Old Dame School
- 4 guests
- 2 beds
- 2 bathrooms
- No pets
Description
A picturesque, 200-year old, stone-built detached cottage, overlooking the village green in the centre of the pretty Dales village of Bainbridge.
Fully renovated by the current owners, this historic property is full of character and charm, and seamlessly combines many of the original features, including old ceiling beams and flagged flooring with luxurious modern touches to provide a first class holiday home.
Every effort has been given to maintaining the character and authenticity of this traditional cottage, but this does mean that there are low ceiling and doorways.
This is a great space and location for a romantic break, somewhere to invite friends along to or simply enjoy a family break.
The ground floor features a delightful sitting room with stylish leather furnishings, a cosy inset woodburning stove, Yorkshire stone flooring and a lovely set of ceiling beams, totally at home in a cottage of this style and grand old age.
A modern well-equipped kitchen and a cosy dining room ensure that guests have a great place to enjoy evening meals before curling up by the fire and making the most of this wonderful cottage.
The main bedroom features a king-size bed and a modern en-suite with spacious walk-in shower, whilst the second bedroom offers twin beds, and access to a lovely bathroom.
Outside, the south-facing frontage has a lovely bench to relax and soak up the sunshine, and to the side of the property is a small enclosed yard, suitable for sitting out and enjoying the view out across the village green.
There is fantastic countryside to all sides, with Wensleydale often described as one of the most beautiful of the Yorkshire Dales.
The walks from the doorstep are not to be missed, and guests can enjoy a circular walk to the surrounding villages, with many half-way watering holes scattered along the way!
Historic and sightseeing opportunities abound from the cottage, with the castles at Bolton and Middleham nearby, as well as to Hardraw Force, England's highest single drop waterfall.
This cottage is an ideal getaway for exploring Wensleydale and Swaledale; a first-class holiday home, with all the character and charm of a 'reight proper' Dales cottage.
Your dates
Everything you'll need
- Wifi
- Dishwasher
- Garden / Patio
- National Park
- Open Fire
- Wifi
- Dishwasher
- Garden / Patio
- National Park
- Open Fire
- Near Pub / Shop
- Smoke Free
- Sky TV
- Near Walks
- Washing Machine
What guests are saying
We had a marvellous week at the cottage, so very well equipped.
very comfortable. The only downside for us were the steep stairs and access to the shower upstairs, mainly because of our age. The cottage is very handy for the Dales, Hawes is only four miles. The cafe immediately opposite is very handy. Askrigg has some love pubs for eating, we used the Crown quite often. All in all a great stay, we would recommend it highly.
We absolutely loved our stay!
The place was exceptionally clean, cozy, and welcoming from the moment we arrived. The location was fantastic, with a lovely view overlooking the village that we enjoyed throughout our stay. We also loved having the charming tea room right across the street—it was such a treat and added to the experience. We really appreciated how professionally everything was organized, and the detailed guidebook explaining how everything worked was incredibly helpful. It was clear that a lot of thought and care went into creating a comfortable guest experience. We would happily stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable stay!
Very nice cottage
Thanks Bala.
Had a really enjoyable stay.
Very clean and comfortable. Yes we did bang our heads a few times but I believe that is what is expected.
Lovely cosycottage, Spotlessly clean and such a comfortable bed.
Couldn't wise for anything more . Maybe swap the bottle of fizz for a pint of milk Maybe
This is a cute quiet cottage, well stocked with all you could need.
The property was clean and comfortable and we were able to park at the front door which is great for unloading. The beds were also very comfortable. If considering this property my advise would be that it is not suitable for tall people due to access steps to the kitchen and bathroom, lots of head ducking also not the best property for someone with mobility issues due to steep narrow steps to the bedrooms.
Hi Janet Thanks for your feedback. The structure of the cottage is unfortunately dictated by its age (over 200 years old). When we bought and modernised the property we wanted to remain true to the character of this quaint dales cottage whilst offering all modern amenities. The internal walls are approximately 3 feet thick which constrained our options and does mean that the doors into the kitchen and en-suite are, of necessity low unfortunately. We hope this didn’t spoil your enjoyment of our lovely village in the beautiful Dales and thank you again for your constructive feedback. Tim and Joan
A very quirky, warm and cozy cottage, in a friendly quiet neighborhood, in the lovely village of Bainbridge with plenty of good walking nearby.
