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15th Century Period Cottage In Saffron Walden, Essex, England

Photo gallery for 15th Century Period Cottage In Saffron Walden, Essex, England

Drake Cottage - rose in bloom and side gate to courtyard garden.
Sitting room
Drake Cottage from the street.
Dining room with seating for 6 and inglenook brick fireplace.
Double bedroom with ensuite shower room

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 481.3 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Hot tub
  • Barbecue grill
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Fireplace

Explore the area

Map
Saffron Walden, ENG
  • Market Square
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Saffron Walden Museum
    ‪14 min walk‬
  • Audley End House
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • London (STN-Stansted)
    ‪20 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet

Shower room 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

15th Century Period Cottage In Saffron Walden, Essex, England

Chocolate box cottage in the heart of the market town of Saffron Walden and yet situated in a quiet back street and only 0.2 miles from the Market Square passing by an artisan bakery and interesting shops and restaurants along the way.

The cottage has undergone extensive renovation to include kitchen, bathroom and en-suite yet retains all of its historic character. The cottage is heavily beamed with a large inglenook fireplace to two rooms, oak floors to the downstairs. It has a small and very private courtyard garden. The property has on road parking available outside. Ideally situated to explore Saffron Walden and Cambridge and London is easily accessed by the local station Audley End which is a 5 minute drive away from the cottage. It is just perfect for two - four guests and idyllic for two.
Drake Cottage received the ROSE award from Visit England in 2022 in recognition of service excellence - only 100 hospitality venues receive the award in any year.

Property manager

Deborah Wheatley
Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space

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Exterior detail

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Highchair , travel cot and stair gate available
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Smoking is allowed outside on the patio .
Due to the age of the house absolutely no candles or naked flames can be used in the cottage but we do provide LED flickering candles for your use
Bookings only accepted one year in advance.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Saffron Walden

Located in Saffron Walden, this cottage is in the city centre. Audley End House and Old Sun Inn are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Chilford Hall Vineyard and Gog Magog Golf Club. Travelling with kids? Consider Bridge End Gardens and Whoosh Explore. Spend some time exploring the area's activities, including golfing.
Map
Saffron Walden, ENG

What's nearby

  • Fry Art Gallery - 1 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Bridge End Gardens - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Market Square - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Saffron Walden Museum - 14 min walk - 1.2 km
  • Audley End House - 3 min drive - 2.3 km

Getting around

  • Audley End Station - 5 min drive
  • London (STN-Stansted) - 20 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Duke of York - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪The Temeraire - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Waffle and Coffee - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪the Railway Arms - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪The Curious Goat - ‬4 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is 15th Century Period Cottage In Saffron Walden, Essex, England pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at 15th Century Period Cottage In Saffron Walden, Essex, England?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at 15th Century Period Cottage In Saffron Walden, Essex, England?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is 15th Century Period Cottage In Saffron Walden, Essex, England located?

This family-friendly cottage is located in the city centre, within 1 mi (2 km) of Fry Art Gallery and Audley End House. Bridge End Gardens and Church of St. Mary are just steps away.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 119 out of 126 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 126 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 126 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 126 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 126 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Peter H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Just Excellent
We try to stay here whenever we're in Saffron Walden, visiting family. We are very pleased with the property and the helpfulness of the owner and housekeeper. My only word of caution to prospective guests is that the narrow, winding staircase is not suitable for people with mobility issues, but that would be my only real reservation.
Stayed 10 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Helen H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely cottage
Drake Cottage is a delightful place to stay. It’s (really) old and beautifully renovated with lots of great touches for guests. It’s very close to the centre of Saffron Walden but quiet.would love to come back.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joseph P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely house
A lovely old house in Saffron Walden. A beautiful village, close to Cambridge.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Dominic N., Cambridgeshire

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A wonderful stay. A beautiful cottage in a perfect location.
A wonderful stay. A beautiful cottage in a perfect location.
Stayed 12 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stunning period cottage in Saffron Walden
Full of character and beautifully presented property. Comfortable, cozy, extremely well equipped. Location couldn’t be better, quiet, but short walk to all local amenities. Saffron Walden is a quintessential English town, with so much to see and explore. Would definitely return to both Drake Cottage and Saffron Walden.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Marc M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing
Perfect ! amazing place ! fully equiped !
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Patrick C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Excellent Stay
Cozy cottage with full of character, made great by the owners attention to detail. No complaints at all.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ann T.

