The Old School House | Piddletrenthide | Dorset And Somerset

4.6★

5 Guests
3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Pets Yes
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Features

Off road parking
Open fire
Garden / Patio
Cot available
Highchair available
Washing machine
Dishwasher
Broadband / WiFi

Reviews & Ratings

Accuracy of the listing

Cleanliness

Comfort

Facilities and Maintenance

* Based on a combined average customer score

34 Customer Review(s)

Marian
June 2025

“Really enjoyed our week at The Old School House.”

Spacious for two. Property as described. Yes, the staircase could potentially be tricky to navigate for less mobile travellers but we had no issues (I'm 5ft 3in, and Mr is 5ft 10in). We loved the history and character of the house. We enjoyed sitting in the garden for our meals as the weather was fabulous, but the kitchen is a generous size and would have been just as pleasant. We had absolutely everything we needed. There is a pub in Piddletrenthide but only open Friday evenings, there ...

Spacious for two. Property as described. Yes, the staircase could potentially be tricky to navigate for less mobile travellers but we had no issues (I'm 5ft 3in, and Mr is 5ft 10in). We loved the history and character of the house. We enjoyed sitting in the garden for our meals as the weather was fabulous, but the kitchen is a generous size and would have been just as pleasant. We had absolutely everything we needed. There is a pub in Piddletrenthide but only open Friday evenings, there is a great pub in Piddlehinton, The Thimble, which is a 5 minute drive away, but it is very popular so book in advance. A little further afield is The New Inn, Cerne Abbas, worth a visit for food, or a drink and a stroll around the village. The house is within an easy drive of Dorchester, Bridport, Weymouth, Corfe Castle, Lulworth Cove, Bovington Tank Museum, Monkey World, Swanage Railway, Lawrence of Arabia's resting place and some of the most beautiful countryside. I'm sure there are some fabulous walks nearby but it was a week of rest for us on this occasion. Would stay here again without hesitation. Hoping to return in the winter to try the log burner and hunker down.

- Marian, June 2025
Christopher April 2025

“Lovely clean and tidy property, spacious, can feel a little cold at times but there are two log fires to keep you warm if required.”

The stairs are a challenge for taller people but you learn very quickly that they are not so high. Great location for walking and some good pubs to check out, The Royal Oak at Cerne Abbas is worth a visit and only two miles away

- Christopher, April 2025
Rosemary December 2024

“This well appointed cottage is marred by the narrow, low ceiling semi spiral staircase.”

It would not pass any building regs today and makes this place unsuitable for people with walking disability and/or tall. It is a true safety risk. At the very least you should make this clear in your advertising. If we had known this when booking, we would not have completed the booking. As for Dream Cottages who apparently maintain this place , they are a joke.From two weeks before our stay, we tried multiple times to contact them without success. We asked Sykes to contact them, and they too were unable to contact them. The guest information book urgently needs updating. Waste collection needs to be addressed. On arrival, the bin was full. A notice attached to the fridge, told us to put rubbish out on Wednesday evening( Christmas Day!,,,) for lcollection on Thursday morning. That did not happen. Arrival arrangements need to be improved. Arriving at 4pm as instructed, light was poor and it was quite difficult to find and open the key box. Once done we went to the front door but was unable to insert the key. We discovered the key was for the kitchen door not the main front door…all in worsening light. Better instruction and some lighting would help enormously. The local village store were extremely helpful and to be recommended for orders on arrival.

- Rosemary, December 2024
Carol October 2024

“Thank you for providing us with everything we needed for a lovely family holiday.”

- Carol, October 2024
Chris October 2024

“Great stay in a Lovejy house it was everything and more we could ask for , lovely village shop they couldn’t have been more welcome and good tea / coffee would recommend the Thimble Inn for food we went there both Sat / Sun great weekend and catch up with friends !”

- Chris, October 2024
Michael September 2024

“Wonderful kitchen diner and little readnig room.”

. Spotlessly clean and comfortable. Lovely garden. We are plannning to return! There us a super pub in the next village of Plush called The Two Pheasants. Things for improvement though : The stairs and landing were a nightmare with bumped heads. The ensuite shower room needs a shelf to put things on and a shower .mat as the foor is very slippery. The ensuite bedroom needs some clothes storage and proper bedside cabinets. We didn't discover the 2 cupboards of books until searching for a black bag as we were leaving. Should be mentioned in the info folder.

- Michael, September 2024
Graeme August 2024

“Overall we were satisfied with the property.”

