Thatch Cottage

The Thatch is in the heart of the North Cotswolds village of Todenham, 3 miles from the bustling market town of Moreton-in-Marsh. It is an immaculate, detached period property, lovingly renovated and refurbished. There is a fabulous, open-plan living-dining room, with an original inglenook fireplace and woodburner, a large, modern kitchen, 3 beautifully decorated and styled bedrooms sleeping 6 guests with 2.5 bathrooms. Outside is a delightful garden and patio, with private parking for 2 cars. Please note that additional guests above the maximum capacity are not permitted to stay overnight. The Thatch at Todenham is a quintessentially Cotswold country cottage with a thatched porch and a pretty cottage garden where guests can relax and enjoy an alfresco drink or meal after a day exploring the region. The picture-perfect exterior sets the scene yet disguises the even more fabulous interior that has been lovingly restored to create a cosy yet stylish holiday home with all mod cons. The owners have spared nothing in the design and décor, using Farrow & Ball paint, Fired Earth tiles, GP & J Baker fabrics, and Sanderson and Harlequin wallpapers, and White Company linen and towels. A wicket gate opens from the village’s Main Street to the front garden where a stone path leads to the front door with its thatched porch. To the side of the house is a manicured parking area accessed through a double wooden gate and suitable for two cars. Step through a planted wall border to the patio, with a wooden table and chairs that comfortably seats six guests. Beyond is a lovely garden mostly laid to lawn, with a huge oak tree and a tall, espaliered beech tree hedge. Downstairs is a spacious open-plan dining-living area with a large inglenook fireplace and wood burning stove, a separate, modern kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a cloakroom. Upstairs, the Thatch has three beautifully decorated bedrooms (two with king-size double beds and one with a pair of extra-long single beds), an ensuite shower room and a family bathroom. There is a lovely garden at the side of the property and private parking for two cars. The property is perfect for a family or a group of friends seeking an idyllic rural retreat, in the heart of the beautiful Cotswold countryside. Facilities Sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms with 2 king size beds and 2 extra-long single beds (twin room) 2.5 bathrooms: 1 en-suite shower room, 1 family bathroom, 1 cloakroom Parking - the property has private, off-street parking for two cars Private enclosed garden – safe for children. Fireplace with wood burner: initial basket of logs/kindling provided (October to Easter) All bed linen, bath towels and tea towels provided Hairdryer x1 Kitchen starter consumables: teabags, instant coffee, sugar, fresh milk. Cleaning starter pack: dishwasher tablets, scourer, cloth, washing up liquid, bin bags, washing machine pods Bathroom essentials: hand soap, toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel Heating and hot water: oil-fired central heating with individual thermostat controls. Free Wi-Fi TV – a large smart TV Games Fully equipped kitchen with toaster, kettle, utensils, crockery, cutlery, glassware (champagne flutes, tumblers and wine and water glasses) cafetiere, bakeware, food preparation (grater, jug, sieve), saucepans, food mixer, kitchen foil, cling film, kitchen paper Oven (electric)/hob (4-ring induction) Microwave Dishwasher Fridge Freezer Washing machine / dryer Ironing board, iron, clothes airer, clothes pegs Vacuum cleaner Baby/Child Equipment: not provided Outdoor patio/seating area Garden furniture – seats 6 BBQ – not provided. (Guests may bring their own.) Safety equipment: fire extinguisher, fire blanket, carbon monoxide monitor, smoke alarm, First Aid kit. Dogs and other pets: The Thatch does not accept any pets. Full Property Description Ground Floor Beautiful, engineered oak floorboards run throughout the ground floor, perfectly complementing the stunning Harlequin and Sanderson wallpapers and the Farrow & Ball paintwork. Porch Head up the garden path to the front door and into the covered porch with its delightful, thatched roof. Inside are hooks for coats and room to keep boots and shoes. Dining Area Open the door from the porch and step into the dining area, with its glorious, original inglenook fireplace and large woodburner stove. The area is furnished with a long, rectangular dining table, which comfortably seats six guests. To the kitchen end of the dining area is a large sideboard full of useful items, while opposite the fireplace is a basket with umbrellas and a handy wicker shoe bench. Living Area The dining and living area are divided by a hand-built, half-height wall with exposed painted timbers, creating a cosy seating area beautifully furnished with a three-seater sofa, three armchairs, a large smart TV in a bookcase, with a great selection of interior design books, and an original window seat. The Kitchen The fully equipped bright and spacious kitchen is a cook’s dream, with a beautiful, polished quartz preparation surface, a four-ring induction hob, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, microwave and a walk-in pantry with plenty of shelving and storage space for food and wine, plus a large Kenwood blender. There is also a concealed washing machine/tumble dryer. Busy parents can keep an eye on children playing in the garden from the kitchen window. Cloakroom The downstairs cloakroom – located between the kitchen and dining area - has a toilet and hand basin and features striking Fired Earth tiles