Charming holiday cottage in the Dorset Countryside ABOUT MILL COTTAGE Mill Cottage has accommodation for 10 guests in 5 bedrooms each with its own bathroom. It is ideal for adults and children over 5 years of age but is not toddler friendly, particularly because of the large and unfenced river frontage. Briantspuddle is a small village lying in the River Piddle Valley next to Affpuddle and Tolpuddle. The village lies within the Purbeck conservation area and is stunningly beautiful. The area is hilly and heavily wooded. The Purbecks themselves are renowned for their beauty and the Dorset Coast between Poole and Lyme Regis is a World Heritage site (The Jurassic Coast). Briantspuddle is in the heart of Thomas Hardy Country about 8 miles East of Dorchester (Casterbridge?) and 3 miles West of Bere Regis. Poole, Wareham, Corfe Castle, Swanage, Kimeridge, Lulworth, Durdle Door and Weymouth are all within easy striking distance of no more than 30 minutes drive. Mill Cottage is less than 4 miles from Moreton station, which has a direct service to London Waterloo. Mill Cottage is listed Grade II and lies at the end of an unmade lane on the edge of the village. The lane is known as “School Lane” but is not signed. The cottage has an unfenced river frontage of about 60 yards and a large garden of about two thirds of an acre. The River Piddle itself is a natural chalk stream with crystal clear waters except immediately after heavy rain. Its location and tasteful restoration and extension, preserving ancient history with modern comfort are its major charms. It is completely secluded and quiet, except for the noise of rushing water when the river is in spate. Guests have noted that deer, fox, rabbit, king fishers and pheasant have all been seen in the garden. Brown trout are numerous in the river, but are shy and quickly dart for cover. Stealth is required in approaching the bank. Fly Fishing on the Rivers Piddle and Frome with good brown trout populations can be arranged with Wessex Chalk Streams just up the road in Tolpuddle. They also have trout lakes beside the River Piddle and offer Fly Fishing tuition, not a mile upstream from Mill Cottage. Contact Richard Slocock Tel: 01305 848460 email sally.slocock@virgin.net or visit www.goflyfishing.co.uk The link to the River Piddle on this site features a truly beautiful picture of the river taken from the bank opposite Mill Cottage. Housekeeper Jacqui Wootton will look after you. She prepares the cottage for your arrival so you need to telephone her beforehand to let her know your requirements as far as bed arrangements and timing are concerned. She will give you the number of the key safe so that you can let yourselves in on arrival. She also prepares a splendid hamper to take care of your immediate needs. She will visit you a couple of hours after your arrival to explain how the cottage works. Jacqui lives at Throop, about 5 minutes away. She has a team of plumbers, electricians and a handy man in case of need. Contact her on 01929 471 551 or Mob: 07795 512 568. Accommodation Mill Cottage has accommodation for ten guests in 5 bedrooms each with its own bathroom. It is ideal for adults and older children but is not toddler friendly, particularly because of the large and unfenced river frontage. Entrance Hall with river view and seating for ten, 42” flat screen plasma TV with satellite decoder and DVD/CD player. Internet router and Wi-Fi facility providing broadband Internet service to most of the cottage. It can be wired up for business use (multi user) or gaming consoles as required upon request. Low ceilings – mind your heads! Bedroom with river view and 6’ zip ‘n link bed which can convert to 2x3’ twin beds upon request. Fabric covered window shutters have been used instead of curtains in most rooms throughout the cottage. Utility Room with washing machine and tumble drier leading to Wet Room with shower and wc. Sitting Room with large working inglenook fireplace and seating for ten with river view. The bread oven in the inglenook has a very rare elm door. Mostly these have been replaced with iron doors. We have done this so as to make a feature of the ancient wooden door and to protect it from the heat of the open fire. The inglenook was bricked up until restoration works exposed it. The initials RP (Richard Pearce) 1765 can be seen in the beam above the fire in the photograph of the elm door before it was replaced with an iron one. The sitting room connects to a large Kitchen that was the stable. The bread oven in the inglenook has a very rare elm door. Kitchen with cathedral roof and 3 electrically operated skylights. Two sets of French doors open onto the riverside and front terraces, with tables, chairs and umbrellas for sitting out / alfresco dining. The kitchen has an oil fired Aga as well as a conventional electric oven and hobs, microwave and fridge freezer and dishwasher. The kitchen leads to the conservatory. Conservatory/Dining Room with acrylic & glass table and acrylic chairs to accommodate ten people. French doors lead to the river terrace. With its glass/acrylic furniture it provides a view of the river from the front of the cottage, creating a “goldfish bowl” effect. Its purpose was to provide access to the village bus garage built with Bladen blocks, which is now the studio. Studio bedroom with two 3’ single beds on the mezzanine floor with river view, accessed by acrylic and stainless steel stairs floodlit in blue at night. There is a seating area at ground level with a large flat screen TV; a ceiling-to-floor toughened glass window with plantation shutters forms the South wall, a ceiling fan and own bathroom complete the transformation. A small steep staircase from the sitting room leads to the First Floor: Twin Bedroom with river view and 3’ zip ‘n link beds that can be converted to a 6’ double on request, TV and ensuite bathroom also with river view. Mirror Bedroom with 5’ mirror bed (half tester) with shower one side of chimneybreast and WC the other, and antique French washstand. Double Bedroom is large and light with 5’bed TV and ensuite shower room, WC and washbasin. Additional features: Oil fired underfloor heating on the ground floor with oil-fired radiators on the first floor. The heating is controlled by thermostats in the downstairs rooms and radiator stats upstairs. Travel cot and high chair available. Gas fired Barbeque in the “Boots ‘N Bags” shed opposite the front door. Ample parking. Visitors notes: two thirds of an acre grounds with large unfenced river frontage (small children beware). Please be aware of some low headroom. The stairs in the old part of the cottage are steep with short treads, care needs to be taken. Sorry no toddlers or children under 5 years of age, baby in arms welcome. Sorry no smoking. One well behaved dog welcome, please keep downstairs. Minimum 7 nights Saturday to Saturday during July and August. Lexi and John Cook, Bryanston Cottage, Bryanston Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 7AZ Tel: 01258 452746    enquiries@millcottagedorset.co.uk