The only maintenance issue was that the fan in the en-suite bedroom did not work. We had one major concern however, and that was the stairs. Our party included an elderly and less able person, for which the stairs proved very difficult. Having researched past feedback given by previous occupiers it appears that this has been a regular and pointed issue. We realise that this is a structural issue that cannot be easily remedied, but we feel that this issue should be clearly expressed in the description of the property by yourselves. We would not have booked this cottage if we had been aware of the difficulty that the stairs would present.

- Graeme, August 2024
Joanna July 2024

“Very comfortable cottage in a good location about 20 minutes away from Dorchester.”

Clean and well-presented, there was everything here that you would need for a holiday.

- Joanna, July 2024
Christopher July 2024

“We really enjoyed our stay.”

The property is very well equipped and comfortable. Super kitchen and comfortable armchairs and beds. Thank you

- Christopher, July 2024
Suzanne July 2024

“Lovely cottage, clean, well equipped and ideal position to sightsee the south of Dorset.”

Just a couple of points, in the en-suite bathroom the shower base is not slip proof so could do with a mat for safety, could also do with dual shower head to be able to rinse down tiles and glass, and a squeegee to wipe off excess water. Change the mirror over the wash basin to a cabinet as there is nowhere to store toiletries. In the family bathroom the shower head needs descaling as the water only dribbles out.

- Suzanne, July 2024
David May 2024

“Lovely property in a beautiful area.”

Very comfortable and with a full range of conveniences. Very likely for enjoy, plus.

- David, May 2024
Scarlett March 2024

“We absolutely loved our stay at The Old School House.”

It was well equipped and full of history. Lots of room for us and our dog. Walks from the doorstep and a wonderful pub not too far away.

- Scarlett, March 2024
Sarah September 2023

“The listing needs to be updated to reflect the fact that the village pub and shop are not open and apparently haven’t been in a while.”

It beggars belief that the owners were unaware of this and it was disingenuous, at best, not to have the listing accurately reflect the current situation. Additionally although clean on the surface the cottage could certainly benefit from a deep clean throughout. The manual went to great lengths to explain, when and where the dustbin should be be left for emptying which we complied with, however is it to much to expect that at least one replacement bin bag be provided. Complying with the instruction for bin collection mid-week ensures you will be in need of one. Although the cottage is quite well situated and relatively comfortable there are no welcoming touches, as has been our experience elsewhere. Throw away packs as per the standard service station don’t quite measure up and no starter pack for the wood stove without easy access to one (as mentioned village shop closed) sends entirely the wrong message

- Sarah, September 2023
Katherine May 2023

“What a lovely place to stay!”

A shame that the local shop and pub were closed but it’s not too far to Dorchester for shops and a pub in the next village. A great house, all the amenities you might need and very comfortable for everyone! It was a little hard to find it as the lane sign is covered by plants. The only thing I would keep in mind is the stairs are quite steep for youngsters and older folk, and there isn’t a stair gate to stop little ones climbing (we had a 21 month old). I’d stay there again in a heartbeat though.

- Katherine, May 2023
Kate April 2023

“Really lovely cottage, clean and comfortable.”

Previous reviews list a few issues, but we found the beds comfortable and didn't feel the need for long mirrors, hairdryers or wardrobe hanging space in the bedroom! The stairs are narrow and low ceilinged, I probably wouldn't take a small child or elderly relative here, otherwise just duck, it's charming. Wifi very good, DVD player doesn't work. We would highly recommend this place.

- Kate, April 2023
Rebecca September 2022

“What a lovely well positioned property.”

The house was beautiful, lots of character and history. The neighbours were very friendly and we couldn't have asked for a more friendly village setting. Dog walking just outside the door, 3 nice pubs within walking distance and a small shop for those forgotten essentials (the local sausages they sell are to due for!). We really enjoyed our stay, kitchen was well appointed, have everything you needed (might be worth mentioning in the description that it does in fact have a small freezer, wish we had known before hand). Only issues we came across were the stairs, very windy and difficult for my ageing Mum, also the low ceiling height as you went you went up the stairs meant the first few days we all bumped our heads multiple times!. Lounge was very comfortable, need a new TV remote, the volume buttons didn't work properly even with new batteries. With regards to the bedrooms, they were a good size, only one has a wardrobe but we utilised the landing cupboard hanging space which was really useful. The beds were fine but the mattresses were a little lumpy and soft, leading a few aching backs, also the duvet in the master bedroom was lumpy and the duvet cover had a 4" rip down the seam where the duvet kept coming out. All in all, we had a fabulous holiday and will definitely be using this property again.