The cottage has been modernized with good quality kitchen and bathroom facilities while retaining an olde world charm, given the limitations of the structure of the building, and has been kept immaculately clean. Beware of low doorways though, it takes a while to get used to them. Car parking was an issue, with residents and other holiday makers wanting the same limited spaces around the cottage. The welcome pack comprised a bottle of Cava, which was a nice thought, but given that the check-in time is 5pm and no local shops or the cafe opposite, are open at that time, the basics of tea, coffee, milk, sugar and biscuits would be more appropriate. This is the only cottage that we've stayed in that has not provided these essential items. We had a great holiday, partially due to the excellent weather and the location of Bainbridge, but would only recommend this cottage if the quirkiness appeals to you.
Fantastic cottage with a history and modern facilities
Thanks John for your great feedback. I’m still researching the cottage history hoping to find out about the time before 1820.
This is a very comfortable cottage with all the necessary amenities while still preserving character features.
Communication with the owners was excellent from the outset.
Thanks Marion We tried to keep the cottage true to its original character whilst ensuring there are all modern amenities and comforts.
very nice cottage everything and more you need in the kitchen lovey en suite shower only thing that i can think of is i couldn't seem to get the shower the right temperature was very hot but it might have just been me Would recommend and i hope to go back sometime soon i am 6.
5 and the low ceilings wasn't any problem Tea room very nice just outside the door
Thanks Richard for your kind feedback. We have already contacted the plumber to sort out the shower and can only apologise for any inconvenience
We had Fabulous time staying at the old school house At Bainbridge!
! The cottage was very comfortable and clean! The village was great, coffee shop opposite was fantastic and very friendly! ,butcher shop was good ,only down fall was village pub had no chef and no food when we arrived ! Apart from the rain last week the hoilday was great , thank you very much really enjoyed our stay, chris and john sullivan.
We had a lovely stay at Old Dame Scholl.
It was full of charm and character yet fully equipped and furnished to a very high standard. Ideally placed for exploring Wensleydale., we would highly recommend it.
Thanks Clare. We hope to see you again some time soon.
Lovely cottage, with everything provided.
Spotlessly clean. Excellent location for day trips. Great communication from the owners, Tim and Joan. We had a wonderful time and would happily return.
Thank you Bryan. We would love to have you back again.
This cosy little cottage was very clean and comfortable, and provided us with every mod-con we could have needed.
A most enjoyable stay in this delightful Yorkshire village.
Lovely very old cosy cottage right on the green in Bainbridge a lovely little village with walks from your front door.
..no problem parking right in front of cottage on road..beds comfy with lovely fresh linen..power shower strong and lighting throughout the cottage excellent which is not the case in some properties/ hotels. Detailed useful information and instructions in the cottage manual..really enjoyed our stay here. Bottle of bubbly was a nice thought. Kitchen very well equipped. Having read good reviews re cafe right opposite we decided to hang about until it opened at 10..staff turned up at 10 we went in at 10 past to be turned away as coffee machine had not heated up..went back in 5 mins...waited 50 mins for our food..we asked for brown bread bacon sandwiches..it came on white..didn't say anything as we had already waited so long..no offer of sauce etc..hubbies with us ordered small breakfast.. this was ok..we did notice 2 other people who came in waiting as long as us..did look again at reviews on trust pilot and realised cafe had changed hands recently..just note for awareness...shame as it's literally opposite the cottage door..went elsewhere next morning. Cannot recommend this cottage enough as a great location a few miles from Hawes and the cheese factory, Hadraw falls and Askrigg.
Hi Gillian, thank you for your kind feedback and so sorry that the tearoom opposite was a disappointment. They have changed hands and I think there are some issues with staffing which hopefully they will resolve, it has always been so nice and efficient in the past.
Fantastic and wall equipped cottage.
Directions and overview before arrival was absolutely spot on. Cottage was immaculate and prepped perfectly for us. Everything had been thought of right down to spare batteries for the tv remote control! Everything was very comfortable and cosy throughout. Communication with the owner was brilliant and we would return here without question. Thanks for providing such a lovely cottage and welcome.
Thanks Tony. We really appreciate your fantastic review and are so glad you had a great break.
Great cottage in a lovely location.
Thanks Steven
Lovely place, clean and quiet.
One small problem was the heating and hot water which was impossible to turn down. Domestic hot water far too hot and the central heating always on even though the early spring weather was warm. Very nice cottage in a lovely area, certainly recommend it.
