly price. Please note that, babies apart, the accommodation is arranged, planned and insured for a maximum of 12 people. We do provide a folding bed for additional flexibility, but we emphasise we can only take bookings for 12.

The North garden of the house is wooded with gravel paths and a stream – a quiet area of mature Oaks and Ash, Weeping willow, Mulberry and Walnut. To the West of the house, the front lawn is bordered by a formal Yew hedge and is ideal for croquet! To the South ot the house, the lawns rise to a massive Spanish sweet chestnut – said to be as old as the house, which affords a shaded vantage point from which to view the tennis court. A honeysuckled arch provides the entrance to the pool that is very sheltered from all directions, with changing room and plenty of sitting out area to enjoy the late evening sunshine. There are no near neighbours, and are surrounded by our own farmland which is great for walks, providing the ‘country code’ is observed.  Deer, foxes, badgers and buzzards are regular visitors, as are a large range of garden and woodland birds including woodpeckers, tree creepers and flycatchers, and there are kingfishers on the stream.

Old Bridge will make a very comfortable and ideal base for a larger group or two or more families to enjoy the relaxed rural pace of the South West, to walk, swim, play tennis; or perhaps visit some of the many famous attractions in the area, explore Exmoor, beautiful Bath or Glastonbury and Wells or the famous south coast of Dorset and Devon. We are situated half a mile south of the A303 in south Somerset, some 40 miles from Bristol, Bath and Exeter, 120 miles from London and 40 minutes from the south coast – Weymouth or Lyme Regis.