Christian Holiday Cottage, Axminster — A Devon Farmstead Steeped in History
Lea Hill offers a genuine Christian holiday cottage, Axminster, break: three characterful holiday cottages — Woodpecker, Kingfisher and Nuthatch, sleeping two, five and six respectively — converted from the historic barns of an ancient Devon farmstead and run for many years by the Avis family. Guests exchange stress for seven quiet acres of grounds, a maze of footpaths and deep Devon lanes, and skies dark enough for the naked eye to pick out the Milky Way. It’s a genuinely restful gateway to the wider South West of England, ideal for clergy and church families in need of proper rest, whatever time of year the break falls.
Lea Hill has its own place in a turbulent chapter of English history. During the religious persecutions of the Restoration, the Quakers of southern Membury parish, based at Lea Hill itself, met at a house known simply as ‘Quakers’ — repeatedly raided for holding illegal meetings. George Fox, founder of the Quaker movement, is believed to have visited the area during this period. Feeling ran especially high after 1685, when the Duke of Monmouth landed at nearby Lyme Regis to challenge King James II for the crown; Membury sent men to his rebel army, and some of Monmouth’s defeated supporters were later hanged at Axminster.
The farmhouse sits a short stroll from Membury itself, one of only a handful of English villages still keeping Oak Apple Day alive each May: Banner Men process behind the Royal Oak Banner to the churchyard, where a Royal Oak Bough is raised at the top of the church tower. Above the village looms Membury Castle, an Iron Age hillfort some 204 metres up in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, with sweeping views across the Yarty and Axe valleys. The surrounding plateau of chert-stone, cob and thatch villages, laced with sunken lanes, is a rewarding, easy stretch of the legs for guests staying at Lea Hill.
The market town of Axminster, four miles away, has its own remarkable story. Recorded in the Domesday Book as “Aixeministra” — monastery by the River Axe — it later became famous when Thomas Whitty began weaving the first Axminster carpets here in 1755, a craft now celebrated at the Axminster Heritage Centre in his old factory building on Silver Street, opposite the town’s Minster Church of St Mary, whose origins stretch back to a Saxon minster founded in AD 786. Supermarkets, pubs and restaurants are all within easy reach, and the South West Coast Path and the fossil-rich Jurassic Coast lie just a few miles further on for guests wanting a proper coastal walk.
Up to four dogs are welcome, with a dedicated exercise field, and clergy receive a discount of up to 20 percent in low season, with further reductions for long-let winter stays of four weeks or more. Whether you’re planning a family fortnight in the school holidays or a quiet, off-season retreat to recover from parish life, Lea Hill’s blend of history, solitude and Devon countryside makes it a properly restorative choice for anyone who gives so much of themselves to others throughout the year.
Perfect for:
- Clergy and church families needing proper rest away from parish demands
- Dog owners, with up to four dogs welcome and a dedicated exercise field
- Stargazers, thanks to genuinely dark countryside skies
- History lovers, with Quaker, Monmouth Rebellion and Iron Age hillfort connections on the doorstep
- Walkers, with footpaths, bridleways and the SW Coast Path nearby
- Long, restorative winter stays, with discounts for four-week-plus bookings
- Groups of friends or family wanting three cottages close together on one site
- Quiet reading, prayer or writing retreats, set amid seven acres of grounds
Location:
Lea Hill Cottages, Membury, Axminster, Devon, EX13 7AQ
Facilities:
We have three holiday cottages with spacious and pet-friendly accommodation (including an exercise area for dogs.) They command stunning views of woodland and meadows. All cottages have pretty gardens and characters of their own. Woodpecker sleeps two, Kingfisher five, Nuthatch up to six.
Under our”Affordable Holidays” scheme prices are kept at a very competitive rate. Fuel is charged at cost.
Guests are expected to bring their own bed-linen and towels.
Up to four dogs are welcome. There is an exercise field and a lot of local walks.
Here you’ll find all the facilities you need in a perfectly tranquil setting. There are seven acres of shared grounds and gardens—set against a backdrop of wonderful scenery—with barbeque and Summerhouse. There is plenty of parking on site for two or more cars per cottage.
Each cottage has a well equipped kitchen. Laundry facilities are: washing machine, dryer iron etc. (Some at modest extra charge.) TV, Wi-Fi (free) and DVD in each cottage. Cot/travelcot and highchair are available on request.
Additional Photos:
Click to enlarge
Costs:
Charges per week £290-£725
Low Season £425- 500
Mid season £320-570
Peak Season (and other school holidays) £440-£750
Clergy Discount:
Low Season 20%
Mid season 10%
Peak Season (and other school holidays) 10%
Discounts are also available for long-let Winter bookings of four weeks
or more.
Energy Provision:
Fuel (electricity and oil) paid for at cost by meter readings.
Writing in April 2026, the cost of oil has soared since March 2026 but
we hope will have settled by the Summer when heating is rarely needed
anyway. Get in touch if you wish to know current prices.
Availability:
All year.
Arrival and Departure times:
4.00 pm arrival.
10.00 am departure
Booking Arrangements:
Friday changeovers. Short breaks from Friday or Monday available in low season or for last minute bookings.
Pets: Up to 4 dogs. Regret no cats or other pets.
Contact the Owner:
If you are interested in making a booking, or you would like further information, please get in touch using the following details:
Name: Mrs Susan Avis
Phone Number: 01404 881881
Email Address: dr.paul.avis@gmail.com
Website: leahill.co.uk