Residencies at Owlpen
Owlpen Manor is ideally suited for private groups or artists, musicians, writers or friendly clubs, who seek the privacy and beauty of this corner of the Cotswolds to inspire their work, and spark discussion and renew their interest in hobbies, obsessions and dreams. As a part of our private residencies here at Owlpen, we offer unlimited access to a country estate, with food, accommodation, interior spaces and outside areas to explore. It is a historic, private setting within a delightful rural valley, and centred around the manor house and its historic gardens.
We have been hosting residences and private groups for over twenty years. In recent years we have hosted music groups, artists’ residencies, groups of post-graduate architects, history enthusiasts from The United States, classic car clubs, dog training societies, and many more.
As this is a private este, we offer a range of spaces at your disposal, whether it is for dining, discussion, or simply having a green thought in a green shade.
We find that the best time of year for residencies is April, May and June. Our minimum number is 12, although it works best with 20-30 people.
AVAILABLE SPACES
Our main interior space is The Cyder Barn. A medieval Threshing Barn dating to 1446, this is a licensed restaurant, where we can hold meals for up to 50 people. It also doubles as an entertainment space for concerts, and well as a room for workshops and group discussions. Next to it is a larger hall measuring 10 x 15 metres, made using traditional roundwood timber framing techniques using larch from the Owlpen valley. The space can seat 120 people comfortably, and can serve many more purposes. Both barns are available for your exclusive use as a part of the quote below.
We also offer the ground floor rooms of the manor house itself, should they be appropriate. The Great Hall, which has existed in its present form since 1523, is a large Tudor hall with adjoining parlours, perfect for group discussions and historical inspiration.
Outside, groups can make use of the extensive gardens and grounds which surround the manor house. We also allow the use of the many acres of hill pasture and ancient woodland, for walking, bird-watching, painting/ drawing, and general delectation.
ACCOMMODATION
Our self-catering accommodation consists of nine boutique holiday cottages, which are dotted around the estate. They are all private, well-appointed spaces with many period features: some are listed buildings or historic properties. They can accommodate 38 people in total, or 21 based on sole occupancy (i.e. no one sharing bedrooms).
In peak season our bookings run from Monday to Friday and the weekends are taken up with other events. Ordinarily we take midweek bookings for four nights, but can consider requests for three night stays depending on your requirements.
Our accommodation is priced based on two options, being single occupancy or full occupancy.
Our food is, half-board, constituting either breakfast and dinner or lunch and dinner, both served in the Cyder Barn. All of the holiday cottages are self-catering, so these can be used for other meals when required. We can provide sample menus for these meals accordingly, and you can choose which ones you require.
- FULL OCCUPANCY QUOTE
We can sleep 38 people in total based on full occupancy of the holiday cottages. The fee for accommodation and food would be £105 per person per night. You do not have to reserve all of the holiday cottages: instead you choose how many you would like, and who needs to stay with whom, and we divide the guests into the most suitable cottages accordingly. There is a 20% reduction for the course leader.
- SINGLE OCCUPANCY QUOTE
The cottages can accommodate 22 people on a single occupancy basis, meaning that no one is sharing a bedroom. The fee for this option would be £125 per person per night. There is a 20% reduction for the course leader.
Details of our individual cottages are as follows, with single occupancy figures in brackets:
COTTAGES
Grist Mill, sleeps 8 (4)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/grist-mill
Bathrooms: 2
Court House, sleeps 4 (3)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/court-house
Bathrooms: 1
Woodwells, sleeps 6 (3)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/woodwells
Bathrooms: 2
Peters Nest, sleeps 2 (1)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/peters-nest
Bathrooms: 1
Apple Loft, sleeps 2 (1)
https://owlpen.com/cottages/apple-loft
Bathrooms: 1
Marlings End, sleeps 5 (3)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/marlings-end
Bathrooms: 1
Over Court, sleeps 5 (3)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/over-court
Bathrooms: 1
Manor Farm, sleeps 4 (2)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/manor-farm
Bathrooms: 1
Summerfield, sleeps 2 (1)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/summerfield
Bathrooms: 1
Peters Nest, sleeps 2 (1)
Link: https://owlpen.com/cottages/peters-nest
Bathrooms: 1
We can also arrange glamping, in case you require more bed space, or if you simply prefer to sleep under canvas!