Hi Mike. We are really sorry that you had a problem with the heating system and hot water. We will contact our plumber to adjust the hot water temperature. The heating system works on a Nest thermostat and it should be possible to turn this down (or up) to any temperature required at any time. It will, however, return to the pre-set levels mornings and evenings as detailed in our arrival information and the cottage handbook. Glad you feel able to recommend us and we will do our best to address your concerns for the future comfort of our guests.
The cottage was exactly as described in that it was warm, clean and cosy.
What more do you need. The location is ideal for walking or accessing other Dales towns / villages. We would definitely consider returning to it in future.
Thank you for your kind comments.
We had a fantastic time in this beautiful quaint cottage it was warm and welcoming beds were comfortable and everywhere was so clean.
Only one small problem was the low door frame to bathroom and kitchen but after a few knocks we soon got used to ducking down. The area had a lovely tea room opposite and a pub just a short stroll up the road. We will definitely book this cottage again
Thanks for your kind feedback Fay. The low door frames unfortunately reflect the age of the cottage which is over 200 years old and with internal walls 3 feet thick could not realistically be altered; but they are part of the authenticity which we have tried to preserve.
A great well equipped cottage in a good location.
Fantastic shower. Loads of walks right from the door.
Thank you for the kind feedback. We love walking in Wensleydale.
Excellent holiday venue, and convenient for us attending the Swaledale Festival
We really enjoyed our stay at The Old Dame School.
Arriving on a cold day it was nice to feel the heat as we entered. Everything was spotless and the facilities were first class . Overall would not hesitate to recommend and we are planning a return
Thank you William for your positive comments. We will be delighted to welcome you back.
Really lovely cottage, decorated in keeping with the age of the cottage.
Absolutely spotless clean and very well equipped - wood burner was even laid up to light. Didn’t need to use the car at all, our walks all started and ended at the cottage, good meal at pub 5 minutes walk and lovely breakfast at cafe across the road on day of departure. Would have preferred a 3/4pm check in. A lovely stay and the sun shone too.
We spent the New Year weekend here and it was amazing!
The house was decorated lovely for Christmas and was very welcoming. We loved everything about it, it was so cosy. The folder with the history if the cottage and instructions on everything within the house was fantastic. Bed was comfy, en-suite shower was powerful and felt great! Highly recommended and would love to return!
Thanks Kerry We love to receive such great feedback and have just redecorated the house so it’s nice to know it’s decorated to a standard that our guests appreciate.
A lovely cosy cottage with an interesting history in a ideal location for exploring the Dales.
The kitchen was very well equipped and had everything we needed. It was too warm for the log burner but it would be really cosy for cooler evenings! Care does need to be taken with the low beams/doorways but that is to be expected in an old property. There are great walks from the cottage and further afield.
Thank you for your kind comments Julia. We have recently updated our description to emphasise the low doorways. In a traditional Dales cottage which is over 200 years old and with internal walls 3 feet thick, we are restricted in what mitigations we can make.
The lintels were very low.
On day one of us banged against a low lintel. It took three days to recover from that. All our reservations reflect the hazards implicit in the low lintels.
Thank you for the feedback. Although the restricted height was mentionned in the narrative, following your comments, we have amended the description to make the height restrictions more explicit. In our restoration of this 200 year old dales cottage we have endeavoured to maintain the character and authenticity of the property but this does mean that there are low ceilings and doorways.
Comfortable cosy cottage in a lovely village.
Spotlessly clean and well equipped. Would definitely stay again.
Hi John, Thank you for your kind comments, we would love to see you again.
The Old Dame School is a delightful property - well appointed and clean.
The owners have taken great care to give many prompts to traveller for walking, touring historic landmarks, eating well and enjoying all that Yorkshire has to offer. The walks to Askrigg and beyond are outstanding! The property could use a few hooks for wet jackets upon entry, but otherwise so many little-things were carefully considered. The new Tea Shop across the road is a wonderful virtue, though it does make parking a bit tense at peak times.
Hi Neil. Thanks for your kind comments. Your comments on hooks for wet jackets is helpful, there are four hooks for wet jackets in the pantry just inside the dining room. Sorry you did not notice these. We will put a note into the visitor book and website to inform future guests.
An utterly delightful cottage, oozing with charm and perfect for exploring the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
Exceptionally well equipped, especially the compact kitchen arrangement. Bainbridge is a delightful village and the newly refurbished Tea Rooms directly opposite are a real bonus. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the owners could not have been more helpful.
Very comfortable and well equipped cottage in lovely village.
