Top 10% of guest reviews in this areaTop 10% of guest reviews in this area
5 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 11
Popular amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free Wi-Fi
Outdoor space
Explore the area
Piddletrenthide, Dorset
Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Place, Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
1 min walk
Poole Harbour
Place, Poole Harbour
35 min drive
Durdle Door
Place, Durdle Door
40 min drive
Bournemouth (BOH-Bournemouth Intl.)
Airport, Bournemouth (BOH-Bournemouth Intl.)
49 min drive
Rooms & beds
5 bedrooms (sleeps 11)
Bedroom 2
1 Double Bed
Bedroom 2
1 Double Bed
Bedroom 3
1 Double Bed
Bedroom 4
1 Double Bed
Bedroom 5
3 Single Beds
2 bathrooms
Bathroom 1
Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only
Bathroom 2
Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex
Eighteenth-century farmhouse with recent additions on the banks of the River Piddle. Ideal for both families and groups. Quiet location on a bridle path. Child-friendly dining nearby. 2.5 hours from London. The cottage has recently been re-configured and a new kitchen installed. Accommodation comprises: Sitting room with large character fireplace, plasma TV & bluray player Fitted kitchen with dining and sitting area (with additional TV), dishwasher, fridge/freezer, microwave. Utility room with washing machine, tumble dryer Broadband for those who can’t look out of the window. Large conservatory with ample dining space. Five bedrooms (some with TV), sleeps 11. Bathroom with separate large shower. Second large shower room. Garden furniture and barbecue. All bed linen and towels included. Central heating throughout. Drive with space for at least 4 cars. Large garden sloping gently down to the River Piddle. Situated on a bridle path with the opportunity for numerous walks. Views over the Piddle Valley.
We bought Bankhayes in 1997 and have made a number of alterations and extensions over the years. There is an aerial photo on the upstairs landing of the house around 1960. There is also a copy of the auction details when it was sold in 1956 as Bank Farmhouse. We believe that the core part of the building dates from the mid-eighteenth century. There are five bedrooms: four with double beds and one with three single beds. There are two main bathrooms upstairs and a shower/toilet downstairs. On the ground floor there is a main reception room with a log fire, a well-stocked kitchen/dining/sitting area and a large conservatory for dining and reading. There is also a study room and a utility area. The house is pet-friendly (within reason). There is a large area for parking at least 4 cars.
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Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
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Delightful thatched cottage in beautiful sleepy Dorset village and countryside
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Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
About the area
Dorchester
Located in Dorchester, this cottage is in a rural area. Cerne Abbas Giant and The Keep Military Museum are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Warmwell Holiday Park Ski Slope and Pirate Adventure Mini Golf. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at The Avenue Stadium or South West Survival. Windsurfing and sailing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking and cycling nearby.
Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
Weymouth Beach - 27 min drive - 30.1 km
Poole Harbour - 35 min drive - 45.0 km
Durdle Door - 40 min drive - 35.0 km
Bournemouth Beach - 42 min drive - 51.3 km
Getting around
Dorchester West Station - 21 min drive
Bournemouth (BOH-Bournemouth Intl.) - 53 min drive
Restaurants
Saxon Arms - 13 min drive
Costa Coffee - 10 min drive
Kings Arms - 10 min drive
Thimble Inn - 3 min drive
Tom Brown's - 10 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total).
How much does it cost to stay at Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex?
As of 10 April 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex on 11 April 2026 start from NZ$621, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Detached Cottage in the Heart of Hardy's Wessex located?
Situated in a rural location, this cottage is 2.6 mi (4.2 km) from Badger Watch Dorset and 3.1 mi (4.9 km) from Cerne Abbas Giant. Dorset Teddy Bear Museum and Terracotta Warriors Museum are also within 9 miles (15 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Great stay....house perfect for our family, children loved the huge garden and stream. Well equipped with everything you need for a family holiday. Photo's dont do house justice. Area perfect for exploring many popular towns along the jurassic coast.
A fantastic property with plenty of space and a well kept garden. The home itself is within driving distance of most of the places you'd want to see in this part of the world, we enjoyed our stay.
A property to suite all the family from the more mature to the great grand children; those seeking a little solitude to those more boisterous, a family holiday to suit all. A space for those who seek to hide in comfort and a space for family past times. A true holiday home.
Ein schönes Haus in einem ruhigen Tal. Ein großer Garten und viel Platz. Eine großzügige Küche, voll eingerichtet, schöne Plätze zum Essen, Frühstück auf der Terrasse oder im Wintergarten. In den Zimmern schläft man gut.Dorchester ist nah, auch das Meer. Ein guter Ausgangspunkt, um die Gegend zu entdecken. Man kann Fossilien suchen, baden, kleine und große geschichtsträchtige Highlights anfahren.
This old house is set in the most peaceful location. Perfect for rest and recuperation. Loads of space for all the family to stay. Kitchen Aga has been updated to a modern 6 ring electric cooker which has two ovens and excellent for cooking for the larger group. Plenty of crockery, maybe a bit short on cutlery, but keeps you on top of washing up. There are two downstairs toilets (one has a shower) and a further two toilets and bathrooms upstairs. So that's four toilets altogether which is brilliant. Two large rooms with double beds, one smaller room with a double and a room with three single beds. There is also a futon downstairs the room with the toilet and shower. The large upstairs rooms are a little distance from the bathrooms which needs a walk along a corridor and up and down single steps, which was going to be an issue for my mother who is up and down a lot in the night and would definitely have got lost, but fortunately they slept downstairs so this was not an issue in the end.
