"A Very Special Historic House and Gardens to Rent in Rural Somerset" - Winner of Gold Award for Exceptional Quality of Accommodation and Customer Service 2010 by Visit England as well as one of The Sunday Times Top 100 places to stay in 2010.

Polden Hills House is at the heart of one of England's finest tourist locations, yet only five minutes from the M5 motorway. The house is full of family books, portraits and antiques and sleeps up to 15 in six beautifully decorated bedrooms within 22 acres of wonderful gardens and grounds.

The house and gardens are looked after by a dedicated and caring team and we pride ourselves on providing exceptional service. On arrival we provide a generous hamper of local foods, carefully chosen wines and locally produced apple juice. We can offer superb cooks if you would like someone to prepare for a special occasion and a natural beauty therapist if you need further pampering. We have something for everyone including: a children's play area with playhouse, swing and fort; games field; broadband internet access and Sky satellite TV.

The front door opens into the Hall in the old part of the house, off of which the Dining Room and Drawing Room are located. Also off the Hall, there is a downstairs WC, and two staircases to the first floor, one leading to the bedrooms in the old part of the house and the other to the wing built in 190. Last but not least, the Hall also leads to the main gardens on the south side of the house. At the end of a corridor is the Library, a large and comfortable room. There is a very large collection of books here, as well as a selection of board games and two interesting card tables.

The Drawing Room, Library and Dining Room open on to extensive and peaceful gardens, which in turn lead to fields beyond. There is very little noise other than occasional 'mooing' or 'crowing' from Great Tree Farm next door. There is also a large, farmhouse-style Old Kitchen, a Breakfast Room (the former Pantry), and a Laundry (the former Larder). The maximum number that can be seated around the main Dining Room table is 14, but there is also a table suitable for 'kids' teas' in the Breakfast Room.

There are six luxuriously furnished bedrooms, most of which are named after their unusual bronze doorknockers, and four bathrooms. There are full-size beds for up to 12 people and sofa-beds for 3 or 4. We also have a put-u-up bed and two cots, so lots of combinations are possible. Our maximum number of adults is 14 and we can accommodate above this number with children and infants. All but 2 rooms could take an extra bed or cot.

Groups come to relax but for those that cannot leave work completely behind there is wireless broadband. For those more interested in play, a number of board games and card tables are available in the Library. We have a fold-away pool table as well as Sky TV. We also provide a grass area for football, with basketball and other ball games in the stable yard, behind the garages.

The house is set in 22 acres with beautiful gardens. We nurture some very special trees, particularly the only known specimen in the UK of an unusual type of Chinese Zelkova or elm, and some very fine limes and a wide range of unusual apples and pears (help yourselves to fruit in season). The grounds include the following:
- The Tilting Yard - a small, pretty garden in front of the house.
- The Main Garden - situated on the south side of the house and featuring a large lawn (a 'contemplation garden' is currently being developed).
- 'Ha ha' - a large pond that separates the Main Garden from the Orchard.
- The Orchard - a meadow with old apple trees, mature limes, abundant cowslips, a bog garden and a wild garden.
- Bushey Close - a field beyond the Orchard; sometimes used for horses, archery or falconry.
- The Walled Garden - leased out under the Channel 4 TV Landshare Scheme - which occasionally provides our guests and staff with fruit, vegetables or flowers for cutting in season.
- The games field - a grassy area beyond the stable yard for football, basket ball, badminton etc. There is a children's play area with playhouse, slide and fort.
- The Barbecue.
- The Kitchen Garden - a pleasant area for the cook's glass of wine!
- Ponds - there are various ponds on the estate that are abundantly supplied with newts, including many of the endangered great crested newts. Our former fine fish collection has helped sustain the herons of the local marshes!

*Please note, locations shown on the maps are approximations only

The house is located in a pretty village in Somerset, on the edge of the Polden Hills and the Somerset Levels, between Glastonbury and Bridgwater, just three and a half miles from the M5 motorway.

Within easy access are many of the West Country's beauty spots and attractions including: Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole Caves; Dunster Castle; Exmoor, the Quantocks, Mendips and Brendon Hills; the cities of Bath and Wells; Glastonbury Priory and Tor; Longleat.