We were there for New Year and cottage was nicely decorated for Christmas, and village looked very pretty with its decorations.
We had a fantastic stay at this jaunty angled, quirky, cosy, authentic, genuine Yorkshire Dales cottage.
It is located in an excellent position for lots of walks and easy access to surrounding villages. Very well equipped, clean and comfortable. Highly recommended!
I have said it all in the visitors book.
Great facilities and of a good standard. Very clean upon arrival and a nice touch when owners became aware (from previous visitors)of a wasp problem that they immediately contacted us to see if we were OK. We were and did not require their attendance at the property.
We really enjoyed our stay at this quirky little cottage.
It is in an ideal position directly opposite the excellent village tea shop and only a 2 minute walk to the hotel/pub. We also enjoyed the short mile and a half walk along to the lovely village of Askrigg. Lots of nice walking from the door too. The cottage was very comfortable with everything you could need and the two showers were great, especially the beautiful, modern one upstairs. The only outdoor seating is basically outside the front door which was ok for sitting out with the odd cuppa. The bottle of "fizz' on arrival was a lovely touch, Thanks. Would recommend this cute little cottage.
Absolutely gorgeous cottage, quirky but provided everything we needed, the host has thought of everything that one might need during their stay.
Very comfortable & clean & in a perfect setting.
The property was very clean and comfortable and in a great location.
We really enjoyed our week in the Old Dame School cottage with it’s quirky, quaint, homely atmosphere.
All the facilities had full, simple instructions and the two showers were excellent. The cottage is situated in an ideal spot with lovely views down the village green and out of the way of passing traffic. Parking is right outside the door and the superb Corn Mill tea rooms an added bonus just opposite. My wife and I walked every day, most of the beautiful walks were from our doorstep. There are two doorways with rather low headroom but after the second day we didn’t bump our heads once. We would wholeheartedly recommend the cottage and I do hope we return sometime in the future.
Beautiful, quaint, traditional, cosy cottage in a great location, central to the village.
The cottage is more than well equipped with everything needed for your stay. Traditional stone floors but the heating kept the whole place nice and toasty! Comfy beds, spacious showers, lots of wardrobe/cupboard space too! Our Christmas here has been amazing. Thankyou so much to the hosts for keeping us informed of everything before and during our stay. (Reading about the history of the house in the welcome book was a lovely touch too!☺️). Highly recommended for a superb place to stay! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A very pleasant and cosy cottage in a lovely village.
There are a number of doors with restricted head room where you might require to stoop to avoid hitting your head.
The stair is very steep with narrow treads and no continuous handrail. Care is required when carrying luggage up and down stairs. Added improvements could be a small foot stool for resting tired legs and a smaller size non stick frying pan.
Found the doors fairly noisy especially if using facilities at night!
The downstairs shower was very hot and difficult to regulate. We really enjoyed staying at the cottage, which is in a wonderful area of Yorkshire. The Cornmill tea room just across the road is very good, but not for the waistline!!! Would be very happy to stay in this cottage again.
The cottage was very clean and had everything we needed for our stay.
This is an ideal location for walking and exploring the Yorkshire Dales. We liked it so much we’ve booked it again.
We had a lovely week and the house has everything you need.
Thank you. I think it would be nice to have carpet in the living rooms as floor is a bit cold.
The cottage was gorgeous, really homely & comfy & had everything we needed.
Bainbridge is a lovely village & we found some some lovely walks & really enjoyed our stay, thank you
The cottage has everything required for a wonderful stay and more.
The fizz on arrival was lovely. The location was ideal for walks (Semer Water Aysgarth, Bolton Castle all close), ice cream shop opposite, park for the kids and pub for the grown ups. Parking no problem. Situated in 'God's own country'. Will be booking again.
Please could you let the owner know that the en-suite shower head needs tightening as it did not stay in the holder.
The cooking equipment was great with many cooking dishes etc. Plenty of plates and cutlery. Spotlessly clean and nice touch having Christmas decorations up.
Perfect cottage, tasteful renovated, perfect location which made for a very relaxing time.
Exceptionally clean and immaculate, very impressed with comfort and quality of all the furnishings etc in the cottage.
Felt very relaxed in the surroundings. Lovely position in the village, which is a pretty village.
We really enjoyed our stay in this lovely cottage in the beautiful village of Bainbridge.
The cottage had everything we needed for our holiday.
Great cottage in a fab location.
