Christian Holiday House, Herefordshire — Rest on the Welsh Border
This Christian holiday house, Herefordshire, sits in the heart of Eardisley, one of the timber-framed villages on Herefordshire’s celebrated Black and White Village Trail — a 40-mile circular route, in place since 1987, linking the county’s most photogenic villages and market towns, including Kington and Leominster. Arboyne House shares its own village with something remarkable: the parish church of St Mary Magdalene holds a Norman font, carved around 1150 by the Herefordshire School of Romanesque sculptors, that many consider the finest of its kind in England. Its carvings depict the Harrowing of Hell — Christ descending to rescue Adam from Hell — alongside a lion and two duelling knights, and the church that houses it stands only a short walk from the house itself, open every day for anyone who wants to see it.
Arboyne House’s own welcome has a similar spirit behind it. As part of the Quiet Garden Movement — a network of some 300 gardens worldwide, founded in 1992 by the Anglican priest Philip Roderick — the garden here is offered as a place set aside for prayer, silence and rest, in keeping with the movement’s guiding verse: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31). Guests can use the summer creative studio and garden in that same spirit, whether or not they’ve come specifically to be quiet — the movement welcomes people of all faiths and none, in keeping with its founding ethos of simple hospitality and prayer.
Six miles away, the market town of Kington sits directly on Offa’s Dyke Path, the 177-mile National Trail that follows the eighth-century earthwork built by the Anglo-Saxon King Offa to mark the border between England and Wales. The path climbs out of Kington onto Hergest Ridge before dropping down into Hay-on-Wye, and walkers who tackle even a short stretch of it are following one of Britain’s oldest man-made boundaries, still visible as a bank and ditch across the border hills.
Between the font, the garden, the dyke and the kingdom of books, guests based at Arboyne House have an unusual amount of history, quirk and quiet within easy reach, alongside the wider trail of black-and-white villages, gardens, castles and heritage sites the area is known for, and the River Wye and Brecon Beacons National Park a short drive away. Whether staying in the Bakehouse, Holly Lodge or the Panel Room, the emphasis throughout is on unhurried self-catering rather than a full-service break, with safe storage on site for bikes and fishing gear for anyone making the most of the surrounding countryside.
Hay-on-Wye itself, already mentioned above for its festival and bookshops, has one more story worth knowing: on April Fool’s Day 1977, the local bookseller Richard Booth declared the town an independent kingdom, crowned himself king, and appointed his horse Prime Minister — a publicity stunt that, more than anything else, is credited with turning a quiet market town into the world-famous “town of books” it remains today, with around twenty bookshops still trading. The Hay Festival of Literature and Arts grew out of that same reputation, founded in 1988 and now drawing visitors from across the world each summer.
Arboyne House is perfect for:
- Small families or groups, with three linked units across the property sleeping up to ten guests in total
- Those in full-time ministry or mission, who are warmly welcomed to stay on a donation basis appropriate to their situation
- Guests seeking quiet and stillness, in a garden that is part of the worldwide Quiet Garden Movement
- Walkers and cyclists wanting easy access to Offa’s Dyke Path, the Black and White Village Trail, the Wye Valley and the Brecon Beacons
- Well-behaved, supervised dogs, welcome to come along by arrangement
Location
Arboyne House, Church Road, Eardisley, Herefordshire, HR3 6NH.
How to get there:
The nearest train stations are Hereford (15 miles) and Leominster (14 miles.)
This is quite a remote part of England but there is a local bus to the door from Hereford with several buses each day, Monday to Saturday.
Nearest Towns:
Kington (6 miles), Leominster (15 miles) , Hay-on-Wye (9 miles), Hereford 15 miles).
Local Area
There is an excellent local shop in Eardisley. We also have ‘The New Strand’ opposite Arboyne House with cafe, post office, book shop and friendly locals bar.
There are small supermarkets in Kington (6 miles) and plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants in the area. Larger supermarkets are in Hereford and Leominster. Hay On Wye is 10 miles away, renowned for Hay Festival, its many bookshops, independent shops and castle.
There is plenty to see and do in this unspoilt Welsh borderland. We have walks from the door, including the Hereford Trail, and walking, cycling, fishing, canoeing, golf and horse riding are all available nearby.
We have safe storage for bicycles, fishing gear etc.
There is easy access by car to the River Wye and Brecon Beacons National Park.
We are one of Herefordshire’s “Black and White” villages. There are nearby gardens to visit, tea rooms, National Trust properties, castles and heritage sites.
Facilities
Arboyne House, a characterful listed building which can accommodate 1-10 guests, usually on a self catering basis. We have a lovely garden with views over the meadows to the Welsh Mountains. We are part of the “Quiet Garden” movement. We have a summer creative studio for guests to use.
Due to the age of the property we cannot offer disability access.
THE BAKEHOUSE is our one bedroom cottage for one or two. It is just behind the main house. It has a downstairs sitting room with wood-burning stove, and upstairs a kitchen, toilet, and spacious bedroom with ensuite shower and wash basin (twin or super-king bed).
HOLLY LODGE has the flexibility of 2 or 3 bedrooms with a maximum of 6 guests. It is accessed up an external oak staircase. It has kitchen/diner, family shower room, large living room. There is a king sized 4 poster bedroom, smaller single or twin room, and optional “Oak Room” with super-king or twin beds and ensuite WC/washbasin.
Holly Lodge is family friendly with toys, books and games. we have a travel cot, high chair and toddler chair.
THE PANEL ROOM ensuite double/twin bedroom can be booked for ‘Room only” or as an additional bedroom.
We provide bedding, towels and toiletries. All our accommodation has Wi-Fi and TVs in each accommodation. We have central heating and supplementary plug-in electric heaters. The Wash House has laundry facilities for guests. We have plenty of parking in our courtyard.
Additional Photos
Click to enlarge
Costs
The Bakehouse from £120 a night, or £395-£430 for a week.
2 bedroom Holly Lodge from £185 a night or £499-560 for a week
3 bedroom Holly Lodge from £220 a night or £595-£650 for a week
The Panel Room £50 a night when booked with above. £75-85 a night ‘room only’
Discounts – For those in full time ministry or mission we welcome you to stay on a donation basis appropriate to your situation.
Energy Provision:
Charges included in tariff. Small charge for additional logs in The Bakehouse
Availability
Available all year round.
Arrival and Departure times: arrival from 3.00 pm, departure before 11.00 am.
Booking arrangements: Flexible arrival days and lengths of stay …short breaks, week, 10 days and fortnight, (up to 1 month out of season longer stays)
Pets: We welcome well-behaved and supervised dogs by arrangement.
Contact the Owner
If you are interested in making a booking, or you would like further information, please get in touch using the following contact details:
Name: Mike and Sue Hawthorne
Address: Arboyne House, Church Road, Eardisley, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR36NH
Phone Numbers: 01544327058; 07711782155;
Email Address: arboyneenquiries@gmail.com
Website: www.arboyneministries.co.uk