Luxury Apartment, The Barn, Cookham

The Barn is tucked away in a private courtyard set back on a picturesque and quiet lane that leads towards the village high street. Steeped in history and oozing character, it dates back to the 18th century. Vaulted ceilings and old beams frame the bedrooms which are furnished with an ornate bed/sofa bed/Egyptian cotton bed linen in a combination of dusky pinks/greys all in a shabby chic style. Chandeliers, silk bedspread, Farrow & Ball paint and Bamford Botanical sustainably made toiletries. Originally a brewery dating back to 1760 The Barn was converted to a maltings in 1850 and remained part of a large brewing operation linked to a Windsor brewery. In around 1912 the main house was converted from a grain store into a residential home comprising two apartments. Between the World Wars the house was converted back into one residence. The two malting barns used to form part of a complex of three malting barns and two kilns. When the brewery business closed, the barns were used variously for a village school (you can still see God Save The Queen markings on the walls) a jam factory and a car body workshop. The family before us was in residence between 1952 and 2012. Since then we have been busy renovating the house, garden and barns. The renovation and conversion of the upper barn, by a local building company, into an apartment, was finished in August 2017. It is split into three levels with wider staircases, a modern shower room, a first floor king bedroom and a mezzanine with sofa bed and writing desk/chair. It has a south-easterly prospect looking out onto small orchard. The space is ideal for short stays and remote working. We worked hard to make the renovation as Net Positive to the planet as possible and to do this followed the principles of the Living Future Institute. The biggest step to achieve a Net Positive result was to source Douglas Fir for the exterior cladding from a plantation forty miles away and arrange for it to be milled locally. This reduced the carbon footprint considerably. We met other sustainability goals by purposefully sourcing materials and finishes made locally. We continue to looks for ways make a Net Positive contribution to the environment by sourcing cleaning products, energy and food products from sustainable sources. As of April 2019, we serve a light Continental breakfast. However, you can book and pay for fresh English breakfast at many of the local pubs. Parking is available on School Lane in front of the property, and we will always try to help guests drop off and collect their luggage whilst keeping in mind that the drive is in constant use. We are a family of two adults two children living on site in the main house near the barns. One of the adults will welcome you when you arrive or shortly afterwards if you have collected the key from the safe. We will try to make ourselves as available as possible at check in and check out times for questions and suggestions. Cookham is friendly and fun. It has all amenities for day to day needs and is a great place to relax. On foot: galleries, restaurants & pubs can all be accessed easily. By bike: follow the Thames, explore the Chilterns. By bus: explore Marlow, Henley and Windsor By train: visit London or Reading Cookham Village is one of three villages which together make up The Cookhams. Gastropubs such as the Bel & Dragon are a minute or two's stroll away. The Michelin starred restaurants, the Waterside Inn and Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck in Bray are a short taxi ride away. The village also hosts the internationally renowned Stanley Spencer Museum of art. There are numerous local art, music and theatrical events as well as village summer fetes and the annual Rock the Moor eighties music festival in May. London (Paddington) is easily accessible from Cookham Station, just a short walk away and there are beautiful walks along the River Thames and surrounding countryside are on the doorstep. Cliveden (National Trust) is a five minute drive and does champagne afternoon tea. Cookham is also close to the market town of Marlow which boasts excellent shopping and bars/restaurants such as The Ivy, Bills, the Botanist and the Hand and Flowers. Cookham is also a 25 minute drive from Henley and a 30 minute drive to Ascot racecourse or Windsor Castle.