15 c village. Near Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge and the coast
House • Ixworth United Kingdom
6 Guests
4 Bedrooms
3 Beds
1.5 Bathrooms
Pets welcome
2 Car spaces
Primary home
Exchange types accepted
Simultaneous
Non-Simultaneous
Non-Reciprocal & Globe
Statistics
Listed February 2019
Views 8873
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
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Oven
Microwave
Coffee machine
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
Air conditioning
TV
WiFi
High Speed Internet
Bathtub
First aid kit
Wheelchair accessible
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Fireplace
Home cinema
Toys
Gym
Sauna
BBQ
Pool
Hot tub
Balcony
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Kosher home
Meat-free kitchen
Gated community
EV Home Charger
Bikes
Camping gear
Kayak
Tennis court
Standup paddleboard
Travel Styles
Budget
Family
Foodie
Relaxing
City
Village
Beach
Culture
Cycling
Accessibility
Accessible laundry access
Slip resistant laundry flooring
Accessible parking space
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
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.
We had no doubts that we would come back to a clean and tidy home. It was as if they had never been there.
Thank you Christine and Colin. Keep in touch.
Christine and Colin left our home very spick and span - just as we like it.
Christine's home guide is very thorough and has lots of great recommendations to explore in the local area.
Communication before, during and after was very easy with Christine.
And the best part..... They took fantastic care of our home going above and beyond to ensure that our home left immaculate on their departure!! I'd love Christine to come and visit every week 😂😂..... Could not recommend better guests..... Thank you so much 🙏🙏
Christine and Colin left our house neat, tidy and very clean! Thank you!
Christine and Colin, were great house guests. We had plenty of contact beforehand, so that we knew what to expect.
They treated my house very respectfully, and watered all my plants while they were here, and even took next door's cat under their wing!
It was lovely to come home to a clean and well cared for home.
Christine and Colin are very experienced exchangers and it shows. We had good communication before and during the exchange and they took excellent care of our home. We returned to it looking immaculate. They were the perfect guests and it was great to meet them at the end of our exchange.
Christine & Colin we’re perfect guests in our home. They left the place thoroughly cleaned & washed the sheets & towels too.
Jan and Dons clean, comfortable mid terraced town house, has off street parking , and was lovely to return to after a days sightseeing. We enjoyed sitting in the sun in their small garden.
The house is situated just a 5 minute walk from Beverley town centre with its independent shops. Supermarkets and a bus station which takes you to York and Hull for just £4 return are 5 minutes walk away too.
We visited Whitby. Robin HoodsBay, Bridlington, Flamborough Head, York and Hull. They also gave us tips for nice places to eat too.
We met each other on the way and spent an enjoyable lunch chatting. They are a lovely couple and easy to get along with. In fact the week before the exchange a 10 minute FaceTime chat lasted over an hour!
We returned home to a clean home and Jan had kindly washed the sheets for us.
Jan is involved I; crafting and had left us a lovely hand painted thank you card and beautiful coasters that she had crocheted.
I would highly recommend Jan and Don as exchange partners . We hope to keep in touch . Their home is in a lovely area to explore all Yorkshire has to
Kevin and Annette’s immaculately presented home has everything you need in a great swap. Situated in a quiet location, just a 5 minute walk into Bovey Tracey. That has a selection of independent shops cafes, and a couple of small supermarkets.
There are walks onto Dartmoor almost from the door front, and Kevin provides maps to enable you to get the best from the area.
There are lots of lovely villages and seaside towns to visit.
The views over Dartmoor are spectacular, with the added bonus of wild Dartmoor ponies , cattle and sheep wandering freely across the roads.
Kevin and Annette kindly left us a selection of local cheeses, crackers and home made preserves to enjoy when we arrived
We would highly recommend an exchange to Kevin and Annette’s home.
Kevin and Annette were ideal guests. Communication was good before, during and after the exchange. Our home was left clean and tidy, and the bed linen washed . Annette kindly sent me the recipe for her spiced runner bean chutney.
We would welcome them back again without hesitation
Katie and Simons home is light and spacious. The garden looks over open fields to the rear . It is nicely decorated and has a beautiful large kitchen, with everything you could need.
The bedrooms are spacious and comfortable and their children have their own playroom which was an added bonus for our grandson, when Katie kindly allowed him to join us for a couple of days.
The home is situated near to the Peak District and is at the end of a quiet village, but is in easy walking distance to a good pub and playfields with fitness equipment and children’s area.
Supermarkets in uttoxeter are a short drive away or can be reached from the village via a pathway .
The bad weather did make visiting some of the areas of natural beauty difficult. But we still managed to visit the plague village of Eyam, Bakewell where we had to buy the famous tart and pudding. Ashbourne was nice market town too.
With our grandson we also visited Crich tramway village. Sudbury and the NT. children’s museum and NT. Biddulph grange gardens.
We would highly recommend this home
Thank you for your feedback and thank you for being wonderful guests 😊🙏
Katie, Simon their children and Skippy the dog, were ideal guests.
We came home to a nice clean house and as we finally had sunshine katie had kindly washed the sheets and towels and they were hung on the line to dry.
A lovely card , flowers and chocolates and thank you picture from the girls greeted us on our arrival home.
We kept in contact during the swap and since getting back.. we would highly recommend this lovely family to anyone looking for a Peak District exchange
This home is ideally situated to explore all parts of london and is a comfortable base to return to , having everything you’d need to relax after a busy day sightseeing.
situated just a 5 minute walk from Hampstead Heath and a 10 minute walk from Highgate Cemetery. It’s just around the corner from a row of shops. Baker, butcher, cafes, fishmonger, greengrocer and small supermarket. So all your daily shopping needs are met.