Very characterful cottage
Very cosy quirky cottage. Had a great time in a home from home with everything you could want.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Helen C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely short break
Clean, comfortable and quirky property which was actually better than we expected as the photos don’t do it justice! Thank you for a lovely stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Sharon W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect!
We stayed for a few nights birthday surprise for my best friend.The cottage was perfect.Proximity to the town fantastic,no traffic noise ect..but the best part of all is the added touches that meke you feel welcome and special...all toiletries,hairdryers,milk,tea,coffee,an amnesty basket incase you have forgotten anything and then the towelling robes to sit in the gorgeous lounge watching a film with hot chocolate in hand.Id like to say thankyou for allowing us the privilege to stay in your beautiful grade 1 listed building,if those walls could talk im sure they would be happy with the loving way its been renovated. We will definitely return one day.xx
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Catherine C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Charming Heritage Cottage
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our week's stay at Drake Cottage. The location is perfect; close enough to town to walk to the shops, cafes and restaurants, but off the main road for peace and quiet. The cottage was spotless and beautifully decorated, everything you need is provided. Deb and Lucy answered our questions quickly and efficiently. We would highly recommend a visit to this wonderful cottage in Saffron Walden!
Stayed 6 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Connie B.

Charming!
Such an amazing location. Right in town and close to everything. We had a great time.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2018

10/10 Excellent

Rainer A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
One of the oldest houses in Saffron Walden!
A most delightful and original cottage- very lovingly arranged for holidaymakers. Superbly equipped - nothing wanting at all!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Vicki B., Niskayuna, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful Cottage
The cottage has all modern conveniences and is tastefully decorated. Everything was comfortable. The stairs are a bit challenging. The cottage is easy walking distance to town. We enjoyed our stay very much.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Antony H.

Luxury in quiet cul-de-sac in charming town
Modernised to the highest standards, this property was ideal for our family of five plus dog. It is close to many places of interest and even the cold wet weather didn't dampen our enjoyment.

10/10 Excellent

Neil D.

Lovely old period cottage in beautiful town
Cottage was spotlessly clean, lovely interesting and well-equipped. There is so much to explore in Saffron Walden. Bridge End Gardens are delightful.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Peter H., Calgary, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Just Excellent
This is the place where we always try to stay when in Saffron Walden. Highly recommended
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Clare D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A gem of a cottage
This cottage is set in walking distance of the town but in a quiet backstreet among other period houses. Plenty of space for two independent adults and much hilarity with the stairs - do as we did and decant suitcase contents downstairs! Communication before and during the stay was excellent and loved all the homely touches of the cottage. 100% recommend staying here for a real Saffron Walden experience! Thank you Deb, will look forward to a return visit
Stayed 14 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Chris H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect short break
Drake Cottage was a fabulous place to stay. Its obviously a beautiful, old, cosy cottage. But its also modern and comfortable. The kitchen in particular was excellent. It has everything you need for a proper cook. Being so close to the centre of town was a bonus. There's plenty to do in the area. We'd never thought of staying in Saffron Walden before. It's a lovely place and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Maryam O.

Beautiful cottage in a beautiful town!
We absolutely loved this old cottage and were so surprised of how clean and modern it was. It was just perfect. All the amenities we needed were there with shopping close by. It was a little warm due to the abnormally hot weather, but with the windows opened and a fan, it helped. You may bonk your head a few times due to low beams, but that’s part of the charm. We so loved this little cottage and the town of Saffron Walden!
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Petronella V.

