Not sure about staying in an old property? Our property has been restored rather than modernised, so retains much of the character you would expect from a 200 year old building, with all its defects and wrinkles, but reflects also the changing styles and tastes.
By staying here, you help us to ensure the building is not insensitively modernised or converted into flats, or worst of all a car park.
That said you’ll find it has all the modern conveniences you would expect.
This is what Cottages 4 You, one of the UK’s largest holiday rental websites says about properties with character:
If you choose to holiday in an older property, remember that much of its character and charm is due to its age … properties over 100 years old … were built before the days of damp-proof courses and cavity insulation. Bear this in mind if you’re planning to take an elderly person or very young children on your holiday, especially if it’s going to be between October and April. Also, please remember that should traditional cottage features (steep stairs or low beams, for example) be a problem for any member of your party, you must mention this when you call to book.
In rural locations, people around you will often be earning their living and country hours can run into the late evening and very early morning. So be tolerant when it comes to sounds and scents – it’s all part of being in the country! It’s also worth remembering that because all the properties in our brochure are privately owned, they are decorated and furnished according to the individual owner’s tastes.
If you stay at Templelands during the winter months the heating should cope with temperatures of minus 10 Celsius and keep you cosy. In 2010 a great grandmother nonagenerian and her son, all the way from Australia, stayed for 3 weeks and coped well despite the very exceptional cold (minus ten degrees C) and unusually very deep snow. Most of the year temperatures are well above these exceptional minima.
In fact, you’ll be expected to be economical with heating from May to September (exceptional weather aside) when we expect you to be out and about and enjoying the outdoors; we are all more energy conscious these days aren’t we?
We like to use the shutters to help retain heat at night, on the one hand, but also to let the warmth in when the sun shines. Keep the shutters closed = limited passive heating.
The same applies with ventilation. Good air circulation helps prevent condensation but also allows warm / fresh air to circulate. An old house trick is open the property up when the external temperature is warm and to give it a good blast of fresh air at least once or twice a day.
Being so close to the sea the relative humidity can get quite high in summer. You may also have heard of cold highly localised sea mists known as ‘haars’. These occur in summer and are a sign that the weather is absolutely glorious, but somewhere else. Get on your bike, in the car, on the bus or the train and travel a few miles (e.g. inland) and usually you’ll be rid of it!
The garden flat has its own programmable central heating controls and piping hot water on demand and all the facilities you’d expect in a modern home, but without losing any of the charm. But if you have special needs, have a condition that requires hospital temperatures, please let us know in advance and we’ll up the boiler temperature, as normally this is not changed unless temperatures drop to minus zero (higher temperatures can play havoc with the old woodwork.) Look after our property and it/we will look after you.
We also feel that we should point out that there are steps down to the property and up into the garden (it is what is known as a half basement). If access could be an issue for you please call us first.
The old walled garden has been restocked and redesigned, but retains an old garden feel, with characteristic rubble sandstone walls.
If there is anything else that concerns you about staying in a 200 year old property, then please do ask in advance.
With all that said we welcome children of all ages, their parents, grandparents and great grandparents too – all year round.