Premium
#1548
15 c village. Near Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge and the coast
House • Ixworth United Kingdom
Exchange types accepted
Statistics
Listed February 2019
Views 8929
General overview
***** Strictly Non smoking household*******
The 15c village of Ixworth is situated 7 miles north east of Bury St Edmunds, surrounded by the countryside but within easy reach of Cambridge, 32 miles. Norwich, 38. Lies . Ipswich, 22 miles and ferry ports to Europe. London, 90 miles and only an hour to the coast. Stanstead airport 45 minutes away. Heathrow airport 2 hours by car. Train station in bury st Edmunds for transport to london.
The space
34 year old, detached, 4 bedroomed family house with off road parking for 2 cars. Situated in an active village location. The house has a fully enclosed private garden with a large conservatory.
2 patio areas are available to sit and enjoy the garden. One patio area has a large table that will seat 6 people and a sun umbrella. The other patio also has a small table and 4 chairs situated outside the kitchen and is an ideal place for breakfast on a sunny morning.
We are organic gardeners and every year plant a variety of vegetables all organically grown, which if in season you would be welcome to help yourselves to. This usually includes Lettuce, Tomatoes, Peppers, Aubergines, Cabbage, Leeks, Khole Rabi, Runner Beans, Raspberries, Strawberries, Carrots, Parsnips, Celery chilli, cucumbers and anything else I may be trying for the first time!
There is a fig tree ready to pick and eat straight from the tree ( August time).
I also planted an apple and pear tree last year. Hopefully they will fruit this year.
We have refenced the garden and are planning more changes to the planting.
.
There is a coal BBQ you can use.
Guest access
The house consists of 4 main rooms downstairs. A lounge, dining room, refurbished conservatory and kitchen. The kitchen has top quality appliances, beech units, granite worktops and fully tiled floor.
We do not have a dishwasher or a coffee machine, but do have an air fryer.
There is a newly refurbished downstairs toilet and washbasin.
The 4 bedrooms are upstairs.
The master bedroom has a King sized brass bed. The 2nd bedroom has a double bed . The 3rd room has a double bed. The 4th bedroom (with a double sofa bed) is a study with computer with high speed internet connection.
The bathroom, (which is situated on the same floor as the bedrooms) has a bath with overhead shower, washbasin and toilet and has been recently refurbished .
We can supply some baby equipment.
Although the house is compact,( I mean small compared to USA housing ) we can accommodate 5-6 ( if sharing beds)
The lounge has a satellite smart TV with Netflix . Disney + and DVD player. There is a collection of DVD's suitable for kids and adults.
We are avid readers so books for all ages are available.
What you will love in the neighborhood
In the village there is both a police and fire station, as well as a doctors surgery and pharmacy. Honesty money boxes for the sale of surplus garden produce can be seen in the street.
We have good village shops. A well stocked Newsagents/general village store, a Chinese "take away", a fish and chip / pizza shop, a kebab van. A cafe, a ladies clothes store. 2 hairdressers, and a Beauty parlour . A childrens developmental play center. Two pubs/ resturants, one of which is a 15th Century coaching house with many original features. it supplies good food at resonable prices, it also includes a cafe. A post office van visits the village on Thursdays.. a dressmakers/ upholsterers There is also an antique dealers, and A micro brewery has also recently opened in the village.
Village hall and library, playing fields and children's play area.
The villagers are friendly and are used to us swapping homes and love to hear about where you come from.
The houses in the high street date from the 15th Century through all the time lines up until modern day. So it is a missmatch of styles that somehow works well together.
There are lots of lovely walks and cycling routes and we can offer 2 bikes, suitable from about aged 10 to adult, (may be able to borrow more if your family needs them) We have maps of the local area showing villages with pubs which also sell good "pub food", "Real Ales" and the locally brewed beers. (of which there are many).
Approx 1 mile away there are two working mills, (a watermill and a windmill), where you can watch the millers at work then buy stone ground flour and the best porriage oats ever!, There is also a vineyard which produces a good variety of wines.
A farmers market is held each Saturday morning about 2 miles away, where you can buy organic meat and vegetables , artisan breads and other produce direct from the farmer.
Stables for horse riding are 1/2 mile away. (can be walked to in 10-15 minutes 2 minutes by car)
A nature reserve with a bird watching hide is located on the edge of the village, this is wetland and lots of birds visit all year round.
The TV programms "Dads Army" and "Allo Allo" were filmed in the area, and the program writer David Croft( before his death) lived in the next village and Ian Lavender ( pike from "Dads Army" lived ( before his death) in one of the local villages)
We also have a sprinkling of TV celebs living in the surrounding villages such as Delia Smith TV chef, Terry Waite and Bill Wyman (Ex Rolling Stone member) and Claudia Schiffer the fashion model.
