Lyveden Cottage

Lyveden Cottage sits in a secluded landscape, accessible via a lane. Stay here and step into a tranquil oasis of calm waters, ancient forests and green gardens, nestled in rolling farmland. On one side, a curving moat divides the cottage from the mounts and orchard trees of an Elizabethan garden. On the other, the unfinished Lyveden Garden Lodge lies virtually untouched since the last workman laid down their tools in 1605. Escape the noise and whirl of modern life in an Elizabethan retreat that escaped time.

This old-world grandeur is reflected within the cottage’s heavy curtains, velvet upholstery, and inglenook fireplaces. Both the dining room and sitting rooms contain log burners, and a kitchen, two entrance halls, shower and utility room complete the downstairs. Upstairs there’s a bathroom and three bedrooms: two doubles and one single.

Sit in the private front garden to soak up the atmosphere of this enchanting place or have a meander around the moat located just outside the cottage garden. Once the surrounding woods and pastures have been wandered, and every inch of the gardens explored, the Lyveden Way is well worth a ramble and is accessible from the cottage’s doorstep. This eleven-mile circular route passes through wildlife-filled woodland and countryside.

The market town of Thrapston is 10 minutes’ drive from the cottage, and from here you can access the lakes of the River Nene Regional Park. Higher up the river, a 15-minute drive away, the Barnwell Country Park surrounds the village of Ashton, where local pubs can be found. Another 15 minutes to the west, Corby contains more options for food and drink. Cambridge and Northampton are within an hour of the cottage, and Peterbrough and Kettering are 30-minutes away.

Parking: There is space for two cars outside the cottage.

Garden: The garden is at the front of the cottage with outdoor seating, lawn and surrounded by hedges. It has a full perimeter but there is a gate and fencing that small dogs could get through.

The gardening team tend to the garden on a fortnightly basis. This will always be in working hours and may fall on a day during your stay.

Heating: The cottage is heated by gas radiators. There are also two wood burning stoves which will be laid for you on arrival with enough fuel to get you started.

Offers: Guests will benefit from a late Sunday checkout of 4pm.

Please note: There is a gate from the garden that leads down to the moat so children and dogs must be supervised at all times.

There is a bridleway that runs alongside the cottage so there may be some foot traffic passing by particularly in busy periods.

There is a low head height from the kitchen to the dining room.

Wild Escapes: Lyveden Cottage is featured in our new travel book, Wild Escapes, available to buy online or in National Trust shops. From rugged coastline to secluded woodland, it's filled with inspiration from far-reaching corners of the UK for your next adventure.