Tudor barn - large group self-catering on the farm in Suffolk

Milden Hall barn offers adults and children a very unusual location, off the beaten track. Friends, families, cyclists, walkers, bird watchers, tourists, re-enactors, hen parties, special wedding anniversary or 40th birthday party guests can get together in spacious, beautiful, ancient and unspoiled surroundings and amidst a sensitively farmed landscape - for a 2-3 night weekend or midweek break.

The large 16th century aisled barn (95ft long) and attached cartlodge have been adapted to offer simple but unique - and rather whacky accommodation for a large one-group booking of up to 22 (+ 2 sofa beds + 2 travel cots + camp beds) plus optional b&b (6+) and, once barn and b&b is full, a few campers to sleep a total of up to 40 as follows:

• Cartlodge (under-floor heated):
  One downstairs double with bathroom en suite; one upstairs twin (small); two sofa beds in upstairs sitting room. A sunny, spacious and well-equipped kitchen seating 12, and second bathroom accessible to all.
• Interconnecting barn (coir-matted throughout) :
  Two curtained four-poster beds, two truckle doubles on wheels, two singles in the gallery plus six more movable singles. All open plan with curtains to divide area and all beds except four-posters movable. Three large oak tables, benches and simple wooden chests furnish the area.
• Interconnecting 'potting shed double' (with simple radiator):
  One private double with its own loo and basin.
• Additional shower and loo block a hop, skip and a jump away in adjacent building for large groups, with wheelchair friendly loo.
• Heating in deepest winter:
  The cartlodge end (kitchen, small sitting room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms) is underfloor heated, and the third 'potting shed' bedroom and shower block are very cosy too. The main barn has a roaring giant woodburner one end and diesel heater (and rarely used booster gas heaters) the other end. It is coir-matted throughout and 15 tog duvets make 4-posters very cosy. However, during a very cold snap in deepest winter, waking up in the 16th century barn is not like waking up in a large 21st century centrally heated house as there is huge heat loss over night! Woolly sweaters and sense of adventure are essential!
• Three additional spacious bed & breakfast bedrooms to sleep 6+ in the Hall for those who prefer four-diamond farmhouse accommodation!
• Camping meadow for a few extra guests from the same barn party
  

Garden and farm :
Both sides of the barn have a herb garden and one large fenced-off lawn so that small children can be kept under supervision - and plenty of space for a spit roast or game of croquet. Beyond lies the farm museum, more unspoiled, listed historic buildings, and the 500 acre farm with tracks, castle earthworks, cornfields, woodland, ponds and meadows to explore.

Banquets & online deliveries:
We can recommend our excellent local farm shop, Hollow Trees, get a caterer in or we’ll unpack an online supermarket delivery ready for your arrival.  For one night, change into provided period Tudor costumes and enjoy a banquet using wooden platters, Tudor pottery and wine goblets.

The barn, surrounds and what you can do (we provide a list of activity suggestions to suit your group both for on-farm and beyond):
The barn is a really lovely place - set amidst a peaceful and environmentally friendly farm down a long drive with meadows,  bantams scratching, space to roam, space to be together and apart. 

• If it rains, indoors you can try out the barn dance with caller CD, delve in the dressing up box and put on a play or prepare for a Tudor evening banquet, play table tennis, table football, twister, scrabble or do a giant puzzle – or borrow a map and go exploring Lavenham and other wonderful places.  And there is a TV/dvd/video too.
  
  
• If you’re keen on the big outdoors, borrow our 20 adult bikes and small assortment of children’s and try out the cryptic clue bike treasure hunt around local villages or just follow our planned short or long circular routes; play football or cricket on a nearby meadow, potter around the farm tracks or walk further afield around nearby medieval wool villages and nature reserves; play tennis (even in winter!).  And for families try building a den, a scavenge hunt or tree hugging from our family activity pack. 

Brochure - ask for a brochure and details of our flexible booking periods. Click here for price list and our terms and conditions.

Layout of Barn - click here
To see or download a drawing of the layout of the barn and surrounding area in a larger size (A3), please click the thumbnail image on the right to see a larger version. This is a pdf file for which Adobe Acrobat Reader is required. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer it can be downloaded free - click here