The Old Parish Hall Rickling Green

The Old Parish Hall is in Rickling Green. It's a converted parish hall from the 1800s, so it's one big space downstairs, plus a mezzanine bedroom. It sleeps two.

The main thing is the space. High ceilings, stone floors. It feels a lot bigger than you'd expect. There's a wood burner for the winter, and underfloor heating. The dining table converts into a snooker table, which is a bit unusual, but there you go. There's also a jet engine part on the wall, left from the previous owner. It's just there.

Upstairs is the bedroom. You get to it via a spiral staircase. It's a proper staircase, but it's steep and curved, like you'd get on a boat. So you need to be steady on your feet. The bed is a kingsize and there's a sofa and the bathroom up there too.

Outside is a small patio garden with a table and a barbecue. The Cricketer's Arms pub is right there, about a minute's walk. It's good.

You're about five minutes from Stansted Mountfitchet by car. They've got a castle and a toy museum there, and a train station with services to London or Cambridge.

Saffron Walden is fifteen minutes away. That's where Audley End House is. Duxford Imperial War Museum is about the same distance the other way. Cambridge is about forty minutes drive. For the coast, Mersea Island is just over an hour.

Facilities: there's parking right outside, wifi, a TV, dishwasher, washing machine. You can bring up to two dogs. Bedding and towels are included.

Useful links for planning: English Heritage for Audley End, IWM Duxford, and Visit Essex.