"Charming Getaway: Exploring the Cabbages & Roses Air BnB in Bath"
- theloisedit@gmail.com
- May 21, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 9, 2024
The Loft is nestled in a sleepy valley just outside the historic city of Bath inside the grounds of the 600 year old Brook Cottage, birth place of the quintessentially British Brand Cabbages and Roses, home of the late Christina Strutt, co-founder of Cabbages and Roses https://www.cabbagesandroses.com
From the moment we arrived we were smitten with the accommodation. It felt like we had stepped right into a the pages of a magazine !
The Loft is spacious, the decor light, bright and extremely pretty. We found our eyes were darting to and fro over the details, from the trailing “Creeping Jenny” plants tumbling down from the ceiling, to the carefully curated collections of books and Vogue magazines.
Everything is perfectly placed, and with purpose, either to be useful or visually appealing. I am reminded of the William Morris quote -
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
The Loft was previously used a working studio by Christina Strutt and featured in her best selling book "Living Life Beautifully" https://www.cabbagesandroses.com/living-life-beautifully-hardback-book-r040-077-00-00.html
Converted by Christina’s son Ed who is a forester, this is revealed by the slabs of tree bark used as bedside tables, wash stand, wood panelling and rustic garden terrace.
The Loft Airbnb is run by both Ed and his wife Sophie, a gardener which explains the carefully planted pots and adjoining cottage garden.
When we first arrived the squishy sofa was inviting us with flat screen TV and access to Netflix , an perfect place to relax for an evening, but we had booked the hot tub option . So we threw on the kimono style robes conveniently provided by our hosts and flip flopped outside to the terrace to dive into the log burning hot tub which had been warmed,ready and waiting for our arrival .
We went to the closest Village Marshfield and had a good meal at http://www.thecatherinewheel.co.uk
We spent the evening winding down with a bottle of wine as the light faded under the canopy of trees.
It was easy to get a good nights sleep. The bed was super comfy, covered in luxurious Cabbage and Roses linens and the only sound to be heard was an owl hooting away to remind us where we were.
After a light breakfast we ventured into the city of Bath for our first day as it is just 5 miles away from St Catherines.
The single track roads to Bath are picture perfect at this time of year, crowned with cow parsley and bursting with vibrant greens. Don’t be put driving here by the narrow lanes, we had no trouble, we only saw one car on the lanes durning our stay. You are more likely to pass fields of cows and sheep than you are to see people or cars as you walk and drive through these country lanes.
For day 2 we decided to stay put to enjoy the area and took a walk along the brook at the bottom of the garden https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/st-catherine-bath-and-north-east-somerset
We wandered across to St Catherines Church which has an interesting history, dating back to the
12th Century, and is a Grade II listed building.
You can find out more about the St Catherines Church from their website http://www.batheastonchurches.uk/Page1.html
The church sits in the grounds of St Catherines Court which is a GradeI listed building famous in recent times for being home to British Actor Jane Seymour and her family. It is alleged they upset locals with noisy parties !
After a light lunch on the terrace we spend the rest of the afternoon in the hot tub readying ourselves for our big night out to Castle Farm Supper Club https://www.theloisedit.com/post/supperclubs
We depart on Day 3 and head off home via Castle Combe, dubbed the most beautiful village in England.
The village is a magnet for tourists, on a weekend I recommended going early in the morning to avoid crowds.
May is a good time to visit to see wisteria in full bloom, it was a delightful end to our trip
You can find out more about Castle Combe from the village website
If you want to find out more about where we stayed I've added the link to The Loft on Air BnB
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/4209105?adults=1&children=0&enable_m3_private_room=true&infants=0&pet
See more of St Catherines Court https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/home-st-catherines-court.html?sortBy=relevant
How beautiful! If I could find a place like that ,walking distance from a city like Bath, I would move in a heartbeat! May miss my sea view though! Looking forward to St. Ives blog. Suzi x