Dating back to Georgian times, The Old Rectory has in recent years undergone extensive restoration and refurbishment; the end result is a very handsome property where traditional charm and period features blend to perfection with all the modern facilities you could wish for. Just down the road is the village of Williton, a quiet little place but it has a few shops and supermarkets and a couple of places to eat so it should serve you well.
The Old Rectory is a big and homely place; it feels so serene and relaxing, with reception rooms that are perfect for your whole group to gather together and socialise, or for more intimate soirees. Traditional furnishings and woodburning stoves add a certain warmth - you'll find inviting spots to curl up on the sofa with a favourite book, or for a cosy chat by the fire.
The bedroom suites are all named after the rectors and their wives who have lived in the house over the years; a nod to times past and to the happy role The Old Rectory has played in family life. Considerable thought has gone into ensuring the bathrooms are especially relaxing, with well chosen furnishings and soothing colours; lie back in a bath full of bubbles and look out on the beautiful countryside, it's bliss. Easy to see why it often gets booked to tie in with celebrations and weddings held at nearby St Audries Park.
The location is fantastic, high up on the glorious Quantock Hills National Landscape, with much to see and do in the surrounding area. Step out into that gorgeous countryside right from the doorstep, explore the dramatic clifftops, the windswept beaches, rolling coombes, shady woodlands and heather topped heaths. Go on foot, or pootle about the quiet lanes in the car and wind up at a quaint country pub to put the world to rights over a pint of local ale, or a laid back lunch. Lazy days without a care in the world, just what holidays are all about. Pack a picnic and climb to the top of Wills Neck; it's the highest point in the Quantocks, and you'll be astounded at the views - on a clear day you can see out across the Bristol Channel to Wales. Stroll from Ramscombe Great Wood to Cothelstone Hill, venture over to Nether Stowey and visit Coleridge Cottage, then over to Holford where Wordsworth lived at Alfoxton House.
There are so many wonderful places to see nearby; catch the steam train with the West Somerset Railway and chug through the countryside to Watchet or Blue Anchor and have fish and chips, or for good old-fashioned seaside fun head to Minehead or Burnham-on-Sea for the day. Go searching for amonites on the beach at St. Audries Bay or Kilve; then go for a cream tea at the Chantry Tea Gardens. It doesn't take long to get to the county town of Taunton where you can browse the many shops and eateries, stroll around Vivary Park and visit the Museum of Somerset. Take a day trip to Exmoor National Park; the diversity of the landscape is incredible; rugged gorse covered moors, steep wooded valleys, plunging cliffs with unspoilt beaches. Amble along the banks of the river at Watersmeet and finish up at the tea room, go and see the ancient clapper bridge at Tarr Steps, potter around Dulverton, or the charming harbour at Porlock Weir. Go to Dunster and see the fairytale castle that stands above the streets, walk along the millstream and follow the Tall Trees Trail, walk up the cliff to the tiny church of Culbone, legend says it was the inspiration for Lorna Doone's wedding.
You might prefer to stay put and while away the hours relaxing together, and who could blame you when you can stay here and play croquet on the lawn, tea in the courtyard, or if it's cold, by the fireside. Gather for dinner in the elegant dining room, then later on perhaps a soak in the hot tub before you retire to bed for a peaceful night's sleep.