Trotton Bed and Breakfast, South Downs, England

Planet

Initially the cottage was a 2 up, 2 down little cottage built in 1501. Since then there has been an extension attached with a separate annex at one end of the house added 5 years ago. Originally made of flint and timber, the building has now been rendered. The building has required much restoration over the years and the current owners have tried to keep it in the most original condition as possible, using local materials and workers to do the job. Restoration has included tying the walls, replacing beams, roof joists, the roof itself, electrics and plumbing. The roof is made of clay peg and tile; the walls are original and made of lath, plaster and horse hair; the ceilings are low with beams and there are open fires in every room. Even restoration work on the walls has been carefully executed to keep new walls matching with the originals by making them a bit crooked.

The cottage has its own water supply from a well and so being water conscious is important in the household. There are no chemicals used for cleaning, only green products and everything that can be is recycled or composted. There is a vegetable patch in the garden where some vegetables are grown and the chickens as well who will produce fresh eggs; they are free to roam the common and sometimes the neighbour’s garden. The rest of the veg either come from our relative’s farm, or are delivered from a local veg-box scheme. The veg box is intended to promote local food and to help the environment by cutting down on food miles as everything food travels a maximum of 20 miles.

The common, woodland, flowers and chicken feed attract foxes, badgers and a range of birds. Families of Blue Tits live in the roof and hedges and bird feeders are put out in the winter when the birds need a bit of extra help finding food, as they have plenty to forage for in the summer.

People

If you need somewhere to eat in the evenings you can visit The Keepers Arms pub next door; there you can enjoy locally brewed ales and local food. Or venture slightly further to Elsted to find more pubs and delicious food at The Three Horsehoes. For recommendations of things to see and do there are attractions nearby to get a feel for the beauty and history of the surrounding area with nearby attractions such as; Cowdray Park for the remarkable ruins; Petworth House and gardens; Uppark House and gardens; Goodwood Racecourse. You can watch golf and polo in Midhurst or visit the towns of Petworth, Petersfield and Chichester nearby. St Georges Church boasts some of the earliest medieval wall paintings and famous brasses and there is also a Monastery just a 10 minute walk down the road, making this a perfect place to stay so to attend the Monastery in the daytime.

The village of Trotton has a great community spirit and the locals meet in The Keepers Arms once a month to catch up with each other; there’s also a community bonfire which is nice to get involved in. The quintessentially English annual Trotton garden fete & Duck Race along the River Rother is always a September highlight. There’s a tombola, raffle , traditional fete games and you can enjoy a cup of tea and cake in the beautiful garden of a glorious house. Families can have a great day out and all proceeds go to the local St Georges Church.