- Rebecca, September 2022
Nick August 2022

“Lovely holiday.”

The Old School House was very well presented and prepared for us. Kitchen very well equipped and focal point of the house. Wi-Fi brilliant and tv reception strong. We are very happy we chose to stay here. Improvements we would suggest - we all banged our heads coming downstairs - could some padding be put on wall? Could a wardrobe be put in double bedroom? Full length mirror would be useful. Bathroom needs shelf above wash basin. Single beds are very soft. These are minor points, The overall experience was very positive and we would go again! Coast easily accessible and car parking fine. Thank you.

- Nick, August 2022
Joanna July 2022

“The only minor criticism I would make is that the pickup day for the bins is inaccurate since our rubbish wasn’t picked up.”

Hot water arrangements are a bit confusing. Otherwise, we had a lovely time and enjoyed the cottage very much.

- Joanna, July 2022
Janet July 2022

“The Old School House was lovely.”

The kitchen was well-equipped and spacious and the chairs and beds were comfortable. The showers were modern and efficient. We were surprised, however, to find nowhere to hang clothes in two of the bedrooms and no mirrors in those two rooms either. Rubbish disposal was a problem. We were asked to place all our waste in bags in the wheelie bin and take that out to the road on Thursday evening. The wheelie bin was already almost full when we arrived and, although we squeezed some of our rubbish in and put the bin out on Thursday evening, it had still not been emptied by the time we left on Saturday, so we could not empty the rest of our rubbish from the kitchen bin, and there were no black bags to replace the one that was in the bin when we arrived.

- Janet, July 2022
Marcia April 2022

“We had a very enjoyable time in the cottage with the dogs, lovely house, great walks and helpful neighbors.”

My main criticism is the quality of the beds and bedding, the mattresses were all too soft and the pillows and duvets were cheap ! Also the sound on the TV wasn't good. Other than that we had a good time.

- Marcia, April 2022
Michael October 2021

“Lovely cosy cottage.”

Great kitchen. Most things provided. Beds comfortable. Good touch to provide books and DVD's, but DVD player old with scart connection which Smart TV did not have so unable to play DVD's. A mirror in the double bedroom for drying your hair would be nice. Used vacuum to clean but very low suction so not much use.

- Michael, October 2021
Lesley October 2021

“The Old School House was lovely and we really enjoyed our visit.”

The house was warm and comfortable and the location was super with footpaths everywhere. The walk up and over the hill to Cerne Abbas was a favourite for us. The Thimble Inn a couple of miles along the footpath was smashing, dog friendly with really good food and friendly staff. The 2 pubs actually in Piddletrenthide are closed so that information needs updating to avoid disappointment. We’d definitely consider returning here and we certainly recommend this house - thank you

- Lesley, October 2021
Louise September 2021

“This is a charming, spacious house with lots of character in a quiet village location.”

We found it quite clean and well equipped for our needs. The staircase might be difficult for some people - you have to duck halfway up and it curves at a sharp angle near the top like a spiral staircase. We found the drains in the shower of the main bathroom and the basin in the on-suite partially blocked, which has been mentioned in other reviews. There are a few minor inconveniences - nowhere to put anything down in the ensuite so a shelf above the basin would be useful, as well as soap dishes on the walls of the two showers. There is a hairdryer in a drawer in the master bedroom, but it would also be convenient to have a dressing table with mirror to dry your hair. The location of the house is perfect for getting out and about. Most places we went were about 30 minutes away. We would be happy to stay here again.

- Louise, September 2021
Sue August 2021

“Lovely walks from cottage around the village.”

Unfortunately both pubs in village were closed which was disappointing. However the Thimble Inn just down the road was lovely great food, nice beer garden. You can walk the footpath through fields and green lanes easily within about half an hour, lovely off road walk too n dogs welcome. Cerne Abbas up the road lovely village too for a visit

- Sue, August 2021
Wendy July 2021

“Really lovely cottage, very clean and cosy.”

- Wendy, July 2021
V June 2021

“Just a couple of items that were not cleaned.”

The cafeteria left in the kitchen still had coffee in it were it was not washed after the last people who stayed there. The garden furniture had not been cleaned for sometime especially the one table, and there was birds droppings all down the back of all the garden chairs. Everything else was very good.

