Miller's Cottage, The Old Mill

Miller's Cottage was formerly occupied by the miller when the windmill, known as The Old Mill, was still a working mill. Since then it has been beautifully restored whilst still retaining its historic charm. Set in the heart of Snape surrounded by beautiful countryside, Miller's Cottage is close to the Aldeburgh coast and just a short walk from Snape Maltings and the river Alde.

ALDEBURGH 6 miles, ORFORD 7.5 miles, RSPB MINSMERE 9 miles, WOODBRIDGE 11 miles, DUNWICH 17 miles, SOUTHWOLD 18 miles

A History: Tucked away in the tranquil setting of Snape sits the charming Miller's Cottage, part of The Old Mill which dates back to 1797. The Old Mill was converted in 1937 by the UK's most famous modern composer, Benjamin Britten, and it was here that he composed some of his greatest works including Peter Grimes.

Living here with his partner Peter Pears, the building was the meeting place for many great writers, musicians and artists of the mid 20th century including E.M. Forster, John Piper and W.H. Auden. Creators of the Aldeburgh Festival in the 1940s, Britten and Pears soon found that the Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh was too small for the audiences they were attracting and began looking for a larger concert venue. Living at The Old Mill, they looked down over the derelict Snape Maltings in its beautiful riverside setting and set to work to convert the Maltings into the world famous concert hall it is today. You can read more of The Old Mill's history here. 

This Suffolk Cottage Property: Miller's Cottage itself has been restored to create a wonderful holiday cottage all on ground floor level, and is full of charm and character. Perfectly designed throughout, the wonderful history of the property remains with its pamment flooring and flint walls but also has all the mod cons you could possibly want including TV, DVD player and WiFi. The cosy, countryside theme running throughout creates a very welcoming atmosphere. The kitchen is lovely and bright and the dining area is right next to the window, looking out over the garden. The sitting room is the perfect place to relax and lose yourself in a good book, the bedroom is light and tastefully decorated. The garden has a picnic bench - wonderful for dining al fresco in the summer months.

If you are thinking of holidaying with friends but each want your own space, do have a look at Garden Cottage, also in the grounds of the Old Mill. 

Sleeps: Sleeps 2 in 1 super king or 2 singles (please specify which you would prefer at time of booking).

Parking: There is plenty of space for turning and parking in the drive outside the cottage.

This property is ideal for: Miller's Cottage makes a wonderful base for a couple or two friends wanting to enjoy Snape and the Suffolk coast. Ideal for those who enjoy walking, cycling, music and art, fine dining or simply relaxing, there are any number of great walks in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. RSPB Minsmere is 9 miles away.

The Old Mill is just under 1 mile from Snape Maltings, a centre for fine dining, shopping, art and culture. The Snape Maltings Concert Hall has an all year round programme of music and dance from many genres. This is also a great place to start a walk; either follow your own leisurely itinerary or join one of the guided tours from Snape Maltings to explore the wildlife and historic landscape of the Alde valley. There are also boat trips down the river Alde to Iken church, an area naturally rich in wildlife and a haven for wildfowl. 

For cyclists the quiet country lanes and pathways provide a picturesque ride with some great pubs and tearooms to punctuate your journey. 

Snape, Woodbridge and particularly Aldeburgh are rich in art galleries for viewing, collecting or inspiring and you will find a great art shop in Woodbridge, an Aladdin's cave of art materials for creating your own landscape masterpiece. 

Eating and Drinking: With three local pubs - The Plough & Sail, The Golden Key and The Crown - all of which offer food from fish and chips to gourmet cuisine, you can dine somewhere different every night without taking your car out of the drive. These pubs feature local produce on their menus. If you're happy to travel a little further, Aldeburgh and Woodbridge have an abundance of fine eateries.

In Aldeburgh great restaurants include The Regatta and The Lighthouse; both are very popular and there is also a good choice of shops selling excellent local produce. The historic fishing village of Orford is situated on the rivers Alde and Ore and well worth a visit for lunch, supper or just to explore. Pinney's of Orford has grown oysters at Butley Creek since the 1950s and their smoke house supplies mouth-watering freshly smoked fish every day. The Crown & Castle, Orford, co-owned by Ruth Watson of TV's The Hotel Inspector fame, offers a wonderful menu, fine wine and enjoys great reviews. 
  
Self Catering: There are several good farm shops nearby; try Friday Street Farm Shop on the A1094 just before you get to the A12 and The Farm Cafe and Food Market, Marlesford. There is also a great deli and tea room at Snape Maltings and you can buy groceries and newspapers at the village stores. There are a number of supermarkets nearby, including both Waitrose and Tesco in Saxmundham. 

For more information on places to eat and things to do in the area, please take a look at Visit Snape.

With the brilliant seaside town of Aldeburgh and the vibrant market town of Woodbridge nearby, there's plenty to discover.

For more information on the local area, please see our online guide Visit Snape, Visit Aldeburgh and Visit Woodbridge.

All accommodation is on the Ground Floor

• Entrance to the cottage is via the stable style front door which opens into the bright kitchen.
• The Kitchen is well equipped with crockery, cooking utensils, pots and pans. There is an electric combi oven and induction hob, fridge with freezer compartment, kettle, cafetiere x2, built in washing machine, built in dishwasher, and wall radiator. In the corner there's a cupboard with hanging space and iron and ironing board. A lovely collection of artwork and cook books.
• The Dining Area on your right as your enter the Kitchen has a round wooden table, 4 chairs and views looking out towards the garden.
• From the kitchen the hallway leads to the bathroom on your right (please note there is a small step up into the hall). The shower room has a shower, w.c., hand basin, mirror, storage space, heated towel rail and a coat hook on the back of the door.
• Continue down the hallway to the sitting room on your right. The comfortable sitting room features two sofas, side tables and lamps, bookshelf with an eclectic selection of books and board games, coffee table with vintage pictures of The Old Mill, wall mounted TV and DVD player, DVD cabinet with selection of DVDs, variety of artwork.
• At the end of the hallway is the bedroom. Please note there is a small step up into the room. The bedroom features a super king bed/twin, bedside units and bedside lamps mirrors, large chest of drawers with hanging space, radiator. There are two windows with beautiful views of the garden.

Services

• Washing machine in kitchen
• Central heating, lighting, linen and towels included
• Guests are asked to consider other holidaymakers and not smoke in the cottage
• Wi fi service is provided.

Outside

• Picnic bench
• Beautiful plants and shrubbery
• Parking in drive
• The garage in the drive includes a drier, bbq equipment and ample space for bicycles