The Court

It would be hard to imagine anything more quintessentially English than this superb country house in the heart of rural Herefordshire, a pocket of real countryside rich in wildife. A Grade-II listed building, family-owned, it has just 10 guest rooms and the atmosphere is warm, relaxing and inviting.

Recently refurbished to the very highest standards, its rooms are on the grand scale that was once expected of such a house. Every room is beautifully furnished with family antiques and art, each with its own character and all the essentials of fine living are there – blazing fires in the sitting room and study, masses of comfortable sofas, oak panelling, chinoiserie. One of the most impressive features is the beautiful conservatory with seating for up to 40. One feature that will take care of amusing the men folk in particular, is a room with wonderful full-size antique billiard table and there is a TV room with bean bags and DVD library.

The Master Suite is particularly impressive and each of the individual bedrooms, each with its own unique en suite bathroom with decadently deep baths, are furnished with a charming intimacy and supreme sense of comfort.

The Court is surrounded by 15 acres of glorious formal gardens and wild meadows, with sweeping views across Duchy of Cornwall land to the Black Mountains and access to miles of quiet bridle-paths. Guests can walk for hours without seeing a road. The Wain House is a beautiful stone and wooden pillared barn with a large wood burning stove, medieval candle chandeliers and banquet style tables to seat 30. This is a perfect space for informal events, weddings and special celebrations.

Room Description

Ground floor: Kitchen: A large flagstone kitchen with open fire, 4 oven AGA and seating for 12 diners at the chef’s table • Service kitchen with independent exit • Staff Cloakroom • Conservatory - A spacious orangery style dining room with tables and seating for up to 40. Tables can be arranged to suit your party's requirements. French windows opening out to the formal gardens • Sitting room: With several sofas, a large open fire place and staircase. Chinoiserie Dining Room: Can also be used for conferences with walls covered in a fabulous hand painted silk Chinoiserie • Study: An oak panelled room with open fire place - with WiFi. Can be used as a media room/study/library • Cloakroom.

Lower Ground Floor: TV room with Freeview, DVD player, DVD library with over 200 DVDS, Wii Console, bean bags. Cellar with wine available on sale or return basis.

First floor: Billiard room with full size antique billiard table • The Court Suite with three rooms: Bedroom with Emperor size bed, private sitting room which can be converted into a further bedroom if required, most suitable for up to 2 children. Bathroom with large antique stone bath and seperate walk in shower. The Tapestry Room: Bedroom with  king size bed and fabulous far reaching views to Hay Bluff. Bathroom with bath and overhead shower. The Chateau Room: Bedroom with super king size bed and views across the court towards the church, with bathroom en suite with overhead shower.

Second floor: The Damask room: A bedroom with super king size bed and lovely views towards the church, with bathroom en suite with overhead shower. The Mahogany room: A large bedroom with king size bed, further single divan bed and fabulous views out towards the black mountains, with bathroom en suite with bath and seperate shower. The Four Poster room: A bedroom with four-poster super king size bed and wonderful double aspect views over the court and Duchy farmland. The bathroom has a deep Japanese style Onken bath and large walk in shower. The Granary room: A king size suite with high beamed ceilings, with bathroom en suite with overhead shower. The Winch room: An interesting room with super king size bed (can be split into twin beds), high ceiling, beams, the old granary winch, views over the court and church and with lovely light airy bathroom with overhead shower.

The Cottage Barn: Two self-contained bedrooms each with their entrance and outside seating area. The Hay Bluff Room: overlooks the stable yard and paddock down to the lake and out to the Black mountains.  The Skirrid Room has lovely views to the Black Mountains. These two rooms are self-contained and each room has a zip and link super king size double bed (therefore can be twins) with bathroom en suite with separate shower. Both bedrooms have wheelchair access.

Cottage Barn Studio: with underfloor heating - suitable for yoga etc.

The Wain House: A beautiful stone and wooden pillared barn with a large wood burning stove, medieval candle chandeliers and banquet style tables to seat 30. It is also perfect for events, weddings and parties and can seat up to 100 diners. The capacity can be increased by adding special hand-cleaved yurts and/or marquee walls on the side.