- V, June 2021
Anne September 2020

“Upstairs -----the facilities are of a high standard but the lay-out is "quirky" egs:-doors open onto other furniture door from shower in bathroom onto toilet main bedroom, it is necessary to enter the room and close the door to reach light switch!”

Downstairs-----insufficient crockery and cutlery sink and shower in en-suite were blocked Stairs ----mention needs to be made of their difficulty,I feel.

- Anne, September 2020
Jenny September 2020

“Beautiful property and quiet village location.”

Needed to be flexible to get up and down the stairs to avoid banging your head. Not noted on the property description. Wasps from a nest in the loft are getting into the bathroom. Village shop closes daily at 3.30pm and the pub is currently closed (September 2020). I appreciate this is out of your control. Rubbish is collected fortnightly not weekly, advised to put wheelie bin out each week but may be in vain. Also if you are the second week then there will be less bin space for your rubbish.

- Jenny, September 2020
Lynn September 2020

“Lovely week away.”

Cottage very comfortable.

- Lynn, September 2020
Kate August 2020

“We have had a lovely week in The Old School House!”

It's a big, quirky old property with lots of fascinating history and the 4 of us have been very comfortable there, the place would accommodate 5 easily with room to spare. The kitchen is huge and the facilities very good indeed, a huge range cooker, lots of pots and pans and a large utility room with good quality washer and dryer. Plenty of hot water to fill the lovely big bath and when it dropped chilly on an evening the central heating kicked in and warmed the house nicely. The location is great too- 30 minutes to Poole, less to Weymouth and lots of lovely eating pubs within 10 minute's drive. (The pub in the village looked shut unfortunately) Other reviews have said the house was "unclean" - we found the kitchen and bathrooms spotless. The rest of the house may have been slightly dusty, windowsills and skirting boards etc but it's an old house, in the country with beautiful leaded windows, some dust/cobwebs are inevitable. Some of the linens looked a bit tired and the decorative cushions/throws for the beds were all stowed away rather than laid out to make it look nice however all in, we would definitely stay there again, we loved it! Thanks to the owners for a lovely cottage.

- Kate, August 2020
Claire August 2020

“The DVD player didn’t work (a cable was missing).”

Also, we are not convinced the property was as clean as it should have been. We noticed in the information folder that it asked you to leave the property clean and tidy. If this was the extent of the cleaning that was performed before we visited (I.e. it was supposed to be done by the previous visitors) this may be why it lacked in some areas (I.e. under the bed in the main bedroom there was fluff and a plastic bag - presumably left by previous occupants).

- Claire, August 2020
Julie October 2019

“Nice location.”

Plenty of room. Quiet area.

- Julie, October 2019
Jeannie August 2019

“Didn’t feel that we should have to go and buy salt and rinse agent for the dishwasher.”

Also, would have been useful to know about local shopping. Deliberately didn’t bring things because wanted to support the local economy. The village shop was very good but understandably for such a small shop didn’t stock fresh vegetables.

- Jeannie, August 2019
Lynn June 2019

“Only a couple of minor things, there was no hairdryer and only 2 wine glasses.”

Some of the information about the village was out of date, e.g. there is no longer a bus service and post office only on Monday afternoon. This however did not spoil our holiday and the property was beautiful.

- Lynn, June 2019

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Summary

Over two floors
3 bedrooms: 1 x double with en-suite, with shower, basin and WC, 1 x twin, 1 x single
Bathroom with bath, separate shower, basin and WC
Cloakroom with basin and WC
Kitchen/diner
Sitting room with woodburning stove
Reading room with woodburning stove
Utility
Gas central heating
Gas range cooker, dishwasher, fridge, washing machine, microwave, TV, WiFi
Fuel and power inc. in rent
Woodburner (no logs or lighters provided)
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Cot and high chair available
Off road parking for three cars
Walled side garden with table and chairs
Sorry no smoking
Pub 0.6 miles, shop 3.4 miles
Up to two well behaved pets welcome, charge of £21 per pet per week

The property

This delightful dwelling is set within part of a converted Victorian village school, at the heart of the Dorset village of Piddletrenthide.

This superb property has been designed to bring together family and friends to an area filled with natural beauty and a vast array of attractions and activities.

The interior has retained a wealth of original features including the beautiful leaded windows and traditional fireplaces.

This real home from home has a sitting room, where you and your loved ones can gather of an evening to catch up on the your TV shows whilst the wood burning stove fills the room with tranquillity during the winter months.

If you are looking for an hour away from the rest of the group, head into the reading room where you will find a restful space for devouring a good book.

