Dating from 1825, this quintessential blue-plaque Georgian English townhouse has an interesting history, having once housed the largest observatory in England. Observatory House has a swimming pool, croquet-and-tennis lawn and home cinema (with free Netflix) and with 6-8 bedrooms and extra bed spaces also available it is spacious enough for several families to stay in together, large group reunions and special occasion weekends with friends.

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With its large garden Observatory House could be situated miles into peaceful countryside and yet it is extremely convenient for the town centre (5 minutes' walk) river and Embankment, for London (37 minutes by train) and Cambridge (45 by car or just over an hour by very convenient and comfortable bus).

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Guests have the run of the house and garden, use of the pool and croquet and (by arrangement, so the court can be marked out) old-fashioned lawn tennis (keen players may prefer free hard courts in the nearby park). In winter there are open fires and a lovely warm range in the kitchen. There is also conservatory, large dining and drawing room, upstairs library and home cinema. Plenty of space for your group to spread out and room for everyone to eat together at the beautiful 300 year old oak dining table which can seat 16 to 20 (more with the insertion of another table, by arrangement).

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The bedrooms are flexible with additional trundle and sofa beds for extra guests - please get in touch to discuss your group configuration.

​Please note that the owners are sometimes in residence (including the house's very beautiful harlequin great dane, Cú Chulainn): The house has proved so popular and can accommodate so many so comfortably, that we now accept bookings when we're at home, retaining a couple of bedrooms and an upstairs kitchen for our own use, leaving the rest for you but on hand if you need help, thus making the house available for almost all the year. Please contact us for more information and dates. Other residents include two elegant cats, laying hens in the orchard, hardworking bees, beautiful ornamental doves and at dusk, if you're lucky, a pair of bats flit overhead and you may even occasionally hear a distant owl.

• Large very well-equipped kitchen with extendable antique pine kitchen table comfortably seating at least 12; traditional 4-oven, 2-plate range and for summer, two electric ovens and a 4-plate electric hob; separate scullery room for washing up.

• Stunning dining room with open fire for more formal eating.

• Large drawing room also with large open log fire and grand piano (and two harps!)

• Smaller sitting room with cinema screen, free Netflix and excellent sound system and cosy open fire.

• Excellent mobile reception and very fast WiFi (200 Mbps).

• Croquet, badminton, tennis and many other outdoor and indoor games by arrangement.

• Large bedrooms including doubles, twins, one with en suite shower, a large attic room and extra sofa and foldaway beds.

• All bed linen and bedroom towels provided. Please bring your own swimming towels.

• A combination of single lavatories (including one downstairs and another outside, for large garden parties) a traditional cast iron bath with feet, another traditional large copper bathtub with a shower over, a separate shower room and one bedroom with en suite shower.

• Wheelchair ramps are available by arrangement and it is possible to make the downstairs rooms available with double, kingsize and superking beds and downstairs loo but the house is not fully equipped for disability so please make contact to discuss.

• 2 cots and 2 high-chairs. Please contact us about safety: we have a pool and a pond and various animals.

• 1/3 acre garden with outdoor seating, spit barbecue and large fire pit barbecue. Also amateur lawn tennis, croquet, badminton and lots of other games available by arrangement.

• Salt swimming pool (no chemical chlorine) 28 foot by 17 foot (5 metres by 8.5), entirely solar-heated.

• There is parking for up to a maximum of 7 cars depending on size of vehicles and skill of parking, by arrangement.

• No smoking anywhere on the premises. Please tell us if this would seriously compromise your enjoyment as we can make arrangements for a designated area.

• We welcome well-behaved and under control pets among our guests. Please contact us for more details.

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Location

A lovely street within walking distance of the town centre of Bedford and the railway station. A 40 minute direct train journey to London and a 45 minute drive to Cambridge.

Sainsbury's corner shop at the top of the street and several supermarkets only 5-10 minutes drive.

Many local pubs and restaurants, country walks and bicycle rides.
Thriving local churches of every style and denomination.
There are many amenities, entertainments and days out within an easy drive, including Woburn Safari Park, the Cambridge Backs, Milton Keynes Theatre, paint-balling and much more.
In Bedford itself there are pubs with live music within five minutes' walk, a marina with boating, two local theatres and many musical events. Bedford Park is a few minutes' walk from the house with it's growing live music culture.