The garden is massive, we visited in a hot summer and easily followed natural shade from the trees and a lovely gentle breeze. Mum and Dad enjoyed sitting under the trees drawing and painting the garden and river. Ample parking for four cars.
The house is super old though and the down side for us were the stairs. My elderly parents absolutely could not manage the narrow treads and the beam that has to be ducked to go under if you are over 5ft4 tall, which I am sure is common for the area and quirky in old houses but we'd have liked to have known about it before booking. Given the size and space of the house, we did manage to do some juggling about and put my parents in spare beds downstairs, but not really ideal. Also, as you can see from the photos, the house has amble room for 10 people, but there isn't seating for everyone together. When we were eating we sat 4 in the kitchen and 6 in the conservatory, which was ok for us.
The area is lovely. So many places to take the dog who had the best holiday ever. We love the local rubbish collection policies and filling the milk bottle from the local stores. A must try are the scotch eggs from the village shop in Cerne Abbas. Mr and Mrs Hayes helped us with our requirements for which we were very grateful.
The cottage had everything there you needed and the garden was beautiful. Pictures didn't do it justice. There is no pub to walk to but there is a very short drive away. Small convenience store in walking distance that only opens in the morning but sells all basic things. Ideal for a real peaceful getaway.Neighbours very friendly
An amazing property with lovely gardens, stream at the bottom. Plenty of room to accommodate our family. lovely place to relax and enjoy family time. Although the local pub has closed during the pandemic and is " due too open" they still haven't. That said we found a pub around 10 mins drive that did excellent food - The Sun Inn near Dorchester Fantastic food but wise to book.
The house and gardens are spacious, enough room to spread out . It was a shame the pub has closed. Lovely walks from the house. The aga was lovely , kept us all warm
This is a beautiful and spacious house, in stunning gardens which end at the river Piddle. I would recommend it to anyone. We felt at home straight away, and were lucky enough to have glorious weather for the duration of our stay. It is such an enviable and peaceful location. Even the neighbours made us feel very welcome.
We even mastered the Aga, and managed a Sunday roast which came out perfectly.
There are many more rooms than photographed and we didn’t even find the downstairs shower room until our 3rd day!!
We were two families with four adults and three children that stayed here for a fortnight and loved it. The house is superb: spacious, well equipped and in a superb location. The children were in the river within moments of arriving! It's very close to Dorchester and all the major sights are in easy reach.
Just one thing to be aware of. The main cooking appliance is an Aga, but the alternative electric offerings aren't as useful as could be especially if you are trying to cook for everyone at once.
But overall highly recommended!
We are a family of 8 adults and 2 children and loved our week in this beautiful property with it’s amazing garden. Ideal location for discovering the surrounding areas. The owners were very helpful and prompt in response to any questions. We would definitely stay here again.
Great location in a quiet village with plenty of walking trails direct from the door. Beautiful large garden enjoyed by the grandchildren. Very spacious property, we were 9 in total and never felt overcrowded. Only one small negative was the cooking facilities the arga was a challenge and made the property feel very warm and the other small oven could not cope with cooking for 9.
Well , as soon as we pulled in we we’re amazed by the surroundings and home we had booked .
We couldn’t have asked for more children loved the garden and stream at the bottom of the garden , and the next door neighbour’s were lovely too .
Had a lovely meal out at the Thimble Inn and another pud further along ( sorry can’t remember the name ) but everyone so friendly.
We were here on one of the hottest days and cooking on the Aga was an experience but loved it :
Would like to thank the owners for letting us stay in your wonderful holiday home we would definitely recommend it to family and friends
Very nice stay - a little disappointed that the river was rather clogged up, which meant the kids couldn’t paddle but with the COVID pandemic it’s understandable that the owner hadn’t been able to get down to clear it. Do we get a refund on the reduction on V.A.T.?
This is our 2nd time at Bankhayes and it was even better than the 1st. Plenty of room for all of us. Lots to do and the pub just down the lane. The locals are very friendly. Plenty of wildlife around and most of all tranquil...
Karl S.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2019
Verified
10/10 Excellent
pat D.
12 September 2018
What a find!
Great for the three generations who spent the week here. Home from Home and very cosy. Children loved the garden and rope swing. A lovely peaceful location and plenty of walks close by. Walk to Cerne Abbas was enjoyed by all including the seven year old. A good pub close by and a friendly village shop.
pat D.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2018
Verified
10/10 Excellent
JANICE F.
23 August 2018
Excellent
We all had a lovely weeks stay at Bank Hayes. There was 8 of us, 4 generations.
The weather was wet the first 2 days, but hot and sunny for the rest of the week, so we were able to use the lovely garden. There is a good pub and restaurant within easy walking distance of the house.
It was very quiet and peaceful. A perfect holiday.
JANICE F.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018
Verified
10/10 Excellent
carole Bryce
25 June 2018
Lovely large house in a great location right near a great pub
Lots of space and everything you need for a great family get together
carole Bryce
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Verified traveller
4 May 2018
A really welcoming family home from home
Perfectly located to relax and immerse yourself in nature, fresh air and a selection of great pubs!
The garden was brilliant for the children and the dog and the river at the bottom adds a special touch.
The house was warm (during a cold, grey April), welcoming and comfortable, with all the amenities you could need.
Verified traveller
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2018
About the host
Hosted by Mike & Jane Hayes
Languages:
English, Japanese
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests