Bed & Breakfast in Flax Bourton
Welcome to Gatcombe Court, Bed & Breakfast in Flax Bourton. Gatcombe Court is an ancient family manor house which has grown from the original solar built by John de Gatcombe before 1254. He used the stone from the Roman settlement upon which the house is built, and it is much in evidence. Two stones are possibly as altar stone and the other the top of a sarcophagus form lintels to two fireplaces! Within the house the changes through the centuries are clearly visible. As Simon Jenkins quotes of Gatcombe in his book England’s 1,000 Best Houses ‘nothing is regular, nothing the same period, yet everything is pleasing.’ In 2008 to mark the 1600th Anniversary of the Roman Settlement we constructed a garden growing the herbs that the Romans brought with them to Britain, surrounded by those they would have found when they came. Jekka McVicar (Chelsea Gold Medalist) the organic herbalist extraordinaire designed it for us. The old walls of the terraced gardens are covered with roses and there is a remarkable yew hedge thought to be 400 years old. Our B’n’B is more of a serviced cottage than a straight bed and breakfast. Guests stay in a self-contained wing of the house with its own front door and which, unlike the rest of it, has full central heating! There is a small kitchen with fridge and microwave. They have a separate dining/sitting room with TV/DVD/music and may collapse in privacy after a day either working, sight-seeing, or in pure leisure knowing that they will not be disturbed but also with no chores as we will bring you a delicious breakfast in the morning (served 7- 9.30am). In our grounds there is ample private parking. Free wi-fi.Our breakfast will set you up for the day. Home pressed apple juice, yoghurt and fruit to start. Follow this with a range of cooked delights from kippers to crispy bacon on fluffy pancakes with syrup. Full English- Sausage, bacon, tomato, mushroom, beans, eggs any which way with products from the farm shop just next door or grown by us. Finish with scones or toast, often home made, as are the jams and marmalades.
VISITS
Afternoon Visits : Tour of house, Tea and cake
Evening visits: Tour of house, wine and cheese
High Tea: Scrumptious savoury and sweet offerings with choice of teas or coffee. A serious repast.
Talks followed by discussion and glass of wine.
John de Gatcombe, Gatcombe, Gatcombe Court, Manor House, Gardens, Afternoon Teas, Roman