and Harlequin dragonfly wallpaper. Upstairs Carpeted stairs with a bannister lead up from the ground floor to the first-floor landing - passing a stunning backdrop of Sanderson’s Picture Gallery wallpaper - off which are the three bedrooms – all with soft, woollen carpeting, complementing the rich, neutral colour palette of each bedroom where exposed timbers remind guests of the age of this 17th century property: Bedroom 1 A wonderfully tranquil master bedroom that looks out to the village and surrounding rolling hills and countryside. Furnished with a king size bed, bedside tables with reading lamps, a day chair and a free-standing wardrobe. Ensuite shower room The master bedroom’s ensuite features a large walk-in shower with hand-held and rain-effect showerheads, a toilet, hand sink and heated towel rail. Decorated throughout with Fired Earth, white wall tiles and tiny, gorgeous, marble floor tiles. (Note: There is a small step up from the bedroom to bathroom.) Bedroom 2 This lovely, dual aspect bedroom overlooks the garden to one side and the surrounding rolling hills and countryside to the other. It is the largest bedroom and features a king size bed, bedside tables and reading lamps, an armchair, free-standing wardrobe and laundry basket. (Note: There are two small steps up from the landing to the bedroom.) Bedroom 3 Beautifully decorated with deep grey Farrow & Ball paintwork and featuring two hand-built platforms for the two extra-long (two metre), single beds, with hand-built headboards covered in GP & J Baker fabric. Guests share a central chest of drawers with a double reading lamp. Hanging space is provided in the landing wardrobe opposite the bedroom’s entrance. Family Bathroom Sitting between Bedroom 2 and 3, the family bathroom features original oak floorboards, a full-size, P-shaped bath with an overhead shower, a polished stone wash basin in a hand-built vanity unit with a mirror above, a toilet and a heated towel rail. Outside The Thatch has a pretty cottage garden to the front with a stone path leading to the front door from a garden gate. To the side of the cottage is a gravelled parking area accessed from through a double wooden gate off Main Street. Step through a planted wall border to the patio, with a wooden table and chairs that comfortably seats six guests. Beyond is lovely garden mostly laid to lawn, with a huge oak tree and a tall, espaliered beech tree hedge. The owner lives nearby and the property manager is available if guests have a problem. The village of Todenham lies in the north Cotswolds, three miles north-east of Moreton-in-Marsh. It is a quiet residential village with the towering 12th-century St Thomas a Becket Church at its centre. Just half a mile away guests will find a well-stocked farm shop, selling specialist food and drinks as well as daily essentials. The village is ideally suited for walkers, cyclists and guests wishing to explore the wider Cotswolds. The cottage is in the pretty Cotswold village of Todenham, three miles from the picturesque and historic market town of Moreton in Marsh, which has independent and ‘High Street’ shops, pubs and restaurants, and a station on the direct train line to London. (See the Moreton-in-Marsh Guidebook at the end of this guide and in the welcome folder at the cottage.) Just 0.5 mile down the lane from The Thatch is Todenham Manor Farm, a family run business with a well-stocked farm shop selling drinks, bakery goods, meat, fruit and veg, deli items and fabulous meal boxes. There are many country walks accessible directly from the cottage, which is also well positioned for exploring the many lovely villages and towns of the north Cotswolds, including Chipping Campden, Broadway and Stow-on-the-Wold. Well known tourist attractions, such as Stratford-upon-Avon, Blenheim Palace and Oxford are also all just a short drive away. Pubs within 5 miles of The Thatch include: The Plough Inn (Stretton on Fosse); The Black Bear (Moreton-in-Marsh); The Red Lion Inn (Little Compton); The Norman Knight (Shipton-on-Stour); and The Greedy Goose (near Moreton-in-Marsh). Travelling by car Todenham is easily accessed by car, being just one mile away from the A429 (Fosse Way) and three miles away from the A44, two of the main roads running through the North Cotswolds. Come into the main part of the village, passing the church on your left-hand side. The old pub (The Farriers) will be immediately in front of you. The Thatch is the first house after the pub, just around the corner and on the left-hand side of the road, with a thatch over the front porch. Travelling by train The nearest railway station to Todenham is Moreton-in-Marsh (approximately three miles away), which has a regular, direct service to London Paddington, with a journey time of approximately 90 minutes. Travelling by plane Todenham is within easy reach of several international airports, including: • Birmingham International Airport: 38 miles, approx. 50-minute drive • Heathrow International Airport: 70 miles, approx. 90-minute drive Parking: there is off-street parking for two cars on the private driveway to the side of the property. Please note: Parking is NOT permitted in either of the old pub’s car parks. Guests who leave their cars in either location risk having their car clamped. There is off-street parking for two cars on the private driveway to the side of the property. Parking is NOT permitted in either of the nearby ex-pubs car parks. Guests who leave their cars in either location risk having their car clamped. Please note that additional guests above the maximum capacity are not permitted to stay overnight.