The kitchen is fully equipped for preparing delicious dinners and gathering your loved ones to share stories of your holiday adventures or to plan for the next day.

As the evening draws to a close, climb the stairs and you will find on the landing a feature fireplace and three well-presented bedrooms, comprising of a double bedroom with an en-suite, a twin bedroom and a single bedroom.

The family bathroom offers a feature bath and separate shower, the perfect place to relax after a long day of holiday adventures.

This beautiful village boasts two country pubs serving home cooked food and is just 8 miles north of the county town of Dorchester, where you will find all your high street needs and supermarkets.

Just a 15 mile drive to The Jurassic Coast. This area is renowned for walkers and those wishing to explore Thomas Hardy country, and the Cerne Abbas Giant is only a short 3 miles drive away and village of Cerne Abbas is a beautiful traditional Dorset Village.

This enchanting school house offers the perfect retreat to enjoy the tranquillity of this Dorset village.

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About the location

PIDDLETRENTHIDE

Dorchester 8 miles.

The pretty West Dorset village of Piddletrenthide can be found in the quaintly named Piddle Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, only 8 miles from Dorchester, situated off the main road on a private track. The village is surrounded by glorious countryside, with direct access to public footpaths abounding in superb walks, and a village store for picking up those essentials. Interestingly the young Thomas Hardy, as an architect's assistant, worked on the parish church. A great base for touring, there is much to see and do within a short drive of this picturesque area, including the world-famous Cerne Abbas giant, only 2 miles away, whilst the bustling market town of Dorchester, with its array of interesting shops, restaurants and museums is well worth a visit. Within easy reach is the family friendly seaside resort of Weymouth and the Jurassic coast, and also dramatic Portland, venue for the 2012 Olympic sailing events. With Bournemouth and Poole only 40 minutes away, this is altogether a super holiday destination at any time of the year.

Guests please note:
The left hand (as you stand with your back to the road and look at the house) area of the front garden is available to guests of The Old School House, please be aware the rest of the garden is private property and not for the use of guests. Guests may use the front gate and foot path to access the property.

This property offers the following short breaks:

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Features

Reviews & Ratings

“Really enjoyed our week at The Old School House.”

“Lovely clean and tidy property, spacious, can feel a little cold at times but there are two log fires to keep you warm if required.”

“This well appointed cottage is marred by the narrow, low ceiling semi spiral staircase.”

“Thank you for providing us with everything we needed for a lovely family holiday.”

“Great stay in a Lovejy house it was everything and more we could ask for , lovely village shop they couldn’t have been more welcome and good tea / coffee would recommend the Thimble Inn for food we went there both Sat / Sun great weekend and catch up with friends !”

“Wonderful kitchen diner and little readnig room.”

“Overall we were satisfied with the property.”

“Very comfortable cottage in a good location about 20 minutes away from Dorchester.”

“We really enjoyed our stay.”

“Lovely cottage, clean, well equipped and ideal position to sightsee the south of Dorset.”

“Lovely property in a beautiful area.”

“We absolutely loved our stay at The Old School House.”

“The listing needs to be updated to reflect the fact that the village pub and shop are not open and apparently haven’t been in a while.”

“What a lovely place to stay!”

“Really lovely cottage, clean and comfortable.”

“What a lovely well positioned property.”

“Lovely holiday.”

“The only minor criticism I would make is that the pickup day for the bins is inaccurate since our rubbish wasn’t picked up.”

“The Old School House was lovely.”

“We had a very enjoyable time in the cottage with the dogs, lovely house, great walks and helpful neighbors.”

“Lovely cosy cottage.”

“The Old School House was lovely and we really enjoyed our visit.”

“This is a charming, spacious house with lots of character in a quiet village location.”

“Lovely walks from cottage around the village.”

“Really lovely cottage, very clean and cosy.”

“Just a couple of items that were not cleaned.”

“Upstairs -----the facilities are of a high standard but the lay-out is "quirky" egs:-doors open onto other furniture door from shower in bathroom onto toilet main bedroom, it is necessary to enter the room and close the door to reach light switch!”

“Beautiful property and quiet village location.”

“Lovely week away.”

“We have had a lovely week in The Old School House!”

“The DVD player didn’t work (a cable was missing).”

“Nice location.”

“Didn’t feel that we should have to go and buy salt and rinse agent for the dishwasher.”

“Only a couple of minor things, there was no hairdryer and only 2 wine glasses.”

Summary

The property

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About the location

PIDDLETRENTHIDE