Facilities

Rental includes:

Washing Machine • Dishwasher • Television • DVD Player and DVD library • CD Player • Telephone • WiFi Internet Access • Heating • A welcome gesture with local and home made treats • Bed, bath and kitchen linen is provided and changed weekly.

On request, payable locally:

Supermarket pre-arrival delivery • Extra cleaning • Maid service.

Catering: Meals can be arranged to suit any request. For instance, for a weekend’s stay, the usual suggestion is a delicious supper on arrival with a more elaborate dinner the following evening ending with a Sunday roast and breakfasts and lunches in between. Guests can choose from seasonal menus which all use high quality Herefordshire produce where possible.

Activities

On site

Billard table, table tennis in the Wain house, croquet on the lawn.

Locally

The Great British Safari

The Court is set in some of Britain’s most magnificent countryside including The Golden Valley and The Black Mountains which crown The Court's western view. The Great British Safari is an exciting way of exploring this expanse of beauty nestled in and over the southern Welsh borders.  On all overnight adventures there is a boutique and luxurious camp with fine food and cosy beds. With a choice of experts you can travel up the Black mountains or walk through the Golden valley picking up knowledge and being in the right time and place to find some of Britains rarest flora and fauna. Itineraries and prices on request.

Harvest Holidays

Herefordshire is absolutely brimming with food producers. The Court can arrange cider trails, apple picking, walks through apple orchards, arrange visits to see a pedigree herd of Hereford cattle, see cheese being made at private farms, and walks through the Kenchurch estate’s fabulous deer park. The Court is also surrounded by 1000 acres of Duchy of Cornwall farm land and they are harvesting constantly.

The Court can arrange a weekend with well-known chef and his forager to forage for mushrooms from March-November. The chef would then demonstrate what can be done with the foraged produce.

The Court can arrange a ‘hunter, gatherer’ weekend which combines shooting or fishing (depending on the season), foraging and cooking.

Your Location

Amenities

Supermarket in Belmont 3.5 miles, Hereford 5miles. Various supermarkets will delivery to the Court. 

Places of Interest

Hereford 5 miles

The Mappa Mundi is unique in Britain’s heritage – an outstanding treasure of the medieval age which reveals how 13th century scholars interpreted the world in spiritual and geographical terms. The Mappa Mundi is now displayed at Hereford cathedral and is thought to be the oldest map in the world.

Abergavenny 19 miles

Abergavenny is a great Welsh market town just over the border that has become a mecca of gastronomy. In September it hosts the best food festival in the UK.

Malvern 25 miles

The dramatic Malvern hills are an area of outstanding natural beauty and are famed for the pure spring water that flows from them. At the foot is the town of Malvern that was the inspiration for C.S Lewis’s Narnia trilogy. It has a world class theatre and a great music scene being the inspiration and home of composer Sir Edward Elgar.

Ludlow 28 miles

An architectural gem, with its castle and medieval and Georgian buildings, Ludlow, in South Shropshire, is said to be one of the most attractive towns in England. As well as all the above Ludlow has an impeccable reputation for food, with two Michellin starred restaurants and a fantastic annual food festival.

The Black Mountains 27 miles

From the graceful ruins of Llanthony Priory to the south, magnificent soaring mountains to the west and the peak of Hay Bluff to the north, the Golden Valley remains a haven of peace, scenic splendor and tranquility with it’s rural villages, babbling brooks, remote farms, quiet lanes and breathtaking landscapes awaiting discovery.

Hay-on-Wye 29 miles

World famous for its secondhand and antiquarian bookshops. At present there are approximately thirty major bookshops in the town, some specialising whilst others carrying general stock. Hay on Wye also hosts the world famous Hay Literary festival during the last week in May and first week in June.

The Black Mountains 27 miles

From the graceful ruins of Llanthony Priory to the south, magnificent soaring mountains to the west and the peak of Hay Bluff to the north, the Golden Valley remains a haven of peace, scenic splendor and tranquility with it’s rural villages, babbling brooks, remote farms, quiet lanes and breathtaking landscapes awaiting discovery.

Airport

Bristol 63 miles, London Heathrow 129 miles.

Train stations

Hereford 5 miles