The APPLE BARN Holiday Cottage

Once part of a large country estate, the APPLE BARN sits peacefully in the five-acre grounds of the owners’ property - Garden Cottage – which is itself set in a beautiful private one-acre walled garden. As its name suggests, the APPLE BARN was once used as a building to store apples and other fruit grown in the walled garden and nearby old orchard. Newly renovated and refurbished, the APPLE BARN is now a comfortable, welcoming and characterful 3-bedroomed cottage, located in a genuinely tranquil and idyllic location, surrounded by trees and wildlife.

In early spring the neighbouring woodland is carpeted in bluebells, followed later in the year by seas of foxgloves. Deer can regularly be spotted, as can the occasional fox and badger, while birds and squirrels abound. From the front windows of the APPLE BARN, the owners’ chickens and goats can be seen in their enclosures, soaking up the sun. Visitors will undoubtedly also encounter the three supposedly feral but rather friendly cats living next door to the APPLE BARN, as well as the owners’ four dogs. (By prior arrangement, visitors’ well-behaved pets are welcomed at the APPLE BARN).

Upstairs the APPLE BARN has three bedrooms - including a large and rather stunning double bedroom, and two characterful, cosy and colourful single bedrooms – and a quaint bathroom with bath (no shower). While downstairs enjoys a beautiful large sitting room – with dining area – with double aspect windows overlooking woodland and the APPLE BARN'S own garden on one side, and the goat and chicken paddocks on the other. There is also a bright and homely kitchen – with second dining area – with a back door leading directly into the APPLE BARN’s pretty, enclosed (sole-use) garden, with outdoor table and chairs. Making the APPLE BARN an ideal romantic retreat for a couple, a wonderful base for a family with one or two children (a travel cot is available on request), or indeed a great place to stay for a few friends.

For visitors wishing to eat out, there are a number of charming cafés and tea-shops nearby, open during the day for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Including Beals Barn Nursery and Café – which has the best carrot-cake in the world! – just a 10-minute drive away or a scenic but hearty hour’s walk from the APPLE BARN along Bewl Water. There are also many excellent pubs offering great food and drink (including local beers), such as The Bell (Apparently), The Bull and the Cherry Tree Inn in neighbouring Ticehurst, the Greyhound and the White Hart in Wadhurst, the Old Vine in Cousley Wood, and The Vineyard, Chequers, Old Trout Inn and Elephant’s Head near Lamberhurst. Wadhurst also has a very good Simply Indian restaurant, while Ticehurst has a nice Indian take-away. The nearby spa town (c9 miles away) of Tunbridge Wells offers innumerable restaurants, from casual pizzerias to the upmarket Thackeray’s and Hotel du Vin restaurants (for those looking for somewhere a little bit special), with everything else in between.

Holiday guests preferring to self-cater may wish to source their food locally – and will be spoilt for choice! In the neighbouring village of Ticehurst for example, the highly-regarded Lighthouse Bakery and School have opened a bakery selling incredible breads and pastries. While Wadhurst has a delicatessen, health food shop and butcher all selling excellent local (and international) produce. Fresh fish can also be bought in both villages a couple of times a week. Additionally there are several great cheese producers in the area, not to mention internationally renowned wineries! Wadhurst also has a couple of small supermarkets, both of which sell local (and other) fruit juices, cheeses, jams, biscuits, cakes, sweets, etc., and there are a number of fabulous farm-stalls in the vicinity. Farmers markets also take place regularly in surrounding villages. Furthermore, with the APPLE BARN being located on the border of East Sussex and Kent – the latter county which is of course known as ‘the Garden of England’ – in season an abundance of local produce can be found for sale in laybys, including in the summer months wonderfully sweet strawberries and juicy Kent cherries. In May and June freshly-picked asparagus can also be bought directly from the farm-gate in the nearby village of Groombridge.

Soft drinks and alcohol can be purchased from the nearby supermarkets and wine stores (Wadhurst even has a specialist wine merchant offering some superlative wines); with many locally-produced fruit juices, beers and wines also available from the many local farm-stalls and shops.

Suffice to say, visitors won’t go thirsty or hungry… Although probably well-deserved for those taking advantage of the many walks, bike rides, golf and other activities (including sailing, canoeing and wind-surfing) available in the area!


(Please note that while the Apple Barn does have wi-fi the broadband speed is slow, and it can be sporadic, so should not be relied upon for work etc. purposes. Being a rural property, mobile phone reception also tends to be poor. Look upon your stay at the Apple Barn as a real getaway from 'modern life'...!)