Cosy cottage with beams & inglenook fireplaces

Cosy 4 bedroomed cottage nestled in a pretty Suffolk village. Large communal space with a 30 foot living/dining area with beams and inglenook fireplaces either end. Light kitchen with stable door opening on to little sheltered patio seating area, and a sunny conservatory overlooking the garden. 2 double and 1 twin bed on the first floor, 1 twin bed on ground floor. Bathrooms with showers on ground floor and first floor. 10 minutes drive from Framlingham, 20 from coastal town of Aldeburgh. This quirky old cottage was lovingly renovated by our father who was a DIY enthusiast and was our family home for many years. Whilst its idiosyncrasies prevent it from being described as 'deluxe' accommodation, is a comfortable relaxing environment to unwind in. The bedrooms are typically compact and snug as one would expect of a Suffolk cottage, but the communal living area has been opened up to create a spacious sitting room & dining area perfect for larger groups to get together and dine on festive occasions or just gather & relax by the open fire in the evenings. There is also a conservatory that overlooks the garden which provides an additional separate reasonably sized communal area for bigger groups to spread out. The kitchen is a pretty light room with 'vintage' Smallbone traditional English painted cabinets, a floor standing electric oven & hob, a fridge freezer, microwave & separate small electric oven sitting on the worktop, and a 1 1/2 bowl stainless steel sink with drying cupboard above. (no D/W) An original old pine stable door opens onto a covered patio which leads into the garden, which is a reasonably large typical rambling country cottage garden with fruit trees, roses, hollyhocks etc and plenty of lawned area to run around...The bathrooms are pretty basic, functional but could best be described as in need of modernisation. They both have showers (not baths) which offer a gravity driven flow of water just adequate to wash under but they are not power showers! Guests will have access to the entire house and garden. If parking is carefully coordinated there is room for 4 standard sized cars in front of the house and in the car port. ACCESSIBILITY for guests with mobility difficulties: Despite one very slight threshold between 2 rooms and one at the front door, the downstairs bedroom, bathroom & general downstairs living area as well as the large electric riser recliner chair in the sitting room make this a suitable property if your party includes guests with mobility problems. We are available at the end of the phone and there will be local help if needed. PARHAM & THE SURROUNDING AREA: Parham is a friendly village spread thinly over quite a wide area, but being at the end of a row of cottages near the pretty village church this is widely considered the 'centre' of the village. It is situated less than 10 minutes drive from the popular market town of Framlingham with its famous castle, an impressive 12th century fortress that is open to the public and hosts regular events throughout the year. There is a popular thriving market on a Saturday and Tuesday morning in the market square offering locally produced, largely organic vegetables, meat and baked goods, as well as locally sourced fish. Even if you are not a foodie, it's a lovely environment to sit outside one of the many cafes and watch the active buzz of market day! Leo's Deli in Framlingham is also testament to Suffolk's well earned title as the 'Foodie's county' with its fabulous selection of mostly locally sourced goodies. A 20 minute drive in the other direction takes you to the popular colourful coastal town of Aldeburgh where you can buy an array of freshly caught and smoked fish direct from the fishermen in their huts lined up along the sea front, or sit on the beach and eat your freshly fried fish & chips from the town's well known fish & chip shop (if you can be bothered to queue!) Among the many nearby Suffolk heritage sites and national award winning foodie destinations the equally beautiful coastal town of Southwold, (home town of Adnams Brewery) is also definitely worth a mention. The nearest train station is 10 minutes drive away at Campsea Ashe (known as Wickham Market station) . Advanced tickets to Wickham Market station via Ipswich from London Liverpool Street cost as little as £13 each way if booked early enough in advance. A taxi can be arranged to take you to the house. Christmas & Easter booking 6 nights minimum stay. Bank holiday weekends 3 nights minimum stay.