Bed & Breakfast at Lawrences Farm

The perfect base for exploring Dorset and the Jurassic Coastal area, and for fishing on our own Trout lakes and local rivers too.

Lawrences Farm has about 60 acres of land, mostly water meadows either side of the charming River Piddle, where we have some sheep. This is a relatively new venture, with the sheep now happily grazing round the lakes!  We have one Whippet and a Norfolk Terrier.

We are based near Tolpuddle in central south Dorset, only 20 minutes from the coast and in the heart of the Wessex countryside so beautifully described by Thomas Hardy in his novels and short stories. Tolpuddle is world famous thanks to the unfortunate Tolpuddle Martyrs, and a perfect base for exploring Dorset and the Jurassic Coastal area.

The house and annexe are grouped at the end of the drive which approaches the house through an area of parkland and ancient trees. The whole holding is managed as a conservation area with the watermeadows, woodland, trout lakes and the river. Tolpuddle, just 1/4 mile across the meadows is world famous thanks to the unfortunate Tolpuddle Martyrs, sent to Australia as convicts in the 1830’s on a trumped up charge of “riotous assembly”. The aged tree under which they assembled remains on the village green beside a pretty row of thatched cottages.

The village boasts numerous thatched cottages, a lovely church and small stone manor house. Sadly, the Martyrs Inn is closed at present but may reopen under community management. Nearby Puddletown and Bere Regis have pubs and there are several up the Piddle Valley, all within easy reach.

Bed & Breakfast Accommodation

There are two B&B rooms, one in the farmhouse and one in the annexe.

The double bedroom and bathroom in the farmhouse is in an entirely separate wing with ite own entrance and staircase. Close to the farmhouse there is a separate annexe with an ensuite bathroom both rooms have either a super king bed (zip and link) or two singles. Please let us know which you prefer at the time of booking.

By the way, our guests regularly comment on how comfortable the beds are.

Both rooms have tea and coffee making facilities and colour TVs. Breakfast is in the dining room for guests staying in the house and in the Mayfly room for those in the annexe. Guests help themselves to cereal, fruit, fruit juice, coffee, tea, yogurt, and toast with a selection of marmalades, jams and honey. We do not offer a cooked breakfast; during Covid we had to cease our ‘fry ups’ and now find many of our guests actually prefer what we offer now.

Many of our guests fish for trout on the lakes and rivers which we run as part of our business, indeed the guest’s sitting room (the ‘Mayfly Room’) contains a small library of books about fishing (and other things!). The room is equipped to allow our guests to do a little catering if they wish with a fridge, microwave, toaster, sink, tea and coffee making facilities and a small dining table. The room is completed with TV and video, comfy chairs and a large fireplace with log burning stove.

Surrounded by gardens, a small park, watermeadows, lakes and a river and steeped in history, bed and breakfast at Lawrences Farm is a delightful and peaceful rural retreat.

The magnificent Athelhampton House and gardens are a mile up the road.

Also close by are:

 

We ask our guests to refrain from smoking on the premises.