Hot Air Ballooning - How about a champagne flight over Cheddar Gorge or the Somerset Levels, taking off from the house?

Victorian Carriage Rides Through the Somerset Levels - Staff in Victorian costume collect you at the house for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage through the surrounding countryside.

Pamper Sessions - Our beautician and aromatherapist offers relaxing beauty treatments at the house, followed by a glass of Champagne.

Falconry - A falconry display can be arranged for you. A specialist bird-of-prey handler introduces the birds and shows them in flight. Guests may hold them whilst wearing a protective glove.

Family Bonding - a weekend of family and individual development, discovery, dream-building and togetherness, facilitated by All Being Well which was co-founded by the Owner-Guardian of Cossington Park

Owl Prowls and Badger Watch - Join Chris Sperring MBE for a night calling and conversing with tawny owls or watching badgers; also bird watching, dawn chorus walks and all-night ‘wildlife safaris’.

Murder Mystery Dinner Party - Each guest is sent an invitation letter prior to the event explaining their character, giving tips for costumes and instructions on what you have to do. Two actors coordinate the evening.

Golf - For the golfing enthusiast we can arrange play at at the superb championship links course at Burnham & Berrow or the traditional parkland course at Enmore. This could include a lesson with the professional and or a video replay of your match.

Fishing - We are well situated for coarse and river fishing. We can arrange tokens from Westcountry Angling and tuition.

Archery on the Lawn - Archery can be arranged for small groups in the grounds.

Cosmic Delights - An evening visit to Charterhouse Centre on top of the Mendips for an introduction to the stars, observed through telescopes including an impressive18" reflector in its own observatory.

Caving - The Mendips contain some of the deepest caves in Europe and provide opportunities for caving, climbing and abseiling.

Gliding – One-off flights arranged at Mendip Gliding Club.

Shooting - A visit to the Mendip Firing Range or clay shoot (off the premises).

Bristol Channel Cruise – Summer cruises to Lundy Island and Penarth.

The nearest beaches are: Burnham-on-Sea (8 miles north-west, family beach, donkeys etc, brown sand which can be dangerous) ; Kilve (15 miles west, quiet, unspoilt beach); and Weston-Super-Mare (15 miles north, family beach, lots of attractions).

Local Walks - The Quantocks, Mendips and Brendon Hills are beautiful for walks, as are the Poldens and Glastonbury Tor; there are picnic and barbeque areas; closer to home there is a footpath, next to the playing fields, which leads to Bawdrip along the old railway - ideal for dogs, cycling and children; there is also an interesting walk along Bell Lane towards Gold Corner Pumping Station.

Tennis - Cranleigh Gardens, Bridgwater; Chilton Trinity Leisure Centre, Bridgwater.

Swimming Pools - Sedgemoor Splash, Bridgwater (waves, rapids and flumes); Burnham Pool, Burnham-on-Sea.

We do everything we can to ensure that your stay is relaxing, enjoyable and memorable. We will visit you soon after your arrival to make sure that you can find everything you need and to show you how things work. A comprehensive file of information is provided in the house.

We provide a generous welcome hamper which includes:
- A generous selection of local foods
- Our own label wines (currently awaiting new supplies)
- Apple juice from a nearby farm

We can arrange for food deliveries from a quality local supplier or for a cook to prepare any meals for you.

Our beds have high quality middle-firmness mattresses and are made up with luxury cotton sheets and soft duvets; every bed is supplied with a generous bundle of soft white towels.

We pride ourselves on our well-equipped kitchens, which include a large range electric cooker, a combi microwave/electric oven, two dishwashers and two refrigerators.

Special Activities & Events - including archery, falconry, carriage driving, hot air ballooning, owl and badger watch, beauty treatments.

- Security deposit: £500. This is paid on arrival and will be refunded in full after departure subject to damage inspection.
- Linen & towels: All linen and bath towels are included in the rental price.
- Energy costs: Included in the rental price.
- End of stay cleaning: Included. Please leave the property in the state that you found it.
- Arrival time: 4pm onwards.
- Departure time: 10am.
- Pets: With prior consent.
- Smoking: No smoking in the property.
- It is recommended that all guests take out insurance to cover against potential cancellation and any accidental damage caused during your stay at the property.