This beautiful stone cottage is situated in the heart of the historic village of Corfe Castle. St Edmunds is within a few minutes walk of the dramatic castle and the central square of the village with its charming church, local bakers, general stores, National Trust shop, public houses, restaurants and tea shops. This is an inspiring walking area and visitors can walk directly from the house to join a network of footpaths which extend westwards towards Kimmeridge and Lulworth or Eastwards to Studland. The renowned Jurassic coastline with its treasure trove of fossils and dramatic scenery is nearby. The small resort and sandy beach of Swanage is within a ten-minute drive, and Studland beach with its miles of golden beaches and unspoilt dunes is only six miles away. The steam railway which links Corfe Castle with Swanage is within a two minute walk.
St Edmunds House is a substantial stone Grade II listed property which has been renovated with great care to retain the original features of beamed ceilings, flagstone floors and a spectacular inglenook fireplace. The house has been furnished and equipped to a high standard. On the ground floor there is a sitting room with a large sofa, armchairs, flat screen 3D television (two pairs of 3D glasses provided)/Freesat/Blu-ray DVD player, and a wood burning stove; a panelled dining room with an oak table and chairs and inglenook fireplace; a light and airy office style area ideal for anyone who needs to work during their holiday, with desks, a printer, photocopier, phone monitor and Xbox; a shower room with walk in shower, basin and WC; an open plan bespoke fitted kitchen with wooden units, granite worktops, double Belfast style sink, an AGA, combination microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, and wine cooler; a second sitting area with sofas, a wood burning stove, wall mounted television and door opening onto the terrace. (A washing machine, tumble dryer and large freezer are available in the stone cottage in the garden).
Stairs lead up to a bathroom with bath, hand shower, basin and WC plus four charming bedrooms which all enjoy open garden views extending to the nearby downs. There is a master bedroom with a king-size bed and wall mounted television with Blu-ray player, basin and an integral bath built into a window recess with views of the castle and nearby hills; a second king-size double bedroom with basin; a smaller double bedroom and a twin bedroom on the third floor. (A folding bed is also available to enable a child to sleep separately in one of the double bedrooms). Access to the twin room is via a short, fairly steep winding staircase. There is a powerful telescope in this view which is ideal for enjoying views of the night skies. Central heating and electricity is provided without extra charge. We regret it is not possible to have a fire in the inglenook fireplace. WiFi and a telephone for incoming and free national calls is available.
One of the wonderful features of the house is the extensive country garden at the rear of the property. This pretty garden is fenced and has a protected terrace with garden furniture and a barbecue so that visitors can relax and enjoy meals in the sunshine. There is also a pretty one-room garden cottage with utility items, a small covered fish pond and views of the castle. Two gateways open from the garden onto open grassland area with a footpath crossing the common to give easy access to the countryside on the outskirts of the village, and in the other direction giving easy access to the nearby village square. There are three public houses, two tea shops and an excellent restaurant within three or four minutes walk. Two parking permits available for free parking for two cars in Station Road car park, Corfe Castle, 200 metres from the cottage. A bus service linking Corfe Castle with Swanage, Wareham and Poole is within three minutes walk.