The Plough Country Lodge, Brockley Green, Nr Hundon, Suffolk, England - Sleeps 20+4

About The Plough Country Lodge

The Plough Country Lodge brings the sociable atmosphere of an old  country inn into a modern holiday house that you can have entirely to yourselves. Set in over an acre of wonderful Suffolk Countryside, in the hamlet of  Brockley Green, near Hundon in Suffolk. The property is over 175 years old and features original brickwork and beams.  It started life as a village school and was later converted to a coaching inn where sheep traders and the like would carry out there business over a pint of ale.  It has now  been refurbished throughout to offers exclusive use for groups of up to 24 guests.  With an impressive 10  en-suite bedrooms plus oodles of space to eat, play and spend time together. It is a particularly inviting choice for milestone birthdays, reunions, and weekends with friends, with two built-in bars with stools and chiller cabinets, so you can bring your own drinks, plus three seating areas all with comfortable leather seating. The dining area seats the whole group, indoors or outside, while the self-catering kitchen handles everything from breakfast to a celebration meal. Or just hire in a private chef of your choice to do the work for you. A games room adds air hockey, table tennis, table football, darts and board games.  Blending the original character  of the properties past, with the practicalities of thoroughly modern living, including WiFi, central heating and en-suite facilities in every bedroom. Outside, the private gardens include a broad patio with open views across the Suffolk countryside. A barbecue and parking for a remarkable number of cars make arrivals straightforward, even when guests travel separately.

Brockley Green is a small rural community between the large towns of Haverhill and Clare,  with lanes through farmland and villages that have changed little over the centuries. Hundon has a village shop and pub 2 miles from the house, while the historic town of Clare is a 5-mile/10-minute drive away. Clare's independent shops and cafés sit among timber-framed buildings, and Clare Castle Country Park offers riverside paths and the remains of a Norman castle. Long Melford is another good outing, particularly for antique shops, tearooms and its impressive medieval church. The village is also home to Kentwell Hall and Melford Hall. For supermarket shopping, Haverhill has a wider choice of stores. Back at the lodge, the advantage of having the whole building is that nobody needs to arrange taxis after dinner or divide into separate rooms to spend the evening together. Guests can make full use of the bars, dining spaces and games room on their own timetable.

This corner of Suffolk puts several very different days out within reach. Bury St Edmunds has the Abbey Gardens, the cathedral, an independent shopping centre and a lively food scene. Sudbury is associated with Thomas Gainsborough; visit Gainsborough's House, browse the market or walk beside the River Stour and its water meadows. Newmarket draws horse racing enthusiasts, with race meetings, the National Horseracing Museum, and the chance to see the town's equestrian heritage up close. Cambridge offers a complete change of scene, from college architecture and museums to punting on the Cam. Closer to the lodge, the rolling countryside suits relaxed walks, village exploring and long lunches. With ten bedrooms, shared dining, and a games room, The Plough is a place where a large party can enjoy being together while still having the privacy of a bathroom attached to every bedroom.