Good communication from property owner. An ideal base for exploring Wensleydale. Enjoyed sitting out in the sun on the village green and there’s a lovely play park and football goals for the children. Visited the local tea shop and enjoyed fish and chips from the mobile van. Cottage was lovely and had everything we needed. Very comfy beds. Clean and well-kept.
Bainbridge is fabulous place to stay, so many great days out in the area and the best walking routes & views anywhere.
The Old Dame School is a beautiful cottage and we were fascinated to read about it's history in the information we were sent. The contents of the cottage has been carefully considered & everything is of a very high quality. The table in the dining room was set beautifully & included a welcome bottle of fizz. Thank you for all the extra touches which were so much appreciated & made our stay extra special.
Excellent cottage in a beautiful village.
Close to everything you need but a quiet location. Walk and cycle from the front door. Arrive back to ice cream from the tea shop.
The cottage had everything we could possibly need.
It was cosy and convenient we received a really appreciated welcome pack. We had a wonderful break.
Cottage was well appointed with good facilities.
Some low door entrances but all in keeping with the style of cottage. Some nice touches with welcome bottle of fizz and very comprehensive instructions and manual for all equipment.
Very much enjoyed staying at the Old Dame School.
A really good location in the Dales and in the Village. The cottage managed to combine an authentic charm with great comfort and all mod cons. Everything was extremely well equipped and immaculately presented. There was also the best 'cottage handbook' I have ever seen - contacts, how to work all the equipment, places to go, places to eat .... the works.
Perfect cottage in a perfect location.
Everything we cold have wished for and more.
A lovely cottage .
Bainbridge is well situated for exploring the Northern Dales and there are a number of walks in the immediate area.
Excellent cottage, very well equipped, a real home from home.
Bainbridge a quiet, peaceful village but with good amenities to hand. Some lovely walks from the cottage.
This is a lovely cottage in a great location.
It is very well equipped and comfortable and met all our needs. Showers are spacious and powerful which is often not the case in holiday accommodation. Bainbridge is a pretty village close to plenty of places to visit. Cafe directly opposite is very friendly and does a very good breakfast.We would stay there again if in the area
The Old Dame School was a perfect place to use as a base for walking in the area.
It was. Also really comfortable and cosy to come back to.
This is a wonderful little cottage, very comfortable as well as being full of charm.
Well equipped and positioned to enjoy the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
We had a great time in a cosy cottage, everything provided to make our stay stress free.
..lovely village of bainbridge...
Since we started using Sykes to book our holidays we have enjoyed every single booking.
Our recent week staying in the old dame school in the yorkshire dales was exceptional. The cottage was an absolute delight as was the village and local ameinaties. The quality of the fixtures and fittings and of the furnishings was beyond reproach. Every little detail had been thought of to make the stay even more enjoyable. 10 out of 10 is not a flattering score for the quality offered in this lovley cottage. Thank you; David, Margaret & Kirsty Hughdie.
WE LOVED STAYING AT THIS BEAUTIFUL COTTAGE, IT WAS EVERYTHING WE HOPED IT WOULD BE.
VERY WELL EQUIPED, THE BEDS WERE COMFORTABLE. LOVELY VILLAGE. JUST REMEMBER TO DUCK YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU GO INTO THE ON SUITE!
A lovely, clean cottage in a perfect location for walking the Dales.
It would be difficult to find a more picturesque village where all the properties have been restored to such an excellent standard in this area of outstanding beauty. The cottage is also within easy walking of the local hotel where the staff are extremely friendly and ensure you have a good night out.
A cosy comfortable cottage .
Tastefully renovated - it retains some quirky features yet has all the clean modern kitchen and bathroom fittings one would expect. Great location for a walking holiday in a very scenic,interesting part of the country.
Very nice cottage, perfect, with everything we needed for a relaxing break - Had some near misses on the low door openings - very entertaining!
Great location and cottage was really well equipped.
This cottage is fabulous.
It has been renovated to a high standard, it is well equipped, very clean and well located.
Lovely cottage in great location.
Very clean and beds extremely comfortable.
We did not go to the cottage in the end due to family illness.
This is a very well kept cottage with every piece of equipment you would wish for on a holiday.
A central location for touring the Dales.
Good to know
House Rules
Smoking
Not permitted
Stay Information
Check-in / Check-out
16:00 / 10:00
Property ref
914127
Parking
Road Side
Guest & Pet Policy
Pets
Not allowed
Children
Children and infants welcome