Heart of the village, amazing gardens, glorious views and brimming with character
Thornwell Cottage is a beautiful 200-year-old home with stunning gardens and fantastic river views. This grade II-listed cottage has been lovingly renovated as a home for all seasons. The flagstone floors, exposed beams, and cosy log burner emanate charm. Outside, lose yourself in the extensive garden with its rolling grassland, orchard, wildflowers, and tended plants and shrubs. Private, quiet, yet close to the village amenities and riverside. One small dog can come too, by prior arrangement.
One small to medium well-behaved dog is welcome by prior arrangement.
Unfortunately, Thornwell Cottage is not suitable for children under 8.
Accommodation:
Thornwell Cottage is accessed via the porch at the front of the property, into the ground floor of the cottage with exposed beams and flagstone floor throughout. To the right is the sitting room and to the left is the kitchen diner. Separating the two are the stairs up to the two bedrooms.
The cosy sitting room is brimming with character and furnished with comfortable sofas, wood burner and dual aspect windows as well as a TV and DVD player.
A cute cottage kitchen with contemporary aspects, the cream bespoke units and black granite worktops are centred around the alcove, with an exposed wooden mantle where a range would have once stood, now replaced with a modern electric hob and oven. There's also a microwave, fridge with freezer compartment, and a dishwasher. The dining area has been cleverly designed into the space under the stairs, with a built-in corner bench, table and chairs that will comfortably seat four.
A few steps up from the kitchen towards the back door guests will find the modern family bathroom with underfloor heating, bath with overhead power shower, toilet, wash basin and illuminated mirror. The washing machine is also here.
Upstairs you will find two characterful double bedrooms. The master bedroom has a dressing table, chest of drawers, and a built-in wardrobe. Dual-aspect windows give views towards the river.
The second bedroom has a double bed which can also be configured to be two single beds (upon request at the time of booking).
There are electric heaters and a wood burner for comfort (logs are provided for winter bookings).
Outside:
Thornwell Cottage has a beautiful extensive private garden with views of the River Dart, the ideal spot for reading or painting. A private dining area with outdoor furniture flanks the house – perfect for al fresco dining in the summer. Though Thornwell Cottage welcomes dogs, the garden is by no means secure with various access points to the road and the neighbour's garden. The Ham or The Quay at low tide are great spots for exercising dogs off the lead, as well as the Dart Valley Trail which is just a short walk away.
Parking:
The car park is 50m level walk from the front door. Charges apply.
Nearby:
The village pub The Red Lion Inn is a 2-minute walk up the road. The Red Lion also hosts the village shop and Post Office. A 5-minute walk in the opposite direction will take you down to The Quay where you will find the Ferry Boat Inn and The Anchorstone Café as well as ferries to the National Trust's Greenway house and gardens and also Dartmouth.
Add dates for prices
Have a question?
AI iconBetaBeta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
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 indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Dartmouth
Located in Dartmouth, this cottage is in a rural area. Cayman Golf and Brixham Harbour are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Woodlands Family Theme Park and Coleton Fishacre House & Gardens. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Plainmoor Stadium or Torquay United FC.
Is Heart of the village, amazing gardens, glorious views and brimming with character pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Heart of the village, amazing gardens, glorious views and brimming with character?
As of 11 April 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Heart of the village, amazing gardens, glorious views and brimming with character on 26 May 2026 start from NZ$429, 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.
What time is check-in at Heart of the village, amazing gardens, glorious views and brimming with character?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Heart of the village, amazing gardens, glorious views and brimming with character?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Heart of the village, amazing gardens, glorious views and brimming with character located?
Situated in a rural location, this cottage is 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from Greenway House and Garden and within 3 miles (5 km) of South Devon and Battlefield Live Torbay. Churston Station and Dartmouth Museum are also within 3 miles (5 km).
Reviews
8.4
Very good
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Lovely Cottage, perfect for two, with 4 adults it gets somewhat crowded. Wonderfull garden. We will come back next year.
Christoph D.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
paul h.
19 August 2024
Very welcoming village
Fantastic location, parking near the cottage (pay to park, not an issue). 2 pubs either end if the village also one is a shop and post office which also does take away meals, excellent breakfast.
Fantastic well kept garden absoloutly huge. Water taxis to Dartmouth regular (best to book at busy times). Cottage was lovely, but in need of a bit of a spruce up, and a good clean.
paul h.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Christoph D.
14 August 2025
Another wonderful summer in Dittisham
We have been coming to Dittisham for many years and to Thornwell Cottage for several years now. We love the charm of this cottage and its wonderful garden, which offers different views in every season. The cottage is perfect for 2 people and charmingly furnished. Nothing is really missing.
However, we have noticed a constant wear and tear over the years and a few investments in the furnishings would do the cottage a lot of good. But we will definitely come back and are already looking forward to it.