Notes
Ixworth is within easy access of all the local attractions. There is so much to do that you will be spoilt for choice. Suffolk is an ideal county, with clean beaches, tourist attractions and lots of castles stately homes and history and usually good weather.
London can be reached via a local railway station or take the train from bury st edmunds ) off peak group travel is cheap. But cheaper fares can be obtained by buying early
Bury St Edmunds is famous for its award winning
Medieval Abbey Gardens and floral displays around the town, which have won Britain In Bloom competition 3 times. the spire on the Medieval cathedral, has finally completed a few years back as it was never originally built. .
The Abbey gardens (of which the Abbey was torn down in the dissolution of the monasteries) are right in the center of town and the river is inhabited by fat ducks and picnics can be held whilst the children clamber over the abbey ruins. This is a lovely place on a hot summers day. There are a good variety of shops just a 2 min walk from here .
Multiple places to eat are available including a Michelin starred restaurant.
An Excellent Market is held twice a week on Saturdays and Wednesdays, when buses bring people from all over East Anglia. There is also the magnificent Theatre Royal, the only fully restored and working Georgian theatre in the country.
Swimming pools, museums, excellent shopping are located here, it is only 7 miles from us(10 mins by car). A shopping mall and concert hall is located here too.
www.burystedmundsandbeyond.co.uk.
Lots of National Trust and English Heritage properties in the area
Features
Washer
Clothes dryer
Oven
Microwave
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
TV
WiFi
High Speed Internet
Bathtub
First aid kit
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Fireplace
Toys
BBQ
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Travel Styles
Budget
Family
Foodie
Relaxing
City
Village
Beach
Culture
Cycling
Accessibility
House rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets welcome
No smoking
Allergens
Cat free
Dog free
Smoke free
Dates of Availability
Click on availability periods to see exchange types and descriptions.
Simultaneous Only
Neighbourhood
We are about 30 mins from Cambridge, with its 12th Century University and colleges, students will ferry you on the River Cam in punts along the backs of the colleges which you can hire in the summer.
Ipswich, Norwich & the Norfolk Broads, the seaside and Great Yarmouth with its seaside attractions are about 50. Minutes away.
Ferry Ports to Europe about an hour away.
Thetford forest ("The Kings Forest") and lakes are 15 minutes away
We are also on the edge of " Constable Country"
Sandringham (the Norfolk winter home of the king ) is about 1.5 hrs away, with the house and gardens open to the public.
Newmarket race course is 20 mins away, where you can see top jockeys exercising the race horses (at dawn!). Why not spent a day at the race course? or visit the National Race horse Museum?
There is so much to do " Something for everyone" from Amusement parks and Beaches to castles, theatres and teapot factories
fully enclosed garden. safe for children
village location. Well stocked village shops. yet only 10 minutes by car to the nearest town
great kitchen. everything you would need.
Getting to my home
Good transport system to our area.
A14 approx 6 miles away , links up to major motorways that crisscross the uk.
A small Train station 3 miles away links to London. ( Liverpool Street)
Larger Train station in bury st Edmunds. links to ( kings cross).
Thetford railway station ( 11 miles away) links to the north of England
Nearest airport
London Heathrow. Approx 2 hr.
london Stansted 45 minutes.
Norwich approx1hour.
Ferry ports to Europe approx 1 hour
Getting around
Shops at bottom of high street. 2 pubs. Cafe , Good public transport. But to get the best from our area I would recommend a car
Map of Approximate Location
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People Like Us Local Guide
Willing to meet up for coffee or a meal.