Ideal for public transport, busses to take you into London and to the tube station.
Very steep hilly area and has the feel of a village as it’s so green.
I recommend this exchange.
Trisha and Huw have a comfortable family home. They are well travelled and their beautiful home reflects this. We enjoyed meals in their lovely landscaped garden . Country side views and walks were enjoyed from their home.
A car was a necessity to visit all the surrounding areas as their home is on the edge of Yeovil, There were so many places to visit within an easy car ride and we enjoyed everywhere we went.
Trisha and Huw were ideal house guests. They left our home clean and tidy.
They kindly looked after our elderly cat.
Liz’s lovely comfortable mid terrace home gets the sun all day long. Her small backyard is filled with plants and gets the sun on a morning, while the front area has the afternoon sun. Both areas have benches to enjoy the sun.
Her house is open plan and has a lovely homely feel.
Situated just a 5 minute walk from Skipton town centre and the bus station that you can get a bus to other towns in the Yorkshire dale’s and a 10 minute walk from the train station.
Skipton hosts an outdoor market 4 days a week, has lots of lovely cafes and lots to see and do.
We walked along the canal, took an hour long canal boat ride. Walked the castle woods. Walked across the hills to view Skipton from above.
Other days were spent exploring the surrounding countryside. Not to missed is the steam train ride to Haworth and the.Brontë museum.
Skipton gave us so much more than we hoped for and is truly the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales.
We would certainly recommend Liz’s home.
We were lucky to host Liz for one night before leaving for her home. She’s a lovely bubbly person and easy to get along with. The first week Liz was here alone, the second her friend joined her.
Our home was immaculate on our arrival home and our 21 year cat had been well. looked after.
correspondence was good throughout.
Thanks for a great exchange Liz!
Sarah and Steve’s Victorian home is about a 25 minute walk along the towpath next to the river Avon into the centre of Bath. They are gradually renovating the property, their home is comfortable but is a work in progress.
A lovely new kitchen/ diner has has been completed.
They have a great playroom for their children so plenty of toys and books for any young visitors
The area they live has a village feel and has a variety of shops for your daily living needs .
A bus can be caught at the top of the road that will take you into the city centre.
Bath abounds in historic buildings. Fans of Bridgerton and Jane Austin
will recognise many areas.
The Roman baths are definitely worth a visit, but must be booked on line to avoid disappointment .
The tourist information centre has closed so I would advise buying a map/ guide book before going.
We were lucky to meet up with them at the end of the exchange, before they left for home and they are a lovely family and easy to chat to.
The whole exchange was easy with good communication.
We would certainly recommend anyone visiting Bath to consider their home
Our home was left clean and tidy. Our cat had been well looked after too. . This was. Sarah and her families first exchange and they were ideal guests. We would certainly welcome them back if they ever wanted to revisit our area.
Jacqui,Graham and Hana’s lovely comfortable home, is situated just a quarter of a mile from Windermere and a mile from the lake. It’s an ideal location to explore the Lake District, which we did mainly by bus. The weather was good and we spent many an evening sitting enjoying their garden.
We enjoyed the fabulous views on our walks but also managed to visit nation trust properties as we are members.
Communication was great, and we kept in contact via messenger as needed. We would certainly recommend this home to anyone wanting to visit the Lake District.
Jacqui and her family were ideal guests. we came home to an immaculately clean home. All the bed linen and towels had been washed and were ready for us to make up the beds again.
Our elderly cat Sophie had been well looked after, which we were extremely grateful for.
Jacqui has family living not far from us, here and we would be happy to welcome them to our home to meet up if they are in the area again.
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
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Conservatory. Has an insulated roof so doesn’t get too hot in the summer
Dining room. Table pulls out to seat 8;
Kitchen
Main bedroom. King sized bed 150x200
2nd bedroom. Double bed. New Memory foam mattress 135 x190
3rd bedroom. Double bed 135x190
New bathroom fitted may 2023
Newly renovated downstairs toilet
Fully enclosed private garden
Organic vegetable plot
Patio outside kitchen door. Ideal for breakfasts on a sunny morning
Ixworth village sign, at the bottom of the high street
Pakenham windmill. 1 mile from us
Watermill. We are the only county to have a windmill and a working watermill within 1 mile of each other. Come and watch the milers at work. Tea shop available.
Pakenham watermill and windmill
Wetland. 1 mile from us. Has a hide so you can view the birds
Angel hotel. Charles Dickens stayed here
Abbey gate. Bury St Edmunds
Abbey Gate. Bury ST Edmunds
Abbeygardens with st edmundsbury cathedral. Award winning floral displays
Abbey ruins. Great place to take the children. Great playground. Lovely open spaces and a river with fat ducks. Yet only a 2 minute walk from bury st edmunds town center
Abbey gardens
The legend of a king Edmund
St edmunds king of England. martyred by the Danes
The Nutshell. Smallest pub in uk. Anymore than 6 people and itsfull. Well worth a visit
Holkham hall
Norfolk lavender fields
Punting on the river Cam. In Cambridge
North Norfolk steam train
Sandringham . The winter home of the Queen.
Visit the house and gardens
Bressingham, steam and life museum
Southwold pier. Lovely safe sandy beach.
Sutton Hoo Viking treasure
Flat ford mill. Constable country. Near the Norfolk broads
The Harry Potter experience. About 1 . 5 hours by car