Raleighs

Reviews

A beautiful, well equipped cottage. Ideally situated in the centre of the hamlet and close to shops, pubs and walks. Will be going back.

A first class cottage and an ideal property in which to spend Christmas. Fantastic location, beautifully decorated, well equipped and very comfortable. Cerne Abbas is a lovely village, fantastic pubs, great village stores and very welcoming. All in all, we had a wonderful stay.

Lovely historic cottage in a beautiful historic village.Spotlessly clean and situated perfectly in the High street. Parking good. Lovely walks and pubs nearby.

It was a very warm cosy cottage with lovely comfortable beds and we had a pleasant stay. We had our last holiday in Purbeck which had much of interest. Sadly nothing much seems to have happened at Cerne, so it was a journey to the south most days.

Raleighs is a very comfortable and warm house with many interesting features, not least it's age and origin. The bed was very comfortable, the shower was good if a little tricky to use with my broken arm, the kitchen well stocked and the lovely welcome gifts very much appreciated. The secure back courtyard was great for peace of mind with the whippets but the weather took a turn for the colder so we didn't manage to sit out with a drink and food, which is a shame. Parking was easy on Long Street if you don't fancy backing into the narrow drive. The further we ended up was less than 20 seconds walk away when parking. Very hand. This was in September so not fully peak time but CA seems to be visited by a fairy constant but not overwhelming stream of interesting visitors for the local attractions. Cerne Abbass is an interesting village, for obvious reasons, and the shops and pubs were all very friendly, useful and accommodating. We found a good place to let the dogs off for a run at the back of the church cemetery with paths round to the Giant and also for a circuit around the giant Hill. Stunning countryside views all around make this a real pleasure. The story of the Well is interesting and worth looking around what's left of the Abbey if the owners have left the open sign up. The village store is a great place to shop with lots of lovely treats, practical provisions including the extremely local unhomogneised, free range whole milk from a mile or so down the road, delivered by a handy machine into your own bottle (or you can buy one with the Giant on which is an entertaining souvenir). Also the pasties were delicious and people there were friendly and helpful. The Giant seems to be the locals pub, and very friendly, so a good place to go for a beer or two. We didn't have food there but it looked good, tasty, and seemed to be well appreciated. The Royal Oak is a classic, old pub; pleasantly unspoilt, with lots of character but perhaps needing a good clean and more careful management of the pipes and the drinks that they are supplying, but that didn't stop us from eating a very hearty game pie and vegan shepherds pie (yes catering for all tastes), with good, non-fussy cooked vegetables. The New Inn was very comfortable both in the beer garden in the sun, when warm, and also in the evening inside when cooler. Very friendly staff and very popular for groups staying in CA. A bit more upmarket for food and surroundings but none the worse for it in terms of the welcome and atmosphere. Book ahead for food though; we didn't, and ended up missing out on a meal there. The Greyhound at Sydling was great for lunch on a gradually wording weather day, on the way back from a walk round the amazing Maiden Castle. Weighmouth was characterful and interesting and that includes the weather. Studland was gorgeous as ever, even on a colder day and the Bankes Arms fish and chips were welcome. Beaminster, the cafe at the fancy gift shop was lovely for sandwiches and coffee in the sunny back court yard. Also the The Greyhound food was homemade, hearty and filling on a wet day. ALL of the above mentioned, it goes without saying, we're very welcoming of our two whippets. All in all a great week in a lovely old house in and interesting village in Dorset with some interesting weather to contend with and our two whippets with us.

Raleigh's is a charming 16th century half-timbered house with a very tasteful interior with lots of old furniture and decorative items. The kitchen and lounge are very spacious, as are the bedrooms. The kitchen is well equipped with lots of cooking utensils, crockery and glasses. There is a modern hob next to the Aga. The kitchen opens onto the small courtyard, which is beautifully planted and sheltered from view. You can feel that Raleigh's is also used by the owners themselves, many photographs show the family's life. The hot water supply works very well, although a hand shower would be desirable in one of the two bathrooms. Raleigh's is located in a picture-perfect village of Cerne Abbas with three pubs, a church and an excellent village shop, which is small but has pretty much everything, including many local products. We would highly recommend the house to all holidaymakers who appreciate a combination of old-fashioned charm and modern amenities.

We felt so at home at the cottage, the exterior and interior are beautiful. The cottage is full of such interesting objects and is really well equipped, with easy instructions to follow in the book left for guests. The location is gorgeous and, during our stay, very peaceful, but it is so easy to reach places to explore. Sitting by the fire in the evening was a real treat and the house and it's history are wonderful to enjoy.

A beautifully furnished and comfortable cottage in an absolutely prime location, although perhaps a little over-furnished with the owners' (who use the cottage periodically themselves) family ornaments and childhood photos everywhere. One feels a bit inhibited from clearing what few free surfaces there are for one's own essentials. The downstairs shower needs refurbishing (important if you're a party of up to six with just the one family bathroom upstairs). Parking on the road outside is luckily free, since few modern cars are slender enough to park in the driveway alongside the cottage. In high season that might be a problem (we were there in January). In spite of drawbacks, an excellent base for exploring this part of Dorset and an exceptionally friendly village.

Thank you so much for a very special stay. We loved every minute. Your house is wonderful - so many treasures. Thank you for your generosity.

We enjoyed a wonderful week at Raleigh’s and were so sorry that we forgot to write in the visitors’ book. A delightful home away from home: Picturesque, charming, quirky and cosy. The perfect village was a great spot for the local shop, pub food and dog walks. The quaint house an enchanting place to return to after each day’s activity, whether it be visiting the towns or Dorchester (Maiden Castle is a must see), Sherborne and it’s castle, Weymouth and it’s beach, or the Hardy landscapes and Lulworth Cove and Durdle door. The dogs particularly enjoyed the hilly giant walk and the Puddletown Forest with its Roman road. Raleigh’s had a lovely wooden stove to warm us, a modern Aga to cook our casseroles and lovely hot showers and dreamily comfortable beds. We are looking forward to returning and would highly recommend.