Beechnut

Why you'll love staying here

Situated in the village of Swerford, Beechnut is a barn conversion on a picturesque working farm. Beautifully restored retaining high pitched ceilings, exposed brickwork, timber beams, and mullioned arched windows, while eclectic interiors include bespoke ironwork, an adobe-style open fireplace, terracotta floor tiles, a Moroccan-inspired shower, and handcrafted furniture and fittings made using English hardwoods sourced from the farm itself. Ideal for a couple of solo traveller looking to explore the Cotswolds. Guests should note that although the accommodation is all on one floor, there are steps down to the bedroom and shower room.

Outside, the cottage benefits from a shared terraced courtyard with Mediterranean planting, herb borders, and a fish pond, as well as a large kitchen garden producing an abundance of seasonal fruit and vegetables, such strawberries, raspberries, potatoes, leeks, carrots, artichokes, cabbage, lettuce, peas, and beans. There is also a polytunnel in which grapes, tomatoes, padrón peppers, cucumbers, and chillies are grown.

Beyond the garden, chickens roam a wooded enclosure, while sheep, goats and sometimes pigs graze in the fields below. The 70-acre farm is managed with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, with newly planted trees and wildlife ponds attracting a variety of species, including roe deer, badgers, rabbits, weasels, moles, bats, and butterflies.

Guests can also enjoy access to a natural spring-fed lake on the farm, home to herons, ducks, geese, and the occasional kingfisher. The lake is perfect for wild swimming, boating or paddleboarding, and visitors are welcome to feed or fish for the resident rainbow trout.

On site facilities include a shared games room, a drying room, a large lawn for games, and plenty of spots for a picnic or barbecue.

Set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Beechnut is just six miles from Chipping Norton. Steeped in history yet lively and welcoming, the town is known for its honey stone cottages, historic streets, weekly market, independent book and antique shops, cafés, restaurants and traditional pubs serving excellent food and local ales. Art galleries, a museum, and a thriving theatre add to its cultural appeal.