Thursford Castle

Tucked away in the countryside of North Norfolk, you’ll stumble across this unique building, part ancient Gothic chapel, part contemporary holiday home. Surrounded by woodlands and set in a triangular, landscaped garden, the ruins of the chapel have been restored and provide the centre-piece for this stunning modern architectural design. Just fifteen minutes from the coast and located between idyllic rural villages, this is a great choice for countryside escapes with a unique twist.

Enter the property through the beautiful old chapel, most of which is now open to the skies above and lined by borders of plants. Once you’ve made your way through this grand, ancient hallway, step into the contemporary, glazed quadrangle with a courtyard garden at the centre. You’ll pass a cloakroom and reach the main living area first, which has an open plan layout, creating a relaxed and spacious feel. At one end you’ll find the kitchen with beautiful wooden beams overhead and exposed brick walls. The kitchen is well equipped and there’s a dining table a little further into the living space, set in front of huge sliding glazed doors that overlook the courtyard.

At the other end of the living space, you’ll find the lounge area with comfy sofas gathered around a wall-mounted TV. This space shares a double-sided wood-burner with the snug on the other side of the wall. This provides the perfect spot to curl up on the sofa with a book if you’re in need of a bit of peace and quiet.

From the snug, move through to the hallway at the rear of Thursford Castle, which has another cosy little seating area and bi-fold doors onto the courtyard. There are three ensuite bedrooms off this hallway, two king size doubles and a twin. There’s also a study if you want to catch up on some work during your stay. Head back to the entrance by the chapel and you’ll find a glazed hallway leading to the master suite with a luxurious super-king size bed and a beautiful freestanding bath in the ensuite bathroom.

Outside, as well as the peaceful inner courtyard garden, guests can now unwind in the architect-designed wood-fired sauna, available as a private add-on to your stay. This beautifully crafted cabin-style sauna comfortably seats four. Step inside and let the gentle heat work its magic, then cool off under the outdoor shower or simply sit back and breathe in the Norfolk air. It’s the perfect way to reset after a bracing coastal walk or a long, lazy lunch in the garden.

On sunny days, enjoy your meals in the pretty inner garden or go for a wander in the gardens surrounding the building. If you want to explore a little further, e-bikes can be hired and you can venture off into the Norfolk countryside, perhaps stopping off at Great Snoring or Thursford along the way. The coast is just 15 minutes away in the car and there are some spectacular sweeping sandy beaches such as Wells-next-the-Sea, Blakeney and Holkham.

If you want to add an additional guests to your stay, you may wish to book The Walled Garden which is adjacent to the main house and The Cabin that sits in its own private meadow. The Walled Garden is a gorgeous, contemporary garden room which has a stunning open plan living area, featuring a well-equipped kitchen, stylish dining space, and comfy lounge. This building also has huge windows that let in plenty of natural light and offer delightful views over the garden. The Cabin offers up Scandi-inspired interiors are light-filled and beautifully pared back, with high-quality, simple furnishings throughout. An open-plan living space centres on a window-side sofa bench, while bespoke shelving subtly separates the king-size bedroom dressed in Egyptian cotton. The sleek bathroom features a rainfall shower for restorative, spa-like moments of pure relaxation daily. All three of these properties all offer pure privacy, each with its own patch of land, and come together nicely for big groups who want to spread out and unwind in style.