Notes from the host
Spadgers Flax Workers Cottage
Spadgers is a really sweet little flax worker cottage in a terrace of 18th Century grade II listed cottages. Situated in the bustling Medieval Village of Long Melford made famous by the TV series Lovejoys.
Spadgers is one of our cosiest holiday cottages and has direct access to countryside footpaths from its back garden.
Cottage Walk Through
As Spadgers is in a busy village those seeking a more quiet retreat should note that we may have other cottages better suited. On the other hand being in such a historic village location, this cottage is really perfect for those who want to be just a stroll away from great pubs, restaurants, stately homes, antique warehouses and interesting shops; with lovely countryside walks straight from its back garden.
The Cottage has bags of character, you enter straight into the main room with its lovely brick floor, beams and a cosy open log fire. There is an open staircase winding round the dining area and a door way into the kitchen.
The kitchen is not big but well laid out and equipped, it has a breakfast bar overlooking the pretty garden, which is a haven for birdlife.
There is a nice modern downstairs bathroom with a bath and shower over the bath.
Upstairs there are two bedrooms – a double and a single.
Sorry, but the steep open stairs mean that the owners do not want to accept babies or children – and those who are less than ‘able’ should be aware of this feature of a historic cottage.
But we are happy to accept up to 2 well behaved doggies – charges apply at £20 per pet for up to 7 nights.
The Garden
The sunny garden is one of the big attractions to this cottage, being totally enclosed and backing onto a footpath that leads directly out into the fields – ideal for doggies, and walks.
There is seating, bikes and a BBQ provided.
This is a lovely cottage to explore Long Melford and the best that Suffolk has to offer.
Outside
Spadgers is located on the outskirts of the bustling Medieval village of Long Melford, just off the beautiful “Green” with its wonderful Wool Church. It is a really beautifully preserved medieval village full of quaint old shops, pubs and restaurants and two big stately houses:
Kentwell Hall is world famous for its Tudor Re-enactments and a fabulous place to visit as it is so untouched in all its moated Tudor Splendour
Melford Hall is also very impressive and owned by The National Trust who state: “Around every corner there’s a new twist in the story – from Beatrix Potter sketches to collections of naval paintings and Chinese porcelain”
Green Credentials
Spadgers is a former artisan cottage, Grade 2 listed as part of the local architectural and historical heritage. It dates back to 1730’s.
Renovation to the main house and repairs are done with traditional and reclaimed sympathetic materials like the reclaimed wood panelling, new ledged and braced doors, and traditional lime washed paint, and always locally sourced materials from our nearby recycling centre, inside and out.
We have retained the open fire as a feature of the cottage to allow adequate and natural ventilation through the year and allow a roaring fire in the colder months. Smokeless coal of course, but mainly logs which are a natural by-product of local wood management.
We use many method/ecover products when possible, and try to refill your plastic where we can, eg washing up liquid and reed diffusers.
We encourage guests to explore the local area by bicycle or foot. We provide cycles to allow you to feel the not so gentle slopes in the area, rather than rely on a car.
The advantage of walking is not necessarily a compromise in allowing some rewards. The village has plenty of watering holes on the way, all offering sustenance too.
The garden is bird friendly, we sometimes cheat offering food as a bribe with a regular array of visitors to our garden. We encourage you to feed the blackbirds with sultanas and bird food is kept in the shed to put out.
We try to maintain a garden with all year interest to encourage bees and other visitors to our garden.
The open fields and river course accessed from our back gate lead to network of walks through tended and wild landscape giving a chance to see bats, badgers, fox, hare, rabbits, deer and an amazing array of birds.
Local Area
On foot there are a network of footpaths to explore, including an old railway line to Lavenham, now a nature trail you can pick up from near the local pub, a short walk across the green.
If trains are your fancy, a working remnant of the old railway still runs from nearby Sudbury to Marks Tey, connecting to London, Ipswich and Norwich. It is a very picturesque journey in a sunny day.
There are also limited buses from the village, but they can get you to the major villages and towns nearby like Sudbury, Lavenham and Bury St Edmunds.
We encourage visitors to take advantage of Willow Tree Farm Shop, a short drive or cycle ride away near Glemsford. And there are many more Farm Shops to be found in the nearby environs.
There are also many artisan food shops in the area. Unfortunately as elsewhere, things change, but a bit of looking and regular local craft and produce markets always allows good quality produce to be found, and new discoveries.
The famous village of Lavenham ‘England’s best preserved Medieval Village’ is just 5 miles away and the area immortalised by England’s renowned Landscape Painter ; John Constable and known as ‘Constable Country’ is right beside us as Long Melford was the furthest that the barges that Constable painted could get up stream.
There are many great country pubs, some special Gastro pubs like The Crown Inn at Stoke by Nayland and some high quality restaurants like The Great House or The Swan in Lavenham. Scutchers just opposite us and the Black Lion on our corner overlooking the Village Green.
Please see my Discover This Location tab for more information.
This area is amazingly rural and untouched by city life, with tiny single track lanes leading nowhere or to a pub, footpaths galore and tiny Medieval Villages where time seems to have stood still.
If you are staying for more than a weekend then a day out at the unspoilt Suffolk Coast is always a lovely trip.
The coast starts just 30 minutes away near Colchester or Ipswich and our favourite beaches and places on the coast are between 50 – 70 minutes away, places like Pin Mill, Nacton, Levington, Orford, Aldeburgh, Dunwich, Southwold and Mersea Island.
The nearby Medieval Villages of Long Melford, famed for its setting for the Lovejoys TV series, Nayland, sitting prettily on the river Stour, Polstead, with its bluebells woods and impressive views over the Box river valley are all close by and there are many more tiny villages with lovely walks and Pubs to explore.
This is an area you can feel a million miles away from city life and really relax and enjoy just being part of.
Standard Inclusive Features
Kitchen: All cottages are complete little homes and facilities include modern central heating, refrigerator, hobs, oven and / or microwave, toaster, crockery & serving dishes, cutlery, many utensils, fire-extinguisher, lots of pots & pans, glasses & mugs, kettle, coffee maker, teapot, kitchen towels, oven gloves, olive oil, salt & pepper, sugar, herbs, tea, fresh and instant coffee, washing up liquid, cloths, general cleaning materials, etc.
Bathroom: Soap, fluffy cotton towels, bath mats, shaver point, toilet brush, toilet roll.
Bedroom: Cotton bed linen, wardrobe with coat hangers / chest of drawers, iron, ironing board, hairdryer.
Living room: If your cottage has an open fire or stove then a basket with firewood and a bucket with coal will be provided free and more will be available at cost and there will be firelighters provided, TV, books, games, magazines, local brochures, OS and other maps, folder with our special ‘What To Do’ insiders guide to the local area.
Bikes: Please check with me that these are available before you arrive to avoid disappointment if they are in for maintenance
Up to 2 Well behaved Dogs are always welcome, charges apply at £20 per pet for up to 7 nights.
Hosted byThe Grove Cottages
