Old Rectory Cottage

A lovely house with big gardens front and back.

We had very hot weather so the north facing back garden's shade in the afternoon and evening was very welcome. There's lots to see locally if you like old mills, small towns, gardens, walks and bike rides. The Trailway from Sturminster Newton to Blandford is especially good. One improvement: as there are several Sustrans bike routes very close, undercover bike storage for locking bikes would be really useful.

Fantastic holiday cottage in a very nice location Everything we needed to enjoy our holiday was provided The large enclosed garden was perfect for enjoying warm evenings and safe for our dog to also enjoy Would definitely recommend this cottage And hope to return for another great relaxing holiday very soon David , Geraldine and Riley the Golden Retriever

Enchanting Cottage, very peaceful setting with lovely views to the surrounding hills.

Ideal for our very active working cocker spaniel who loved the enclosed garden. Ideally situated to explore the surrounding towns and villages. Will definitely be back again.

Really enjoyed the stay the property keeps well with the building age and the garden is a great place to enjoy and relax.

We enjoyed our stay in this slightly quirky old cottage which was of adequate size for 4 people.

Location is great for lovers of rural North Dorset as we are. Lovely secure garden is a real bonus, especially for dog owners like us and for anybody valuing peace and quiet. Parking was adequate for 2 cars, but some care is needed manoeuvring, given fairly tight width of the space. Pity there was no garden parasol as garden offers limited daytime shade otherwise. We may well return as our time here flew by!

Great little cottage, only issue being the radiator not working in one room but a great stay otherwise.

Our second stay here.

Wonderfully peaceful location and great domestic appliances. Only complaint is that the back bedroom bed is hard- either a more compliant mattress or a higher spec mattress topper would improve it.

Lovely little cottage in a very peaceful location,great place to relax and just switch of,lovely birdlife in the garden

Lovely cottage in a quiet and peaceful location.

We had a very comfortable and relaxed week at old Rectory Cottage, which is nicely located to explore the region. We will be returning.

A nice cosy cottage.

Placed in a good area to see the sights of Dorset.

Charming secluded cottage, set back from the road on a farm track (would be good to have more noticeable signage at the entrance, as we drive by a couple of times!

) Enough space for parking 2 cars. Beautiful views of surrounding countryside. The large garden was great for our dog, fully fenced so she could go off lead. We loved the quirky old features, the furniture was comfortable & complimented the old fashioned cottage feel. The weather was very hot throughout our stay, we managed to open the bedroom windows (they were a bit tight, as others have said they weren't able to open them). Also very grateful for the large fans provided in the bedrooms, we were able to get a good night's sleep. Oh, and the cakes, milk, tea etc was a nice surprise on arrival. We found the central location ideal for exploring Dorset, would recommend this place.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, from the most thoughtful welcome to the very last day.

The cottage itself is beautiful, wonderfully equipped, very peaceful & a safe paradise for Dougal the dog

A character cottage for that ‘get away’ experience.

A mixture of old fittings and new (modern appliances). The long lawned garden was great for our dog to run around, unfortunately there aren’t any side gates that would prevent a dog (or child) from wandering to the front of the property even though it is secure. We did have a problem with the gas hob insomuch that the centre ring did not light properly. We contacted the owner on the first day who sadly was unable to locate a gas engineer until after our holiday. However, we were able to manage with 4 gas rings. We visited Kingston Lacey, Stourhead and Shaftesbury. A very peaceful holiday with only the sounds and smells of the countryside. We would visit again.

We had a lovley holiday

We had no problems with the property.

It was clean and comfortable. Had the quirks of an old cottage such as variable water pressure but for us it added to the enjoyment of being in a property that was in contrast to a modern house for our holiday. Great location if you enjoy a walking holiday. Owner very friendly and welcoming. In warmer weather the large garden is a big plus point. Booked again for next year.

Great location - very quiet.

We liked the rustic nature of the house, but the compromise with the historical features was sometimes difficult. We could only open one of the windows and that required a lot of effort. We had to wash glasses and crockery before use as they tended to stick to the shelves and work surfaces. Some of the cushions, the bed cover, and rug in the living room need replacing in our view.

The location of the cottage is lovely.

We have had a very nice time and ignored the fact that cleanliness was adequate but could have been better, eg there was a pile of dust and cobwebs on the top of the shower. Also we were only supplied with hand towels which were impossible after a shower. We had to go out and buy our own bath towels. I would go back to the cottage if these little problems were rectified.

The Old Rectory cottage is a lovely place in a perfect location but rather rustic.

There is a large well kept garden with plenty of outside seating. Unfortunately the cottage was quite grubby inside and would benefit from a thorough spring clean.

A very peaceful location, exactly what we needed to simply chill and destress.

The cottage had everything we needed and was very dog friendly ours enjoyed the welcome treats and loved the garden for zoomies.

We thoroughly enjoyed our week in this old fashioned cottage especially the simplistic facilities.

