Quail Cottage, Cuckfield

About this property

Tranquil self catering country cottage for two in the heart of the Sussex Weald

Quail Cottage is a very spacious and comfortable holiday destination for two people in the heart of the Sussex High Weald, with a network of footpaths and bridleways radiating from it. The cottage was originally a stable in the grounds of the owners' Medieval farmhouse, and was subsequently adapted to provide a home for two Rolls Royce motor cars. After the cars had moved out the building was skilfully converted into a spacious holiday cottage with great attention paid to the finishing details. The sitting room has a vaulted ceiling with many original timbers, and a high level feature window inserted in the gable end above full width fold back doors, floods the area with natural light. The internal joinery has all been made by a local craftsman, and the bespoke hinges and door latches by a blacksmith.

The cottage has a well equipped Shaker style galley kitchen, making clever use of the space adjacent to the bedroom and bathroom of the cottage. The bedroom has a super king sized bed formed from two three foot wide zip linked beds. The bed will be made up as a double, so if you would like it to be made up as twin beds please let us know when you book. There is also a fitted wardrobe for clothes storage with oak doors matching the other doors in the cottage. The bathroom has a modern suite of WC, basin, bath and separate shower cubicle. The entrance to the cottage is through a glazed porch which also contains the washing machine and tumble dryer.

Your comfort at Quail Cottage is assured in the winter with an underfloor central heating system, and in the summer the terrace outside the cottage provides an opportunity to enjoy drinks, or a summer barbecue in the dappled shade of the lightly wooded garden to the side of the cottage. As the owners of Quail Cottage keep a flock of sheep from a rare breed in the fields adjacent to the cottage, pets are not permitted. This cottage is not suitable for children under 10 years of age due to the close proximity of ponds. As the bed can be divided to form two single beds it would be suitable for one adult and an older child.

As Quail Cottage is on a working farm there are certain times of the year when the farming activity peaks. The busiest times are the lambing season and haymaking in mid summer.

Cuckfield and beyond

Cuckfield is one of the prettiest villages in Sussex. Being so central in the county it is an ideal location to start from when exploring the surroundings after having enjoyed the variety of local attractions. From the cottage there are many immediate walks, the most notable of which is the Sussex Ouse Valley Way, a 42 mile long distance footpath launched in 2005, which follows the valley of the river Ouse. The path passes close to Quail Cottage just a few miles from its start at Lower Beeding. Within three miles you will find Borde Hill Gardens, which have been described by Country Life magazine as one of the country’s truly great gardens. The gardens offer outstanding views across 200 acres of Grade II listed parkland and woodland.

Head north into the rolling Sussex Weald and you soon reach Ardingly Reservoir. It is a large expanse of natural water and an area of outstanding natural beauty. There are plentiful walks around the reservoir and for those who enjoy watersports it is a haven of activity for sailors, windsurfers and canoeists.

Access to and from this part of mid Sussex is excellent with other gardens such as Nymans and High Beeches just a few miles to the north and Wakehurst Place with its close association with Kew is within a fifteen minute drive to the east. With good communication links to Brighton, both the south coast and the South Downs are a short distance away, while a day trip to London by rail is easy from nearby Haywards Heath.

For steam enthusiasts The Bluebell Railway is a few miles beyond Haywards Heath, with trains running at weekends throughout the year, and daily services in the spring, summer and autumn months. If golf is your chosen form of relaxation the Cuckfield Golf Centre is close by, and offers visitors the opportunity to play nine or eighteen holes in the beautiful Wealden countryside.

Take a look at our 'Places to Visit' section on the website for full details on everything there is to see in the vicinity of Quail Cottage.

Places to Visit

Borde Hill Gardens

Nymans Gardens

High Beeches Gardens

The Bluebell Railway

What's On

The South of England Show — June

Hickstead — July

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run — November

Local shop — 2 miles Cuckfield

Nearest supermarket — 4 miles Haywards Heath

Nearest restaurant — 3 miles Cuckfield

Local pub — 2 miles Cuckfield

Mainline rail service — Haywards Heath for services to London, Gatwick and the South Coast

Gatwick Airport — 15 miles