Kingshay Barton in Somerset, a large luxury holiday house with a private indoor pool – and what a beauty! We are cock-a-hoopie to have this one on our books and needless to say that since it went live it’s been very popular. Get comfy, put your feet up and have a look…
Kingshay Barton is a shining example of what can happen when great minds and talent get together and work hard to give a new lease of life to farm buildings that are no longer used. The transformation is incredible – a large luxury holiday house with a private indoor pool and snooze space for up to 20 people in 10 en suite bedrooms. The exterior is gorgeous honey coloured Hamstone, inside are lots of quirky rustic features, heaps of space and the most amazing features.
Just look at that spa hall for a start! It’s stunning to say the least, with a heated pool taking centre place, as well as a sunken hot tub and a glass fronted sauna. At the side of the hall double doors open onto the patio at the back of the house, so you can step out into the sunshine whenever you like.
The games room is awesome; there’s a big TV on the wall so you can watch the latest big match whilst you play ping-pong or pool. A short flight of stairs takes you to Kingshay Odeon, a fabulous cinema room, with proper tiered seating, sumptuous floor cushions, air con, interval lights and a huge screen – all you need is one of you going round with a little torch, selling ice creams!
Kingshay Barton is ideal for family holidays and celebrations because it’s a very sociable place; there’s a supersize living/entertaining room plenty of comfy seating (lush purple velvet - have you seen it?), a very well equipped kitchen with a utility room, and a whopping big table, especially made for the house. If you’re here for a big birthday or anniversary, or if you fancy a treat and a half when you’re on holiday, book The Ella-Phant Kitchen to come in and create a fantabulous feast for you – in fact, get organised and give Ella a call well ahead and she’ll bake you a cake for the occasion too.
Bedrooms 1-3 are upstairs, 4-6 are downstairs off the kitchen, and Bedrooms 7-10 are also on the ground floor with separate entrances off the front courtyard. Now that’s handy because you know what it’s like when you go away as a big group sometimes – not everyone wants to be sociable all the time, staying up all hours, so this is the perfect solution because it gives those who like their own space exactly that. If your group includes young parents with a baby, elderly grandparents, or just people who like to turn in earlier, problem solved. What we like is that each bedroom has been named after a feature of the local landscape - a hamlet, farm, hill or wood.
The grounds at Kingshay Barton are gorgeous, covering more than 2 acres, and all private and secure, so if you bring the pet pooch, provided he’s well behaved he shouldn’t be able to escape. At the front of the house there’s a gated courtyard, all laid out in Italianette style with flower beds and outdoor seating – a lovely spot for morning coffee. Round the back – wow, it’s a dream! There are lawns to run about on, in and out of the flower beds, a mini henge, and if you like to have a good cook out, well, you’ll love this place! Besides the big patio, there’s a stone built BBQ bothy with rustic seating, heaters and fairy lights; cook up a scrumptious alfresco dinner and sit out there chatting till the small hours. That’s what it’s all about here, lazy, unhurried days and nights, time to unwind, to let go of your troubles. Leave them for another day, or better still, leave them for good.
Go and play in the orchard, roll up your trouser legs and paddle in the stream; pop the dog on a lead and set off for a stroll in the beautiful Somerset countryside from the top of the garden. And that’s the other thing – the setting. It’s nice and quiet, at the end of a no-through lane, along a gravelled track, backing on to fields. But it’s not miles from anywhere – the little market town of Crewkerne is just a few minutes by car so go and browse about, pick up your bits and pieces from the supermarket, stop for a drink at The Crooked Swan or Oscar’s Wine Bar.
There are several good places to eat round here, good country pubs and that; The Ollerod and Brassica in Beaminster are both very good, as is The Lord Poulett Arms at Hinton St George, and for something different, The Feed Station at Merriot, and Pip’s Railway Carriage Café at Lopen.
If the kids want a day out, you’ve got a very good choice; Haynes Motor Museum isn’t far, or there’s Fleet Air Arm Museum, Forde Abbey House & Gardens, Town Tree Nature Garden, Ferne Animal Sanctuary and Dinosaurland Fossil Museum at Lyme Regis. That’s the other thing, it’s only half an hour or so to the beaches on the Jurassic Coast from here, so you can have a day at the seaside and go mackerel fishing or fossil hunting whilst you’re there. You’ll find plenty more inspiration on our Things To Do Pages – golf, horse riding, alpaca walking, escape rooms, vineyard tours, almost everything you can think of.
But of course, you don’t have to go anywhere, and tbh, you probably won’t feel the need to because it’s such a perfect little world at Kingshay Barton. Book your holiday today!
