One of the best things about this house is that there is so much to look at!  This is not an austere atmosphere; there is family history here and  it's all being shared with you.  This is a real home.

The large, impressive sitting room is on the left of the entrance hall.   It is comfortable and homey.  A sofa, upholstered in plaid fabric, faces the fireplace.  A chaise longue, covered in reds, sits under the leaded glass windows that look out to the walled front garden. A second chaise longue, upholstered in red and creme stripes, sits by a curio cabinet that holds many fine family heirlooms.  Three Adams-style chairs and a wing chair provide additional seating. The large stone fireplace has a heavy wood mantle.  A small, round antique table is perfect for cards or board games.  A TV/VCR is tucked in beside the fireplace.  A rare piano may be used with prior permission.  The blue china bowl under the piano was used to bathe the owner's grandfather when onboard ship when he ws brought back from India as a baby.  French doors open onto the main garden.

The dining room is across the hall.  It seats 14 at an extended round oak table.  Walls are pomegranate red with crisp white woodwork.  An oak dresser holds antique china and beer mugs.  A decorative fireplace has a carved wood mantle and bookcases on both sides.  Views, through textured creme curtains, are of the manicured back gardens.

 

The library, added in 1901, is a wonderful room.  It has two sofas and a wing chair upholstered in gold and green brocade and there is a large brown leather sofa.  All of these face the fireplace.  A blue, red and green Oriental rug lies on the gleaming wood floor and light yellow walls have damask panels.  There are antiques, art, family mementos, a large TV and a DVD player.  Bay windows look out to the lawn.  A door opens into the main garden.  The gem of this room is the wall-to-wall bookcase.  It holds many of the over 5000 books that are in every room of the house.  The collection was started by the owner's ancestors over 300 years ago.  These books are still highly valued  - and read - by the current residents.

The large, friendly farmhouse kitchen has modern appliances: a fabulous blue Britannia 6-burner stove, a microwave-grill-oven combination, a dishwasher, an old pine cupboard and a dresser that holds antique dishes and crockery.   A table seats 8 on blue chairs.  Floors are terra cotta tile.  The window looks out to the front garden.

The adjacent scullery has a large Belfast sink, a second dishwasher, a large refrigerator and a freezer, pots and pans lined up neatly on shelves.  A water pump has been here forever.

The breakfast room, the former pantry, has a country table that can seat six, tile floor, a bookcase filled with interesting books, yellow walls, a chandelier with purple drop details, a large dresser with antique china.  This is a great room for afternoon tea and children's meals.  French doors open onto the kitchen garden.  The adjacent laundry (the former larder) has a washer and dryer, a Belfast sink and a second refrigerator.  A door opens to the kitchen garden.  This is an ideal spot to leave coats and boots.

The back hallway is lined with racks holding antique parasols, rifles and canes.  There is another bookcase that holds rare books. The guest powder room has a hand-stitched cloth with the names and marriage dates of the owner's family members from 1608 – 1909. Upstairs are the six bedrooms and bathrooms.  Three of the bedrooms, Chaucer, The Nursery and The Trusty Servant, are in the oldest part of the house.

Chaucer, the oldest bedroom, has a super-king-size bed (6'6") that is covered with a collection of beautiful old fabrics.  There is also a single bed on which a child could sleep.  The antique furniture includes a mahogany desk and dressing table, a bench and a drop-down desk.  There is a decorative fireplace and a comfortable antique rocker.  This lovely and warm room looks onto the front garden and the gorgeous main gardens to the south.  The en suite bathroom has a tub with a hand-held shower.  There is a dressing area and built-in cupboards.

The Nursery has a king bed that can be converted to twin beds.  Beautiful fabrics are used in this room too.  There is a decorative fireplace, an antique chest of drawers, wood floor, a beamed ceiling and interesting art.  And books, of course: as well as children's books, there are books of adventure and travels.  We do not suggest that you put babies in the antique rocking cot, but a modern baby's cot is available.  The Nursery looks south over the gardens and can be accessed from both the old and new wings of the house.  The en suite bathroom has a shower.

The Trusty Servant bedrooom has a queen bed with a sage fabric headboard and a beautiful hand-made coverlet in creme and sage.  There is a mahogany dressing table with a mirror, an oak chest of drawers, a large oak armoire with inlay design and a mirror, a charming corner desk nook, a small case for books and a decorative Victorian fireplace. This large room has pine floors, sage green and white patterned wallpaper, a sloping ceiling, green and beige area rug.

Jolly Monks has antique twin beds.  Plaid blankets and comfy duvets provide warmth.  There is a chest of drawers,  an armoire, a dressing table with a mirror.  The mantle on the decorative fireplace holds books.  Walls are glazed pink and wood work is crisp white.  This large bedroom faces south over the garden.  The current owner was born in this bedroom. 

The very large en suite bathroom has a large Victorian claw-foot tub and a separate shower.

The Cobbler has an antique wood standard double bed.  There is an antique armoire-desk combination and other antique furniture, a slipper chair, a decorative fireplace and a bookcase.  Painted jonquil yellow with white woodwork, this is a very sunny room, facing south over the main gardens.  Unusual Dutch glass paintings hang on the walls.  The room adjoins Jolly Monks and has a door to that room and to the hall.

The Pump Room has a modern, 4-poster queen bed, a small chest of drawers, a heart-shaped table, a rack for hanging clothes. There is a decorative fireplace and wood floors covered with a pretty Dhurrie rug. This is a small and cozy room, a retreat. Windows look down onto the kitchen garden.

The large hallway bathroom has a tub with shower over tub. The Pump Room, The Trusty Servant (and The Cobbler, if you want) share this bathroom. Pooh's Corner is a peaceful sitting area on a landing between Chaucer and The Nursery where some of the family papers and pictures are displayed.   There is a side table bursting with books and papers, a window bench, a gorgeous antique tapestry and books.

The house is on 22 beautifully-maintained acres of lawn, walled gardens, borders, rare specimen trees, fruit trees, three ponds.  These are spectacular gardens.  Pretty Cossington village is on the edge of the Polden Hills and the Somerset Levels, between Glastonbury and Bridgwater.  Nearby are many of the West Country's attractions including the gorgeous Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole Caves; Dunster Castle; Exmoor, the Quantocks, Mendips and Brendon Hills; the cities of Bath and Wells; Glastonbury Priory and Tor; Longleat Castle (an odd, but interesting place) and Longleat Animal Park, on the castle grounds.  The nearest beaches are Burnham-on-Sea, Kilve and Weston-Super-Mare.  There are cinemas in Bridgwater and Taunton. Enmore Golf Club and Cannington Golf Club are not far. There is good horse riding, excellent walking trails, sailing at Durleigh Weir or Enmore Reservoir and tennis.

Children are warmly welcomed here, but be aware that there are unfenced ponds on the property.  Dogs may be accepted with prior permission from the owner.  The gardener will be on-site during your stay to maintain the grounds.  If you do not want him to work while you are there, please let us know.  There is off-road parking for several cars.  The house and the estate were built a long time ago  and, while it is in perfect condition, care must be taken with the building and the contents.  As there is a farm next door, fireworks are not permitted.

Unfortunately, this old house is not conducive for people with more than mild mobility limitations.  Please let us know if any member of your party has special needs and we will make every effort to accommodate these.