Preston Dairy, Preston St Mary

Suffolk. Sleeps up to 4

If you are planning a week in the Suffolk countryside, this wonderful conversion is idyllic, luxurious and is nestled within rolling meadows on the doorstep of the pretty village of Preston St Mary, just a mile from the celebrated medieval town of Lavenham. Lavenham is considered to be Britain’s best preserved medieval village and one of Suffolk’s most important wool towns. At every turn, you will encounter medieval charm with characterful timber framed buildings lining the narrow streets and lanes. Lavenham has also gained a ‘foodie’ reputation with excellent restaurants and pubs. Preston St Mary’s village pub, the Six Bells offers Grade II listed charm and delicious gourmet food and local ales. What a lovely spot!

With two enormous bedrooms, Preston Dairy sleeps 4 guests in supreme comfort. This countryside retreat is a traditional Suffolk wood-slatted building that has been lovingly restored to create a spacious, modern holiday home. Cool, calm colour palettes together with enormous doors and windows combine to make bright and airy spaces. The characterful original beams throughout Preston Dairy offer a warm and inviting ambience. The ground floor is open plan in design and oozes serenity with its white, cream and soft grey tones. The shaker style kitchen is smart and modern. It enjoys excellent appliances for your self-catering break as well as a handy breakfast bar. The country style dining table is very attractive and the living space enjoys lovely views of the meadows beyond the giant French windows. Outside, on your private patio, you can enjoy alfresco dining along with the scent of lavender and the sound of birdsong.

Upstairs you will be impressed with the generous bedrooms, both offering kingsize beds, lovely wooden floors and stylish en-suite bathrooms. The master boasts huge French doors to a Juliette balcony which looks over towards Lavenham. Both bedrooms feature gorgeous beams and angled ceilings, adding warmth and character. One bathroom enjoys a bath and shower as well as stunning turquoise metro tiles and the other offers a shower. Downstairs you will find an additional, very spacious wet room.

Preston Dairy is fully accessible. A handy lift connects both floors providing easy access to the bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms. You will certainly feel away from it all in this dreamy, natural setting.

Preston St Mary is a tranquil, pretty Suffolk village. The Grade II village pub is locally owned and run so very friendly. You will find the artwork of local artists on the walls and local produce on the plates. The pub enjoys a beautiful west facing garden, an ideal place for a drink and to watch the sun set after a long country walk.

Just down the road, Lavenham is an absolute delight. It offers a rich history and is absolutely gorgeous. In Tudor England, Lavenham was the 14th richest town thanks to its famous Lavenham Blue broadcloth. There are over 300 buildings listed as being of architectural and historic interest, including the beautiful Church of St Peter and St Paul, Little Hall, The Guildhall and De Vere House. The celebrated Guildhall is a spectacular timber-framed building built around 1530 by the religious Guild of Corpus Christi. The renovated Guildhall is located in the historic market place and today tells the stories of Lavenham’s fortunes. Little Hall, built in the 1390’s was once home to the Causton family and is now a museum owned by the Suffolk Buildings Preservation Trust. St Peter and St Paul Church was built at the height of Lavenham’s prosperity by Thomas Spring III in the late 15th century. The Old Grammar School is another amazing building. It was open from 1647-1887 and is a Grade I listed building whose many pupils included the famous painter John Constable. De Vere House is also know as the De Vere Hunting Lodge, the last house in Lavenham to be owned by the Earls of Oxford. Lavenham boasts a wonderful array of art galleries including the Crooked House Gallery, a building full of wonky charm. There are many charming cafes and restaurants. Lavenham is very proud of its strong links to America. The Lavenham airbase was home to the 487th Bombardment Group of the 8th US Army Air Force who flew 185 missions and more than 6000 sorties during WWII. There are some delightful walks in and around Lavenham. One is the Lavenham Woodland walk, part of the Old Lavenham to Long Melford Great Eastern Railway line. Not only is is beautiful, there are 24 varieties of butterflies that have been seen in the area.

Guests staying at Preston Dairy also enjoy trips to Bury St Edmunds, the home of Saint Edmund, the original patron Saint of England. The town offers award-winning restaurants, excellent shopping, beautiful parks, historic buildings and many annual festivals. The magnificent St Edmundsbury Cathedral stands in the stunning Abbey Gardens among the ruins of the Abbey of St Edmund.

It is also easy to visit the dramatic and beautiful Suffolk Heritage Coast and the wonderful, popular seaside resorts of Aldeburgh, Thorpeness and Southwold.