FOOD
A sample of the food that we can prepare is as follows:
BREAKFAST
Eggs Benedict using our free range Owlpen farm eggs and locally-sourced ham
Kedgeree- Spinach, mushrooms, cream and tamari
Classic continental breakfast: pastries, local bread and honey, home-made jams and marmalade.
LUNCH
Home-made soups, bread, cheese and fruit
Home-cooked quiche with a selection of salads (v)
Smoked trout served with horseradish cream, served with new potatoes and green salad Home-cooked Owlpen ham served with new potatoes and green salad
Cottage Pie with green salad and Owlpen kitchen garden coleslaw
A selection of sandwiches, crisps, seasonal fruit and local pork pies: available as a picnic if required
DINNER
Root vegetable tagine with pickled lemons and pomegranate salsa served with buttered couscous (v)
Kokkaido squash and pepper curry, Served with flat bread and salads (v)
Owlpen Estate game pie
Cottage Pie with green salad and Owlpen kitchen garden coleslaw
Roast Shoulder of Gloucester Old Spot Pork served with stuffing, potatoes and green vegetables
DESSERTS
Owlpen rhubarb compote served with home-made elderflower ice-cream (gf)
Owlpen Mess (meringue, cream and summer fruits) (gf)
English Sticky Toffee Pudding with cream
Apple crumble served with Owlpen custard
We operate a fully licensed bar in the Cyder Barn.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
You can reach the village of Uley via a footpath over the fields. It is under a mile and takes less than 20 minutes without having to go on the road, and it’s a lovely walk.
Uley is a charming local village with a local pub, The Old Crown, which serves good home-cooked food and award-winning beer from the village brewery. Brewery tours and beer tasting can be arranged through the estate office.
The Prema Arts Centre has a programme of cultural events, as well as the Vestry Cafe which is great for coffees and healthy lunches. The Uley Village Shop is a community store which specialises in selling local produce from within a short distance of the shop, and it is staffed by local volunteers.
There are some sensational walks outside the valley, with the Cotswold Way going right past our door. The iron-age hill fort of Uley Bury is just above the village, and a circular walk offers views of the Severn Vale, and into Wales. There are also ancient monuments within a couple of miles such as the Uley Long Barrow and Tumulus.
In terms of other activities on the estate itself, we can arrange the following:
- Guided nature walks on the estate, offering a deeper understanding of the flora and fauna of this remote Cotswold valley.
- History tours of the manor house and gardens, conducted by Sir Nicholas Mander, who is an expert on Cotswold architecture and Arts and Crafts furniture and design.
- Horse riding: we work closely with a local riding school who come and pick up guests straight from the cottages, and take them on the less-known trails around the valley. They can also arrange picnics, or take guests to the pub for lunch on horseback.
- Massage sessions, in the gardens or inside.
- Yoga classes, mostly in the manor gardens.
- Flower arranging sessions, using flowers from the estate gardens.
- Cookery classes depending on the time of year, once again using the produce grown in the vegetable garden, orchard and hedgerows.
- Gliding: the local gliding club offers lessons and gives guests an opportunity to see the Cotswolds from the air!
- Clay Pigeon shooting.
- We can also arrange tours of other country houses in the area (by prior arrangement) and guided visits to other local attractions in the Cotswolds and the Wye Valley.
There are many more activities we can arrange, but these tend to be the most popular. I should say that they come at an additional cost, as I’m sure you would understand.
We can also provide picnics in the afternoon, as well as a house and garden tour, and dinners in the evening should you need them. We can stock fridges with locally-sourced food, or pre-cooked meals, should you require them as well.
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact me Bella Wadsworth in the estate office, and we’ll do our utmost to answer all of your questions: hello@owlpen.com and 01453 860261. Thank you!