Help in organising trips out. Advice on places to see and go. Advice on transport options
Feedback
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We had a lovely relaxed stay in Christine & Colin’s clean and comfortable home. We enjoyed visiting all the historic locations nearby and had a punt on the river in Cambridge. Christine is very organised, so everything you might need to know was easy to find. They put a lot of effort into ensuring exchange guests have a good time in their home and location, and it shows. We were lucky that we could meet each other on the way, so shared a lunch together. Christine and Colin were friendly and welcoming, and we knew straight away that we would get on. -
Christine and Colin’s home is perfect for an exchange: beautifully clean, comfortable and well-appointed, and conveniently located for visiting numerous places in Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Christine provided a very comprehensive and helpful collection of information, with details of the house and equipment, and plenty of suggestions about potential visits, restaurants, shops etc. And a lot of thought had gone into her welcome pack of goodies, containing local produce, home grown fruit and veg, and delicious home made jam. She was also excellent at communicating both prior to and throughout our stay, and answering any questions we had. We loved the local area, especially the picturesque villages, and there was a wealth of places to visit within an hour’s drive. Christine provided numerous books, maps and brochures, and we were spoilt for choice. Ixworth itself is an attractive old village, with a local shop and a couple of pubs, and Bury St Edmunds, less than 15 minutes away, is a beautiful and historic town with all the amenities one could want. Then you have all those pretty villages (Lavenham, Clare, Cavendish etc, etc), lots of nature reserves for those who like wildlife, and larger cities like Norwich, Cambridge and Ely. So much to see, so little time! Thank you Christine and Colin. -
Christine and Colin's home is set in a lovely village, and has a real 'home from home' feeling. Their home has everything you could possibly need, with quaint, quiet and private garden. There was a lovely welcome note and home made gifts when we arrived. Christine had also gone out of her way to provide toys for our girls to play with during our stay which our girls thoroughly enjoyed. Their conservatory is a peaceful place to spend evenings, and the girls also really enjoyed the cucumbers from Christine's Green House. We had a lovely time exploring Ickworth NT and Bury St edmunds. The girls particularly enjoyed West Stow Country Park and Oasis Camel park. We also took a day trip to Cambridge and to the beach at Southwold (when the sun finally shone 😊). We thoroughly enjoyed the 'dog walks' locally around the village and exploring the river, surrounding fields and woodland for black berry picking. There is so much to see and do in the area, and Christine's house is a lovely spot to explore from. Christine is a wonderful host, ensuring every little detail is provided for a successful stay. We would highly recommend visiting /swapping and are so thankful to have had this opportunity. -
Christine and Colin have an immaculately presented home in the small village of Ixworth. The rooms are compact but have everything one needs. We particularly enjoyed using the conservatory. The garden was full of lovely fruit and vegetables. Visiting in August we were fortunate to be able to enjoy fresh figs and abundant tomatoes. The location is ideal for visiting the many National Trust and English Heritage sights in the area and Bury St. Edmunds is a lovely city with a wide range of shops and super restaurants. Our first visit to Suffolk and we enjoyed it. -
What a well appointed and comfortable home Christine and Colin have, and a lovely garden to relax in. I was also able to enjoy the produce from their organic garden during my stay. A real treat. Christine and Colin were warm and wecoming. They couldn't have done more for me. They stayed to greet me for my first evening, as I was arriving alone. Christine cooked a meal for me and we got to know each other. They gave me lots of tips and guidance. Before they set off the next morning they gave me a guided tour of the village. Fab! Their house is very close to the centre of the picturesque village of Ixworth. This was my first visit to Suffolk and what a wonderful county it is. They gave me lots of information about events happening in the area. I was spoilt for choice. Sometimes I went by car and others using the local bus and trains. I visited Bury St Edmunds, the beautiful villages of Lavenham, Long Melford and Clare. Cambridge, Ely, Sutton Hoo, Southwold, Grimes Graves, all within an hour of their house. I could wholeheartedly recommend it. I would heartily recommend a visit. -
Christine has a lovely homely, comfortable house which is well equipped with everything you could need, including a well stocked kitchen. They left it wonderfully clean and tidy for us with some thoughtful homemade gifts and toys for our children to play with, which gave it a really welcoming feel. Ixworth is a really pretty village with some good pubs and a useful shop for buying essential groceries. Christine's home is well located just off the main high street. There is a huge choice of things to do within 1.5 hours, and we especially enjoyed Ickworth, lavenham and bury st Edmunds which were all within 30 mins by car. Communication before and during the exchange was great, with lots of useful tips and suggestions. They also have a very detailed house manual which made the exchange very easy for inexperienced newbies. Our children loved Sophie the cat and she was very easy to look after and sweet natured. We very much enjoyed our first exchange and would definitely visit again. -
Christine & Colin’s home is very comfortable with a lovely conservatory to laze in. The garden is so lovely to sit in in the evenings too. Their home has everything you’d need for your stay. Christine was a great at communicating & was always ready to help with advice. Ixworth was a really lovely quiet village with beautiful old houses.
Premium
Christine & Colin
Early 60’s semi retired , married couple. Non Smokers
No Pets .Experienced exchanges
Previously had successful exchanges on another site.
Past exchangers to include
San Francisco,
San Diego.
Vancouver,
Vancouver island,
Sarasota Florida,
Boston .MA.
Washington DC
Annecy France
Rennes France.
Utrecht Holland
Amsterdam Holland
Newcastle.
Windermere lake district.
Bath.
Yeovil Somerset
Geek Cornwall
Skipton Yorkshire
Outer London
Doveridge, Darbyshire
Bovey Tracy, Devon
Travelling group
Desired Destinations
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