Peter and The Team @ The Plough Inn in the village accommodated us well and he kept a nice pint! The location suited us and the garden area was perfect for the dog as described. The milk and cake on arrival was welcomed but if we had any criticism it was the cleanliness, old & quirky sinks etc expected and fair enough however a really good clean throughout the cottage wouldn’t have gone a miss.

A lovely cottage with all the home comforts.

The pictures do not do it justice we were pleasantly surprised on arrival. We didn't have the best of weather due to areas locally being flooded, but made the most of our week. Lively to have the Trail way every day to walk our spaniel. Pick up the Trail way at Shillingstone lovely tea room. We would definitely recommend this cottage. Xx

We loved the cottage, a lovely enclosed back garden for the dog to run around.

Lots to do in the local area & great walking nearby. Lovely to come home & get the wood burner going each evening, very cosy. Beds really comfortable. We could have stayed another week. Will definitely return.

Absolutely wonderful cottage that we loved from the moment we walked in.

It is extremely warm and comfortable, plus has the bonus of a wood burner. The kitchen is more spacious than the photos convey and has an excellent range cooker and washing machine etc in the scullery. The whole place is airy and full of old character yet still has all mod cons. The garden is truly secure so we could let pur dog out which he loved. We visited local towns and National Trust properties and walked to Hammoon via the church. We wanted somewhere beautiful and peaceful to see in the New Year and this was perfect. We hope to visit at a different time of year to enjoy the garden more!

Lovely cottage with great views of surrounding fields and the Rectory next door.

Everything we needed was included, with extra touches such as some coffee/tea/cake left to get us started on our first night. The garden is excellent and has chicken wire along the fencing to ensure any dogs are secured (unless you have a very small dog, or talented escape artist!) which gave us peace of mind. Given the age of the house, it has some quirks and the heating/water is noisy when operating, but it's to be expected, again remembering it's an old property. This is a dog friendly cottage, so bear this in mind if you're expecting everything to be spotless. If you're looking for a relaxing place to stay for a short break, this is an excellent choice!

The cottage was homely and very comfortable, and cosy, we had everything we needed, beds were very comfy I had the best sleep I've had in a long time.

It was clean on arrival and we left it as we found it . Good location, would have loved to have sat in the lovely garden, but bad weather didn't allow this. We had pheasants in the garden and a wood pecker. Really enjoyable. Thank you.

A lovely cottage to go and relax, with log fire, comfy sofas, peaceful and tucked out of the way.

We went off for long walks with the dog, but also drove about and visited interesting places like Shaftesbury. In all a great place that we would love to visit again. Many thanks.

A lovely property.

Helpful owner. Great location

Spent a lovely week at this cottage in June.

Three adults and a dog. Plenty of room both inside and outside of the property, very secure, large garden where the dog could roam free without fear of her escaping. We would definitely recommend to others and if in the area would stay again.

Would have been good to have two single beds option as i didnt realise how much my adult sons would hate sharing a double bed!

However the peace and quiet was amazing and everything else we needed was there.

Lovely stay.

Would have liked a loo brush. Also the zip joining the twin beds seemed to be broken and I kept falling in the gap.

Ideal well-equipped little cottage for access to the countryside and towns of north Dorset and within an hour or so drive to the south of Dorset and the coast.

Although she was not local, a couple of small problems were quickly sorted out by the owner. Warm and cosy even without the log fire. Shopping for essentials a few minutes’ drive away in Sturminster Newton, and The Plough, a short walk up the road from the cottage had as its ‘special’ genuine Jamaican jerk chicken! Recommended – the cottage and the jerk chicken.

A really lovely cottage, woken by birdsong very cozy and warm, great with the wood burner on.

Nicely appointed with crockery and glasses. Easy reach to Shaftesbury, cerne abbas and some great national trust properties. Would highly recommend.

A lovely, cosy, well-equipped and maintained cottage in a beautiful area!

We stayed with our 2 young kids for a long weekend break, and we had a wonderful time. The kids loved exploring the garden and a cot had been provided too which was very useful. The area is beautiful and peaceful. Thank you for a lovely stay!

We really enjoyed our stay at Old Rectory Cottage.

We arrived on a cold December day and the cottage was warm and very inviting. It was very comfortable and has lots of character. The surrounding countryside was beautiful with lots of local walks for our dog. We have friends and family in Dorset so we will be back.

The property is really nicely done, well maintained and clean.

We loved having the wood burner and certainly needed it to keep us cosy. The location is very quiet which suited us. Overall very happy and would definitely stay there again. A couple of minor niggles - the heating was off when we arrived and had obviously been off for a while. It was freezing in the house and we had a cold 1st night. Got it cosy by day2. Also it would be nice to have a bit of cupboard space to store food, coffee etc.

Enjoyed our stay in the cottage, perfect location for exploring both the seaside and the countryside.

