Local Area Information
The Home Cottage sits in the middle of fields down a long track surrounded by glorious countryside. A walks book and Ordnance Survey map is provided and visitors are able to access some wonderful walks directly from the cottage.
The nearby village of Stoke St Michael has a shop with a range of food newspapers and other necessities as well as hosting our local post office. The shop provides milk produced by Midway Farm Diary a local farmer whose cows graze the fields surrounding the cottage. The Knatchbull Arms in Stoke St Michael provides good beer and simple pub food.
There are a range of local towns and villages which provide interesting day trips for guests:
Mells (5 miles) - much of this beautiful and historic village is owned by the Asquith family (Earls of Oxford). They are descendants of Sir John Horner who acquired the estate after the dissolution of the monasteries, being the "plum" referred to in the "Little Jack Horner" nursery rhyme. The village remains very unspoilt and is well worth a few hours sightseeing (and there is a wonderful walk along the rushing Mells Stream). The Talbot Pub is a historic coaching inn next to Mells Manor and serves high quality pub and restaurant food. Across the road is Mells Walled Garden, a beautiful plant nursery and tea rooms, which also serves wood fired pizza in summer.
Wells (8 miles) -is the smallest City in England and has a wonderful Gothic Cathedral and the moated Bishop's Palace (home of the Bishop of Bath and Wells). The town centre is very picturesque and the medieval Vicar's Close, reputed to be the oldest continuously inhabited street in Europe, is a must to visit. There are markets every Wednesday and Saturday with lots of great artisanal produce.
Frome (8 miles) - has the largest number of listed buildings in Somerset. The artisanal quarter around Catherine Hill, with its steep cobbled streets and quirky independent shops, is a must to visit. Frome has a thriving arts scene with a 10 day festival each year in July and boasts two theatres (Memorial Theatre and Merlin Theatre).
Glastonbury (14 miles) - is a historic market town and home of the ruined Glastonbury Abbey, once one of the most important abbeys in Britain. The town is notable for a number of myths relating to King Arthur, the Holy Grail and is said to lie on several ley lines. This has resulted in a thriving new age community. The town centre, Glastonbury Tor and the ruined abbey are well worth visiting.
Bath (15 miles) - is a world heritage site and famous for both its extensive Roman remains and its wonderful Georgian architecture. Bath has a huge range of sights and activities to interest and entertain the visitor, from art galleries to museums, to shopping and eating out.
