What could be more idyllic as a base for your self-catering holiday than a village with pretty thatched cottages, a stream passing through it, and gorgeous countryside surrounding it? Sounds perfect doesn’t it? Add to that a shop with a post office, a pub, some lovely gardens and a main road giving fast access to nearby towns and you have Fontmell Magna. For days out, the south coast is easily accessible by car as is the New Forest National Park.
Information on Cottage Holidays in Fontmell Magna
For your break away, choose from rural country cottages in the countryside surrounding Fontmell Magna or for something really special a thatched country cottage in the village. Wherever you choose to stay we’re confident that you’ll find Fontmell Magna a charming and peaceful place.
Situated on the A 350 between Shaftesbury and Blanford Forum in north Dorset, Fontmell Magna is a popular place for walkers and for those who enjoy the beauty of undulating countryside. At one time the village had four working mills feeding from the Fontmell brook that rises at a lake behind one of these mills, now known as Springhead, which also features some delightful gardens. As the brook meanders its way through the village on its way to the river Stour it actually passes through the pub, ‘The Fontmell’. This was planned when the pub, then known as ‘The Crown’ was renovated and extended to accommodate the brook between the new dining area and the bar. Apart from this unique feature the pub is full of character with the dining area looking more like a library and odd antique chairs adding to its charm.
When enjoying a cottage break in this part of the West Country why not visit the village’s imposing church which has parts dating back to the 15th century. St. Andrews was extensively restored in the 19th century but the tower is original. The church also has a 12th century font. One landmark in Fontmell, unfortunately no longer visible, was the village gossip tree where villagers used to gather. After 250 years the elm was the victim of disease and was felled in 1976, despite warnings that anyone responsible for cutting it down would receive bad luck.
North of the village is the market town of Shaftesbury one of Britain’s oldest and highest towns, this town is not to be missed if taking a self-catering holiday in this part of the West Country. One of its hilly cobbled streets, Gold Hill, was made famous as the site for the award-winning Hovis TV advertisement of 1973. If you walk up the hill you’ll find there is now a museum and gardens at the top depicting the historic life of the town. Further evidence of the town’s history is on display at its Abbey Museum.
South coast resorts such as Bournemouth, Poole, and Lulworth Cove have plenty to recommend them and can be reached from Fontmell via Blanford Forum. Predominately of Georgian architecture Blanford is sited on the river Stour and has excellent shopping and dining facilities. It also features a fashion museum with historical costumes, a history museum and at nearby Blanford Army Camp a Royal Signals museum.
We trust that you’ve found our hints and tips on what Fontmell Magna has to offer for cottage holidays helpful. For more helpful information we recommend that you visit the local tourist information office on arrival.
We hope you find the ideal place to stay on Country Cottages Online and that you have the best of times on your Dorset cottage holiday.
Book a Fontmell Magna cottage and look forward to discovering some of the best of Dorset on holiday.
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