Christoph D.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
25 July 2023
Small cottage in a very nice location
Nice small well equipped cottage, large garden on a steep gradient, not really suitable for those who have difficulty with mobility.
spoilt by the awful smell in the living room, which made sitting in the room unpleasant, definitely would not stay here again until this is resolved.
Response from VrboOwner on 22 August 2023
Thank you so much for your review. We are so disappointed that you experienced a smell. We have been tracking this now for several weeks and cannot replicate it or find any source for a smell. The housekeepers have turned everything over in the lounge and we have investigated every corner inside and the outside drains to see if we can find anything. We will keep on monitoring it but thankfully whatever you smelt has not returned. Unfortunately as it was not reported during your stay so we could not send any of the local housekeeping teams in smell what you could at the time. Best wishes
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Jenny C.
3 April 2024
Lovely clean and comfortable
It's a pretty cottage in a lovely position. Immaculately clean and tidy and very comfortable. Warm and cosy with plenty of hot water, an effective wood-burning stove. We were a family of four, and it suited us. I am confident in summer; the beautiful garden and patio area are a real treat. Very close to the car park for loading and unloading the car. I would highly recommend it.
Jenny C.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
25 September 2023
Thornwell Cottage
It was a lovely little cottage. Unfortunately before we arrived the weather had been extremely hot and we understand the cottage had been unoccupied the previous week. We noticed an overpowering musty/damp smell on the day we arrived. We contacted customer services on the Sunday and they responded immediately suggesting we leave the upstairs windows open which we did the smell improved but didn’t go entirely. Good location, very comfortable great customer service team. We would stay there again but would want to know the cottage had been aired beforehand.
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
31 October 2022
Excellent
A very cosy and comfy cottage in the heart of Dittisham. We had a lovely few days. Ferry Boat Inn a short walk down the hill is well worth a visit too.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Carolyn G.
18 September 2022
Tired Thornwell cottage
Dittisham is a gorgeous village with Thornwell Cottage right in the heart of it. The cottage is pretty, with lovely gardens, but very tired and needs some money spending on it to continue renting at this price. Unfortunately, we had no hot water for two days, so were unable to shower and had to waste time waiting for plumbers. Having said that, Dart cottages were very responsive trying to resolve the issue. Sadly, all eateries in the village are suffering from lack of staff, so to get a variety of food you need to go elsewhere. Overall we did have a nice week, gorgeous weather helped and the area is beautiful.
Carolyn G.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Ishbel M.
11 September 2022
A pretty doll’s house
Thornwell Cottage is perfectly located mid distance between the Red Lion and the Ferry Boat Inn at the centre of the gorgeous Dittisham village. We had foul weather, so had lovely times curled up with books in front of the wood burning stove. The house is minuscule, like a hobbit home, but everything has its place and we wanted for nothing. Nothing that is except for a hot bath. The hot water tank isn’t big enough to fill the bath, which is a shame.
We will certainly return to Dittisham again
Ishbel M.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
23 July 2022
A few improvements could make this the perfect stay!
Upon arrival we where a little disappointed to find we had to empty the dishwasher from the previous guests.
The cottage is comfortable and nicely furnished, with a cosy feel, but upon closure inspection, it wasn't quite as clean as we hoped, cobwebs and spiders in corners & dirty bits of cutlery and plates and the towels although clean where marked.
There where a few light bulbs out and the extractor fan over the cooker wasn't working, just a little bit more attention to detail is required.
The accommodation is comfortable for 2 guests but I would think 4 people may find it a squeeze.
Your details do mention that the garden isn't secure for dogs but we hadn't anticipated how bad this was, so next doors dogs could easily come in to Thornwell's garden if they wanted, & dogs could easily get out on to the road, a real shame because we felt like we couldn't totally relax ,our dog did disappear for 5 mins into a neighbor's garden and after that we had to lead walk her for the rest of the stay. Not quite the relaxing break we had envisaged, a bit of dog proof fencing even around the patio could easily sort this situation.
Dittisham is a beautiful place and the walks and local pubs make it a great place to visit and we will be back, but for us sadly in a different cottage due to the garden situation.
From a partner site
6/10 Okay
3 July 2022
Small but not quite perfect.
Details say cottage sleeps five, really can’t see how. The double bed is very small plus two singles. The cottage was clean however there were very few cleaning materials in the cottage for general use. Plastic mattress covers are not acceptable and fitted sheets should fit and stay on the mattress. Seating in living room so old and soft it gives no support. The cottage is in a beautiful location but needs updating and more attention to details to improve experience. Love Dittisham, but would not use Thornwell Cottage again.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Richard A.
29 May 2022
Quaint cottage in pretty village
Lovely cottage, good location. The village was lovely, there are two pubs and you can get a ferry (walkable from the cottage) to get to Dartmouth and Greenway cottage across the river Dart.
Richard A.
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Christoph D.