The garden was perfect for our dog, large and enclosed. Cottage was comfortable, smart TV was useful, plenty of heat from the log burner, good size bathroom. Peaceful and quiet location with fabulous views from both the garden and rooms.

Beautiful cottage in the perfect place to relax.

The dogs loved the garden (as did we) and it was a very chilled week. We enjoyed watching the woodpeckers and other wildlife in the garden every day. We had an issue with a broken shower during our first couple of days but the owner was very quick to sort this out for us. We would definitely like to return in the future.

me my husband our dog and our 2 friends really enjoyed the cottage it had everything we needed felt like home so comfortable it was located in a good position to travel around with the car thankyou again monica

Lovely cottage, comfortable beds, secure garden which was great for the dog, we liked the supply of food and drink left for us.

One problem with the toilet breaking though spoke to the caretaker and owner very quickly and it was sorted out as quickly as possible.

Beautiful cottage which is well equipped.

Lovely touches with the welcome gifts for us and our dog Arlo who loved the garden with its many exploring opportunities. Would stay again in the future.

A lovely, relaxing peaceful bolthole in the country.

Just what was needed after a 2 year holiday break. Centrally located for visits to the coast, country and beautiful towns. People are so friendly, especially if you have a dog. The cottage has everything and the weather was beautiful enabling us to use the garden, which was a treat to sit in. The Linden Tree looks and smells so beautiful, so much so, I am looking to get one for my own garden. I would like to thanks the owners for letting us stay. I will come again.

Loved our stay.

Would happily stay again.

Absolutely lovely and quirky house just needs a little more attention to detail.

Stairs light not working, front garden gate could do with replacing for dog security to.

Otherwise everything was as expected - the kitchen is functional but fine, the floorboards are practical, and the building oozes character and charm. The garden is lovely, secure and secluded - ideal for dogs - and you could make more of this in your description. The addition of a hot tub would be fantastic in this location, and get you a premium price too, but not sure if the old plumbing would cope?!

The cottage was beautifully set up, warm and comfortable.

We enjoyed the secluded location with private garden. The log burner made it really cosy in the evenings. A lovely place to stay.

We booked a short break over half term, and were very happy with the cottage and its lovely rural setting.

A cake and biscuits were provided on arriving which was a lovely touch, and the cottage was very warm and cosy. There is plenty to see and do in this beautiful area, with some lovely places to eat out - we highly recommend :-) Thank you

We had a relaxing week at the Old Rectory Cottage!

! upon arrival we had a welcome pack, a bottle of wine (much needed after a long drive) biscuits and cake left by the owners. The location was central to all the places we wanted to visit. The cottage had everything we needed cosy and warm, loved the log fire would definitely stay here again!!

We had a lovely time in the Old Rectory.

It was very clean comfortable and warm. The owners left us a bottle of wine, some cake and biscuits which was a lovely touch. The bed was very comfortable and amazing pressure in the shower too. Could not fault it. The area was peaceful, with views of the farmland surrounds, and it is a brilliant location not only for Dorset but Somerset and Wiltshire. Would highly recomend staying there.

We had a fabulous stay.

There was a welcome pack for us and our dog which was very much appreciated. The bed was comfy as was the living room furniture. I arrived stressed and exhausted and left relaxed and well rested. Thank you, would recommend.

Had a lovely week.

Peaceful area, very comfy beds and warm. Shame about the weather!!

A lovely and pleasantly secluded cottage, with a homely feel, made warm and cozy in the evenings with the woodburning stove.

A good location for walking, cycling and exploring Dorset.

We enjoyed our stay at the property which is in a very quiet setting with a lovely garden.

There are plenty of footpaths around to explore the local area on foot. The welcome pack was appreciated.

We greatly enjoyed our stay in this charming and cosy cottage.

There were many of the original features of the 200-year-old cottage, yet all modern amenities were provided. The cottage was clean, well-appointed and the addition of some dog treats and a cake for us people was much appreciated. There is plenty to do in the surrounding area, including the famous Gold Hill in Shaftesbury and Durdle Door on the Jurassic Coast. Highly Recommended - Thank you!

Lovely cottage with large enclosed garden for a dog and footpath running past the door.

Touch touches with the welcome pack and well equipped. Would stay again.

Due to the national petrol shortage, we attempted to find some sort of an understanding with Sykes about the holiday but Sykes failed to help.

We managed to visit the cottage starting on the Monday instead of the Saturday. The owner was very helpful and understanding. We loved the holiday cottage itself and we particularly liked the large taps in the scullery. It was very well presented although there were some minor cleaning/rubbish issues which I discussed with the owner which didn't spoil our break at all.

Cleaner not finished until 5 pm, so we had to wait General cleanliness not up to scratch.

Kitchen and Scullery too rustic for our preference.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this charming cottage.

The setting is superb and the cottage itself is full of character and well equipped. The owners have obvioulsy put a lot of thought into making this a most welcoming and comfortable cottage. The garden was delightful and the very relaxing, reclining chairs were put to good use in the late afternoon sunshine!