Whether a carefully restored cottage, an imposing gatehouse, or a turret transformed into a one-bedroom nook, the National Trust\u2019s<\/a> holiday properties put you at the heart of its most spectacular estates.<\/p>\n Take 89 Church Lawn<\/a>, a four-bedroom bolthole in the gardens of Stourhead, just a few steps from its magnificent lake. Here, surrounded by centuries of history and glorious landscaping, you\u2019ll enjoy out-of-hours access to the entire demesne; for twilight strolls beneath ancient sweet chestnuts, and sunrise coffee beside the misty, mirror-like water.<\/p>\n At Sissinghurst, Priest\u2019s House<\/a> is an Elizabethan treasure with 450 acres of parkland on its doorstep. Or, for a wilder escape, The Tower<\/a> (pictured) stands sentry on Norfolk\u2019s Blickling estate, amid patchwork pastures and ancient woodland. Its spiral staircase leads up to a Rapunzel-style roof terrace, with views as far as the coast.<\/p>\n Each one of Sawday\u2019s<\/a> self-catering sanctuaries is gloriously, unabashedly unique.<\/p>\n No 2<\/a>, for example, combines the wild beauty of Cairngorms National Park, in the Scottish Highlands, with painstakingly restored Victorian splendour. It\u2019s a four-bedroom haven for hikers, nature-lovers, and design devotees, stuffed with plush furnishings and an enviable collection of old and new treasures \u2013 such as a large leather Chesterfield, two woodburners, and a wooden weather observatory built by Prince Albert himself.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, The Old Laundry<\/a> (pictured) is set in Pitlochry\u2019s Dunalastair Estate: you can spot ospreys and red squirrels from its deep-soak bathtub, with views of the mountains and munros beyond. Spend your days trout-fishing, trail-stomping, and picnicking on the banks of the loch, before tumbling into the four-poster bed. And that\u2019s just the start: Sawday\u2019s offers properties all over the UK, and throughout Europe, too.<\/p>\n When Audley End<\/a> closes its gates every evening, leaving its Victorian mansion and Capability Brown-garden in peace, the residents of Cambridge Lodge have the glorious grounds all to themselves \u2013 a playground for anyone with a passion for history. Built in 1842, this beautiful red-brick sleeps four people and is dog-friendly, too, with cosy interiors hidden behind its heavy, hand-carved wooden door.<\/p>\n It\u2019s just one of English Heritage\u2019s<\/a> many notable boltholes, each of which offers exclusive access to estates throughout the country. In North Yorkshire, you can sleep in the shadow of Rievaulx Abbey\u2019s mighty 900-year-old ruins at Refectory Cottage<\/a> (pictured) \u2013 a snip from just \u00a325 per person per night for a week in low season \u2013 with a wood-burning stove, a private garden, and a hamper of locally sourced goodies.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in Kent, Peverell\u2019s Tower<\/a> (a two-person retreat) is built right into the 13th-century fortifications of Dover Castle, with a roof terrace overlooking the ramparts.<\/p>\n Sheepskin\u2019s<\/a> collection is rooted in rural life \u2013 all farmhouses, cottages and converted barns, where sylvan surroundings meet traditional craftsmanship and winsome decor.<\/p>\n The most characterful cluster is in the Cotswolds: built from the area\u2019s famous honeyed stone, and rich in timber beams, oak floors, and original leaded windows. The result? The kind of weekend retreat you can barely tear yourself from \u2013 where days are spent cuddled up beside crackling fires, and drinking wine in bubble-filled bathtubs.<\/p>\n Thimble Mill<\/a> (below) sleeps two guests (plus dogs) with riverside rambles right from its front door. Pineapple Spa<\/a>, meanwhile, combines Cotswolds charm with a few ritzy extras, like a gleaming copper tub and chandelier-lit sitting room.<\/p>\n While rescuing a dilapidated Welsh cottage from ruin, architectural historian Dr Greg Stevenson dreamt up the idea of Under The Thatch<\/a>. By renting out finished restorations, he realised he could plough profits back into new projects, and give history-loving holidaymakers the getaway of their dreams. \u2018The first one was a gamble,\u2019 says Greg, \u2018but it paid off and I\u2019ve gone on to restore perhaps a hundred buildings since.\u2019<\/p>\n Today, 20 years after that first revamp, Under The Thatch represents properties all over Wales, located in fabulously far-flung locations. On the Llyn Peninsula you\u2019ll find Yr Hen Fynydd (pictured), a stone-built mountain hideaway that overlooks Snowdonia and Cardigan Bay; while Penrhiw in Pembrokeshire combines easy beach access with a rustic aesthetic \u2013 think natural woods, low beams, and a cosy open hearth.<\/p>\n \u2018Each one combines authentic conservation with modern convenience,\u2019 says Greg, \u2018so expect lime-washes and hand-mixed paints \u2013 alongside Netflix-connected TVs and decent-quality kitchen knives.\u2019<\/p>\n As its name suggests, The Temple of Diana<\/a> (pictured) is no ordinary holiday rental. Set amid Capability Brown\u2019s Weston Park, this Yorkshire idyll dates back to the mid 1700s and was designed by architect James Paine (whose credits include Nostell Priory and the stables at Chatsworth).