A rare opportunity to stay at this beautiful Grade II listed 17C stone & thatched house on the Jurassic Coast in gloriously peaceful Bride Valley countryside, just 5 minutes drive from the popular Hive beach at Burton Bradstock. Light & airy with mullioned windows, together with its 5* shepherd's hut, it will sleep 12 very comfortably including 2 four-poster beds. Stunning 3 acre gardens, vintage interiors, original wide elm boards, beautiful paintings, baby grand piano & lovely antiques await! Berwick House is a handsome Grade II Listed stone & thatched property and what survives of a once much larger estate. It dates back to the 17C with 15C origins and is documented to be the first known dwelling house of the Dukes of Bedford and likely the birth place of John Russell, first Earl of Bedford, who successfully served as Lord High Admiral and Lord Privy Seal at the Courts of Henry VII, Henry VIII, the young King Edward VI and Queen Mary Tudor. In the entrance hall you will find a Holbein print of the man himself. The house is perfectly positioned with outstanding views, set in the midst of the beautiful Bride Valley, one of Dorset's most exceptional Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and just 5 mins drive from the beaches at Burton Bradstock and the Nature Reserve and beach at Cogden. Chesil Beach, Abbotsbury, The Golden Cap, Lyme Regis and Bridport's thriving market town with its famous Alleyways vintage shopping are all a short drive away. The owner has maintained the property to preserve as many original features as possible, including original wide elm floorboards with a multitude of ancient repairs, original beams, doors and plaster walls. Many of these features still survive and we hope that you will enjoy the 'shabby chic' experience of staying in this vintage house which is such a happy home. Television - Despite feeling as if it's stuck in a time warp, all modern amenities have been provided for - except a television ! We do hope you will want to enjoy all that the surrounding countryside has to offer on your holiday, but if you feel you would like to bring a laptop or computer with you, our private wifi will catch you up with all things important or entertaining when the mood takes you. Ground Floor - Hall - Natural oak floors with plenty of space for coats and boots. Kitchen - Esse Range cooker, like a 3-oven Aga (roasting oven includes a grill, plus baking oven and simmering oven), but greener & with instant variable temperatures. 3-ring induction hob, plus hot plate 'plancha'. 2 fridges, 3-bin drawer, large copper sink, solid brass h & c taps and a brass instant boiling water tap. Natural oak floors and cupboards and sycamore worktops. Dishwasher, breakfast table, pots, pans, Magimix, Kenwood chef, well equipped for 12 settings and Roberts Revival radio. Dining Room - Original flagstone floors, dining table and seating for 12. Marble topped serving table. Living Room - Seagrass flooring. Antique furniture, sofas and armchairs, window seats, glass/perspex coffee table, open working fireplace. Doors to the secret garden and to the library. Library - Baby Grand piano, seagrass flooring, plenty of books for you to read during your stay, board games, playing cards and chess. Utility Room - Stone floor, oil-fired boiler, hot water tank, washing machine, butler's sink, pulley operated laundry maid, a further floor-standing drying rail, iron and ironing board, condenser dryer, fridge, ice-maker, toaster, drinks fridge, drinking glasses/vases and dry storage cupboard. Back Pantry - Stone floor leading to kitchen garden. N facing and very cool in summer, so perfect for storing groceries, vegetables and extra bottles. WC with basin Staircase - Original wooden staircase to all floors. Elm boards with the glorious patina of many repairs over the centuries. Window seats on each half landing. First Floor - Bedroom 1 - Antique Georgian mahogany 5 ft queen size 4-poster bed, with hand made mattress and super-thick mattress topper. Queen Anne chest of drawers and mirror, full length eglomise mirror, 3 window seats, painted floorboards and antique rugs. Wardrobe, antique bureau and Roberts Revival radio. Bedroom 2 - Original wide elm floorboards. Antique rugs. Victorian Double brass bed with super thick mattress topper. 2 mahogany Georgian chests of drawers. No wardrobe but hooks on the door. Bedroom 3 - Original wide elm floorboards. Antique rugs. 6 ft King size bed (can be split into 2 x single beds if requested), super thick mattress topper(s) and Queen Anne chest of drawers and mirror. No wardrobe but hooks on the door. Bathroom 1 - Sycamore floorboards. Antique rugs. Victorian design slipper bath with mixer taps and shower attachment. WC, window seat, full length eglomise mirror, pedestal basin. Second floor - Bedroom 4 - Sycamore floorboards. Antique rugs. 5 ft Queen size bed with super thick mattress topper. Mahogany antique chest of drawers, mirror, and storage chest. Painted bench seat. No wardrobe but hooks on the door. Bathroom 2 - Original wide elm floorboards. Antique rugs. Panelled bath, pedestal sink, WC and antique chest of drawers. Full length mirror. Linen cupboard for housekeeper's use. Bedroom 5 - Original wide elm floorboards. Antique rugs. Antique oak 4-Poster (5ft) Bed with super thick mattress topper. 18C chest of drawers and desk, original 'Night Watchman's Fireplace' (it was thought the steep rake of the roof once accounted for a tower in this room). Ship's ladder up to Gallery for storage and large wardrobe; extra mattresses can be used in this room for guests if required, but at owner's own risk. This bedroom leads to it's own ensuite bathroom... Bathroom 3 - Original wide elm floorboards. Oak panelled half size bath (perfect for babies young children) with mixer taps and shower attachment. WC and pedestal basin. Heated towel rail. Outside - Shepherd's Hut - (Bedroom 6) entirely oak fitted with pull down double bed, cleverly designed to collapse via gas struts onto the built-in benches and table. Galley kitchen with sink, 2 ring hob, kettle, toaster, microwave, storage cupboards and Roberts Revival radio. Ensuite WC, sink and shower with bifold doors. Heated towel rail and oil filled radiator. Wood burning stove. Electric fan. Summer House - Stone and thatched with double doors and windows facing SW. Outdoor reclining seating and garden chairs. Secret Garden - Accessed through the living room and through the original wrought iron gates from the main garden. Faces East. Herbaceous plants; table and chairs for enjoying breakfast. Wood shed. The Wood - Accessed through the wrought iron gate in the secret garden. Filled with daffodils, bluebells, narcissus, ferns and anemones in the spring and leading to a stile into the paddocks to the rear of Berwick House and the River Bride, with footpaths up to Chilcombe. The Barn - Games Room. Ping Pong table, antique Jacques croquet set, dart board, badminton, large fridge freezer. Potting Shed - Our gardener will continue to maintain the garden every week (mostly on Wednesdays) and will require access to the potting shed. A second gardener maintains the lawns, hedging and strimming and will be in evidence every week to 10 days throughout the summer. Front Courtyard - 5 olive trees in containers, including one which is nearly 200 years old. Faces S with large stone topped table with benches and seating for 14. Webber BBQ. The Orchard - Beyond the lawns is the orchard with many different varieties of apple which are picked yearly at harvest time to make our own Berwick Apple Juice. Kitchen Garden & Parking - Ample parking for multiple cars. Herbaceous borders and vegetables/fruits in our beautiful gated kitchen garden. Please help yourselves!