Property Summary

• Sleeps 4+1: 1 king, 1 double, 1 single,
  1 bathroom, 1 cloakroom
• Dunwich, Suffolk
• open fire
• wifi available

Suffolk holiday cottage in Dunwich

"A wonderful break from the city in a beautiful, comfortable cottage in an idyllic location"

This period cottage is quite simply idyllic and has a magical setting in the historic village Dunwich on the Suffolk coast. The house backs onto Dunwich’s dramatic open marshland and the beach beyond, and is close not only to the beach, but to some of our favourite walks in Suffolk, towards Walberswick and Southwold.

The village is home to The Ship Inn and the famous Dunwich Fish and Chips tea rooms. The house has strong literary links - previous holiday visitors include authors Jerome K. Jerome and Henry James who are thought to have written or taken inspiration for some of their famous books whilst staying at the house.

Ship Cottage is truly an historic house – it has been remarkably untouched over the centuries – and it has a relaxed quirky period character. On the ground floor there’s a large open kitchen/dining room, the living room, bathroom and a study. Upstairs are the three bedrooms (2 double and 1 children’s single bedroom) and a cloakroom with a sink and w.c. Outside there’s a large back garden to the rear that backs onto the Dingle Marshes, a pretty cottage garden with herbs to the front, and off road parking for at least two vehicles.

Ground floor:

Kitchen/Dining room: The front door leads into a large kitchen-dining room. The traditional-style kitchen is simply furnished and has an electric hob and oven, dishwasher, microwave and extractor fan. There’s a washing machine and tall fridge freezer tucked away in a large pantry room. A stable-style door leads out to the back garden.

The charming dining area has magical fairy lights hanging from the beamed roof and a long pine table and eight chairs – ideal for lazy long summer lunches and dinners.

A ‘C’ shape hallway leads to the other ground floor rooms in the house and the stairs to the first floor.

Bathroom: There’s a lovely freestanding three-quarter length slipper bath with a hand-held shower attachment, a hand basin and w.c. The room has pretty panelled walls.

Living room: This lovely room has an open fire and two antique sofas, an armchair and a wicker chair. The original pammet brick floor has a sisal rug on top.

Study: There’s an antique writing table and lots of interesting books, including some written by writers who’ve previously stayed in the house.

First floor:

Straight stairs from the ground floor hallway lead up to the first floor landing and doors to the 3 bedrooms and cloakroom. There are lovely period floorboards throughout the first floor.

Bedroom 1: There’s a king size brass bed, a lacquered chest of drawers, a period fitted wardrobe and roman blinds to the windows.

Bedroom 2: This children’s bedroom has a narrow single bed (3 foot) along with built-in wardrobe and shelving space. A second child’s ‘truckle’ bed is available on request.

Bedroom 3: A double bedroom with lovely views over the marshland towards Walberswick and Southwold and a glimpse of the sea. There’s a small painted wardrobe with shelving and a dressing table.

Cloakroom: A first floor cloakroom with a w.c. and a small sink.

Outside: The large back garden backs onto the Dunwich Dingle Marshes with lovely views towards Walberswick and Southwold. It’s a large lawned space with a table and chairs on a patio by the back door, a swing seat half way down the garden and a further table and chairs at the bottom of the garden. In the summertime you are likely to see swifts and swallows swooping gracefully overhead and hear the gentle rustling of the reed beds in the breeze. There is access around the side of the house to the back garden if you wish to bring bicycles. At the bottom of the garden is a fence and a small brook just beyond this. 

Literary visitors: You will be joining a line of remarkable people who have stayed here! A previous landlady, Hannah Scarlett was famous for "taking in" literary gentlemen who came to Dunwich in the summer months for peace and quiet and to meditate on its fast disappearing ruins. Henry James is thought to have conceived the plot for his famous ghost story "The Turn of the Screw" here. But by far the most frequent literary visitor was Jerome K. Jerome author of "Three Men in A Boat" who spent many summer holidays in this house in the early twentieth century!

Tucked between Aldeburgh and Southwold on the Suffolk Coast, you’d hardly believe that this small unspoilt coastal village was the capital of East Anglia around 1500 years ago or that it was at the centre of the wool trade through the Middle Ages. Hundreds of years of coastal erosion mean that most of this is gone leaving behind a rural idyll. The village is well served with a popular pub, The Ship Inn, a Fish and Chip tea rooms next to the beach, and the Bridge Nurseries and Tea rooms. Nearby in the Westleton area you’ll find a village stores and post office and the Emmerdale farm shop, also The Crown for excellent pub food. The area is great for walking and exploring, with many different walks available straight from the front door. Approximate distances by car to Southwold (15 mins) and Aldeburgh (20 mins).

All rental prices include bed linen and towels, gas and electricity plus a welcome bottle of wine and biscuits to help you get your break off to a relaxing start.

The property is equipped with gas central heating, TV with Freesat, DVD player, stereo, electric hob and oven, a tall fridge-freezer, microwave, dishwasher, a washing machine, and a BBQ. A travel cot and high chair are available on request. The house has WiFi access.

Sorry, no pets, no smoking or unaccompanied teenagers permitted at the property.

Young children are welcome although the period nature of the house means it isn't possible to attach a stair gate. to the stairs.

1. Check availability and price by clicking here. Move your mouse pointer over one of the underlined dates to reveal the prices for breaks starting on that date.

2. Make a provisional booking by clicking on your arrival date, then click on your departure date. You will then be prompted to fill out a booking form. Only dates that are underlined can be selected as arrival and departure dates. For enquiries about other dates please email or call us.

3. How to pay. When you have filled out your booking form you can choose to pay online by credit or debit card or send a cheque. A 25% deposit is requested at the time of your booking. The balance and a £100 returnable good housekeeping deposit (subject to terms and conditions) are due six weeks before your holiday commences. Please note there is a 1.5% charge for credit card payments. There is no charge for debit card or cheque payments.

4. More information about making a booking is available by clicking here

For all other enquiries please click the button below to email Best of Suffolk or call us on 01728 638962.

"What a magical place, the girls thought they were in a fairy cottage"