2 May 2022
Thornwell
Some new Cooking Utensil would be helpful ( pan with lid ) ,
And a small table for the bench in the Garden .
An easy short manuel vor the washing machine would be of nice
But all all a very well mantaint beautiful cottage
Christoph D.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
M B.
3 October 2021
A lovely retreat
The Cottage is a characterful older building but with all the modern facilities and a large garden overlooking the river. The village has two pubs and community shop. Not really somewhere to go for activities - apart from sailing, fishing, etc - but very good for a relaxing stay "away from it all".
M B.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Amanda M.
8 August 2021
Thornwell cottage
Beautiful house in a fantastic position. Couple of niggles roof leaks into the second bedroom and only superficially clean.
Amanda M.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Ishbel M.
20 June 2021
Heaven in miniature
We loved our stay at Thornwell Cottage. Cosy, quaint, a lovely view from the garden. The dogs loved it too. The cottage is very conveniently located in the village. I want to come back!
Ishbel M.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Henry S.
9 June 2021
Character cottage ticks the boxes
Thornwell has a large, steep garden, at the top of which there is a close view of the neighbours’ chicken coop, with a fine rooster. A temptation for dogs perhaps, but interesting for children.
It is a characterful cottage, with a feeling of history, as it must be one of the older buildings in Ditisham. Nonetheless it is thoughtfully and comprehensively furnished with a light and fun approach to the decor.
An easy-to-use log burner kept us warm in the evenings. The patio catches the evening sun and is secluded.
The cottage sits at the crest of the lengthy hill down to the Dart river-bank, where there is a busy pub and restaurant. Social distancing inside these meant the road outside became crowded. It’s an effort to climb the hill back to the cottage. The road is so narrow and steep that cars are not convenient, especially as there is almost no turning, except on the stoney beach. Having said there is a car park (30 pounds a week) a few steps away from the cottage itself, making access to the supermarket near Dartmouth easy enough.
There were plenty of other holiday residents in the village during our stay, and and there was a generally relaxed and sociable character to the surroundings.
Henry S.
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Ian P.
31 May 2021
Delightful Stay
A lovely country cottage in a very nice location. Well presented with all necessary facilities. Delightful large garden with superb views.
Parking only a short distance away.
Will be very happy to repeat the experience.
Ian P.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Sarah G.
11 November 2020
A beautiful cottage in a beautiful village
lovely place to stay. Very comfortable. A bit tight for four of us but really lovely place. nice to be able to take dogs.
Sarah G.
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Virginia S.
11 October 2020
October break
We were delighted to secure a week away near Dartmouth. The price and location were both very good. The cottage nicely located with easy access to the ferry to Dartmouth and just a quick drive to the Park and Ride. The car park £25 just over the road.
The cottage was clean and well presented, a very comfortable bed and just enough heaters to keep us warm. Plus a wood burner and lots of logs.
The downside was the bathroom being downstairs and it was impossible to dry the towels. The towels were flimsy and I would take my own next time, but the only way to dry them a bit was to lie them on the bathroom floor which had underfloor heating. Nice to walk on though!
The lounge lighting was poor being a dark cottage and when the two reading lights didn’t work we had to call for help, the bulbs were replaced the same day.
The kitchen was adequate and clean.
Virginia S.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Robert D.
20 September 2020
First time here
We enjoyed our first visit to this cottage. It suited us well . One suggestion would be to supply a small rack for drying clothes. The waste disposal procedures are very complicated!
Robert D.
From a partner site
8/10 Good
Christopher B.
13 September 2020
Thornwell cottage Dittisham
A fantastic cottage in a fantastic location. The only problem we had was that there were deep cleaning issues with the toilet, microwave and fridge, these were not overnight issues but long term problems.
We spent an hour cleaning then carried on with the holiday which we thoroughly enjoyed.
I would happily return to to Thornwell cottage in the future.
Christopher B.
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Daniel C.
23 August 2020
Great cottage and holiday
The cottage was lovely with a huge garden and lovely terrace to sit out on. We liked the village which was quiet and easy to get to Dartmouth by ferry. Also good walks on either side of the estuary. We were lucky to have fantastic weather.
Daniel C.
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Becky C.
23 August 2020
Lovely home and location
amazing service- toaster blew up and a brand new one arrived the very next day! Lovely home amd outside space
Becky C.
From a partner site
6/10 Okay
Stephen S.
2 August 2020
Thornwell cottage Dittisham
Cottage a lot smaller than photograph, a little tied inside needs a refresh and updating. Sofa’s needs replacing, we felt that the cottage was over priced, as we have stayed in better for the price, maybe due to Covid the price had gone up?
Lovely location, with. Great walks and fish restaurant in walking distance which was excellent.
Would return if revamped and cost of rental lower. Rubbish was left outside cottage all week from previous renters the week before. Would recommend if updated. Garden large on a slope and lovely.
Stephen S.
About the host
Hosted by Dart Valley Cottages
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests