Early September my sister and I took a short trip to The Cotswolds, she had come across this fantastic Airbnb online, that was just too good to pass up on. We found out later that Abbey House was changing ownership and we were one of the last few lucky people to stay there.

We had seen pictures of Abbey House on their website and social media but it didn’t prepare us for how beautiful the house and grounds were going to be in person. At our arrival we were greeted by one of the owners who took us on a quick tour, briefly sharing its history before showing us to our rooms.

The property is located beside the Abbey Church in Malmesbury and straddling the River Avon, this spectacular 5-acre garden has received praise from around the world. With over 1000 years of history, a burial place of an English King, knot gardens, herb gardens, a river walk, monastic fish ponds, a waterfall, over 2,000 different roses (the largest collection in the UK), over 100,000 tulips, 10,000 different plants with constant colour from March to November, it’s a must-see!

There is a unique history surrounding this property as Abbey House was built on 13th century foundations with some evidence of a substantial house on the site as early as the 11th century. It has been extensively renovated and extended since.

We had the whole top floor to ourselves which consisted of 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. The master bedroom was particularly lovely with a four poster bed and views out into the garden. We were free to roam the house leisurely as the owners had their own private suite which they kept to, it felt as if we were in the house alone. We did some exploring but spent most of our time in the library and after you see pictures of it, you’ll understand why!

This was our first time in the Cotswolds and sadly we didn’t get the chance to visit all the pretty villages since we decided to make the most of our stay at Abbey House. I am hoping to head back next year and visit some of the more popular spots so keep an eye out for that!

As the property is under new ownership I’m not sure what the future plans are. It is currently listed as ‘closed’ when you search online but who knows they may open back up to the public once again so definitely keep an eye out, I know I will! Have you been to any historical places in the UK? If so, please recommend it below as I would love to add it to my list!

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