<\/p>\n The three-bay Orangery is its centrepiece, with panoramic views out over the greenery: a superlative spot for dining, entertaining, or just kicking back to admire its Italianate columns and intricate ceiling design. Remarkably, a week here costs from just \u00a3900, with space for six guests in three double bedrooms.<\/p>\n It\u2019s part of the Rural Retreats<\/a> portfolio, which is renowned for one-of-a-kind properties throughout the UK: from sea-spritzed lighthouses to Grade II-listed beauties.<\/p>\n In County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, Belle Isle Castle<\/a> is another of its treasures, with sumptuous interior design by the late David Hicks, magnificent oil paintings and mahogany furniture, and two wings that can be hired individually or together, sleeping up to 26. A humble abode this is not.<\/p>\n \u2018It nearly killed me, but it was the most rewarding job we\u2019ve ever done,\u2019 says John Evetts, Landmark\u2019s Furnishing Manager, of restoring The Grange<\/a>, the family home of architect Augustus Pugin.<\/p>\n Reinstating its wood-panelled library, where Pugin penned designs for the House of Lords in the mid 1800s, required the utmost attention to detail \u2013 particularly for the stained-glass window, hand-painted friezes, and jewel-hued wallpaper emblazoned with the family motto \u2018En Avant\u2019 (Forward).<\/p>\n The effect is spellbinding: step inside, and you\u2019ll be transported to the heyday of the house, with the added perks of a modern kitchen, space for eight guests, and even Waitrose Delivery.<\/p>\n John has spent more than 40 years bringing the Landmark Trust\u2019s<\/a> historic properties back to life, carefully treading the line between faithful restoration and rental requirements.<\/p>\n Other highlights include Queen Anne\u2019s Summerhouse<\/a> in Old Warden, a charming brick folly that dates back to the 18th century; and Woodspring Priory<\/a> (pictured), near Weston-super-Mare, an Augustinian house founded in 1210. \u2018I try to make the properties into somewhere that you can be comfortable and at ease,\u2019 says John. \u2018But it shouldn\u2019t feel \u2018designer\u2019 done; I don\u2019t want people to feel they have to tiptoe around it.\u2019<\/p>\n By Molly Malsom Published: Thursday, 18 November 2021 at 12:00 am The National Trust Whether a carefully restored cottage, an imposing gatehouse, or a turret transformed into a one-bedroom nook, the National Trust\u2019s holiday properties put you at the heart of its most spectacular estates. Take 89 Church Lawn, a four-bedroom bolthole in the gardens […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":103,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/11\/best-self-catering-holidays-in-heritage-properties.jpg",1800,1200,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/11\/best-self-catering-holidays-in-heritage-properties-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/11\/best-self-catering-holidays-in-heritage-properties-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/11\/best-self-catering-holidays-in-heritage-properties-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/11\/best-self-catering-holidays-in-heritage-properties-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/11\/best-self-catering-holidays-in-heritage-properties-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/11\/best-self-catering-holidays-in-heritage-properties.jpg",1800,1200,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Molly Malsom Published: Thursday, 18 November 2021 at 12:00 am The National Trust Whether a carefully restored cottage, an imposing gatehouse, or a turret transformed into a one-bedroom nook, the National Trust\u2019s holiday properties put you at the heart of its most spectacular estates. Take 89 Church Lawn, a four-bedroom bolthole in the gardens…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/102"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\""Best\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/19\/2021\/11\/The-Tower-Blickling-C-National-Trust-Images-Mike-Henton-4-63ffd8b.jpg?quality=90&resize=551%2C413"\" "\\"\"The\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Sawday\u2019s<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\""Best\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/19\/2021\/11\/DJI_0049-36091d7.jpg?quality=90&resize=551%2C413"\" "\\"\"DJI_0049\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>English Heritage<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Sheepskin<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\""Best\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/19\/2021\/11\/TMILL-114-b31ad39.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"TMILL-114\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Under The Thatch<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Rural Retreats<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\""Best\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/19\/2021\/11\/159331821-99023c1.jpg?quality=90&resize=545%2C413"\" "\\"\"159331821\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Landmark Trust<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\""Best\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/19\/2021\/11\/Woodspring_Priory_PGrundy_09-e62df96.jpg?quality=90&resize=524%2C413"\" "\\"\"Woodspring_Priory_PGrundy_09\"\\"\/")
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