Character cottage in beautiful part of Saffron Walden
Best accommodation in Saffron Walden. Friendly and helpful owner and great housekeeper, always available for any queries. This 14th century cottage oozes charm, located in a peaceful and quiet part of SF, yet close to centre. All mod cons available, especially the kitchen is a gem! Free parking very close. I would recommend this cottage wholeheartedly. Great for families but also for couples or even one person, as one feels "at home" straightaway .
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Nicola H.

A relaxing, hidden gem
The cottage is truly amazing. It is well equipped, cosy and relaxing. The decor is modern whilst still very complementing of the era, all the finishing touches are perfect. All the rooms were spotless. The beds were so comfortable it was a struggle to get up and explore. The location is perfect for a trip to Cambridge or London or just stay in Saffron Walden, which is a lovely town. The kitchen has everything that you could want for a weekend or a longer stay. We loved our stay here and would recommend it to everyone.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Gillian C.

Gem of a property
This is a gorgeous cottage! It is truly quaint but with a modern kitchen, ensuite and bathroom. Spotlessly clean! Lucy, the housekeeper was there to greet us, give us the key and show us around. The location is superb being minutes on foot from the town centre. Absolutely couldn't fault this rental and would love to return for a longer stay. Would recommend to anyone. Superb!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2017
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Superb Cottage
A lovely time was had by myself and my gf over the easter weekend here. The listing description was 100% accurate regarding the location, layout and facilities. The property was spotlessly clean on arrival.The owner Deb and housekeeper Lucy were very friendly and nice, giving excellent customer service from the time of arranging the booking until departing the cottage. I would highly recommend this property to anybody thinking about booking a stay here. Many fine dining restaurants to choose from close by and i can honestly say i could find no fault with the weekend we had at this lovely cottage.

10/10 Excellent

Russell P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Drake Cottage
Drake Cottage 13- 20 October Sorry for delay in responding. This in no way reflects our enjoyment of our stay in Drake Cottage. A message was left in the Cottage visitor book. We found the cottage to be everything we required in comfort and modern convenience while retaining the feeling of old-world charm. It was beautifully appointed for self-catering and was spotlessly clean. The beds, pillows and the bedding were luxurious and more comfortable than any we have ever experienced over many years of both hotel and self-catering holidays. The location of the cottage was superb for access to the town centre. it made for a most interesting and relaxing holiday venue.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

About the host

Hosted by Deborah Wheatley

Host profile image
This cottage was bought to be our personal bolt hole when visiting England and also a home to share with our friends and family as we currently live in Fort Lauderdale Florida. We have dual British and American citizenship having moved to the USA 23 years ago.

The cottage is our personal pride and joy and it will be a pleasure for us to share this historic cottage with you.

Why they chose this property

We fell in love with the cottage in 2012 while visiting Saffron Walden; it was so pretty with roses around the door and only a 2 minute walk from the town's restaurants and shops. We had lived in Saffron Walden before moving to Chicago, USA in 1999 and now live in Fort Lauderdale , Florida. We are very happy to have bought the cottage so we get to spend time in England.
We love Saffron Walden with its historic centre and market place and the cottage's location, though in a very quiet street, is only a few minutes from the shops, market place, pubs and restaurants making it unnecessary to drive anywhere when in town. The cottage is only 25 minutes drive from the centre of Cambridge and a 45 minute train ride to the London Underground.

What makes this property unique

If you are looking for a romantic period cottage to spend a week or weekend this cottage is a perfect match. 15th century charm with up to date plumbing, kitchen and bathrooms.

It's location between Cambridge and London make it an ideal base for visiting the UK as the Audley End train station with its regular service to both cities is a 10 minute drive away making it unnecessary to drive into the cities. It is also perfectly situated for touring the East Anglia area including Suffolk and Norfolk.

The cottage oozes character from every beam and has a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. Audley End Park is only a 5 minute walk away from the cottage meaning you can enjoy the English countryside as well as all that the town itself offers.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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