Tudor Cottage Barton

This is Tudor Cottage in Barton. It's a semi-detached place, built around Shakespeare's time, and it's Grade II listed. You can tell it's old from the beams and the layout. It sleeps five people in two bedrooms. There's one bathroom. It's got a 3 Star rating, so it's comfortable and clean, but don't expect anything modern or fancy.

The back garden is quite large and leads to our market garden where we grow fruit and vegetables. There's a second, smaller garden at the front with a table and chairs. The main thing is the river. The garden goes right down to the bank of the River Avon, and there's a private fishing jetty. You can fish from there, or just sit and watch the water. It's very quiet.

The stairs inside are steep. That's just how it is in these old cottages. The kitchen is country-style, and the living room is a good size. The furniture is traditional, to fit with the place.

Barton is a tiny hamlet. There's a pub about 200 yards away. For more shops and a few restaurants, you drive about a mile to Bidford-on-Avon. You can walk from the cottage along the river to the locks, or out into the meadows.

Stratford-upon-Avon is about a ten minute drive. That's where you'll find the Shakespeare stuff, the theatre, and most of the shops. The Cotswolds are about twenty minutes away, so you can easily get to places like Broadway or Chipping Campden for a day out.

In terms of what's here: all the bedding and towels are included. There's WiFi, a TV, parking on site, and the garden furniture. Sorry, no pets.

If you're planning trips, the National Trust in Stratford and the Cotswolds website might be useful.