Porter's Lodge

A magical place to stay to explore the best that Warwickshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire has to offer.

Very clean and comfortable and brimming with charm and character. If you’re comfortable with steep staircases and a bit of noise into the early hours on a weekend there’s nothing not to love about this property. Very caring, considerate host and a wonderful range of destinations to visit including Bosworth Battlefield centre, National Memorial Arboretum, Lichfield Cathedral, and Calke Abbey. The Boat restaurant, Lichfield, is sensational for a special occasion meal too. We will be back!

Our first time staying at Porters Lodge, photos, description and reviews were very helpful in advance.

Accommodation is beautifully presented retaining history of building but with modern amenities such as washing machine, good size fridge freezer and plenty of storage with welcome cake and milk on arrival. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and Abbey grounds and sensory gardens.

A brilliant property , handy for visiting the Midlands, both Stratford and the Peak District are within an easy journey or Birmingham , Leicester or the Potteries if you prefers to visit a town.

The porters lodge was warm and spotless, the bed comfy, the pint of milk and cake very welcome. If you want to stay somewhere with history or you are interested in medieval architecture this is a great place to stay. The stairs are as steep as the listing states, and quite narrow, so probably not an ideal place for anyone with mobility issues, and the club opposite was a little noisy on Friday night but as we don't go to bed till late it didn't bother us. The rest of the 4 days we spent there were very peaceful.10/10

Wonderful, perfectly restored historical building.

Friendly welcome, we enjoyed our stay very much.

A period accommodation just be aware of the stairs as are very steep but are advertised as such.

A great welcome on arrival giving information of local walks etc.

Porters cottage has been so beautifully renovated to an extremely high standard.

The place was spotlessly clean. Everything was there that you needed. Father Philip was so lovely to meet and made us feel very welcome on arrival. It is a good base to visit attractions around the area. Highly recommend visiting the National Memorial Arboretum.

We had a lovely stay in a wonderful gatehouse and grounds with so much history some of which was told to us by Father Philip when we collected the key and also during our stay.

The milk and cake left for us was a nice touch and there was ample tea coffee and sugar as well.

What an amazing building, it has been restored beautifully.

We loved our stay there you had everything you could need very clean and tidy , I had problem with connecting to the WIFI so I had to use mobile data, but I would definitely stay again .There was lovely fresh flowers milk in fridge and a delicious chocolate cake waiting for us, everything about this place put big smiles on our faces. Great local amenities we recommend the fish and chips delicious. We took our dog with us and he loved it. Thank you to Father Philip for lovely welcome.

Amazing building and really beautiful place to stay.

Very helpful, welcoming and kind.

I can hardly express what a delightful time we had at Porter's Lodge.

The property is beautiful - a model of a sensitive historical restoration, preserving period features whilst providing all the modern amenities. Everything was spotless, and it was such a pleasant home that we almost didn't want to go out at all! Father Philip is an absolutely lovely person; he was very helpful with a minor issue, and we especially appreciated him taking time to tell us a bit about the Abbey's history. The town itself is very friendly, and convenient to major routes to visit attractions in the area. We were made welcome everywhere we went - special shout out to the owners and staff at the Spread Eagle! - and were fortunate that our visit coincided with the Village Carnival. Talking of the pub, some previous comments have mentioned noise, but we had no issues on that front. All in all this was an absolutely terrific place to spend two weeks, and we definitely plan to return!

Fabulous place to stay, lots of history having been built in the 1100c.

The only downside was that it's not very user-friendly if you suffer from mobility issues, as the stairs are very steep with high steps, which are fine if you are fit. I have knee problems and found them hard to cope with, but it did not stop us from having a wonderful time. The Porter's Loge is exceptionally well appointed, with everything you could want, and in excellent/new condition. I would recommend this holiday home for a great getaway.

A beautiful restoration of a fourteenth-century building, with modern kitchen and bathroom sensitively included.

The effect is a wonderfully historic, cosy, yet generously proportioned retreat in a lovely location. The warm welcome - fresh flowers, cake, milk in the fridge - was delightful and my stay was a wonderful opportunity for pleasant walks, birdsong and relaxation. Note, though, that it would not suit people who have difficulty with stairs, as there are steep stairways at the entrance, and between living area, bathroom and bedroom.

Lovely old building - lots of history here .

Our stay in Porters Lodge was very good . Several people have commented about the noise from the pub . They did indeed have live music on both Friday and Saturday evenings . We actually went over for a drink on both nights and the landlady was very welcoming to us , with a free drink for both of us , when she learned where we were staying. She has done her best to keep the sound levels acceptable - even to the extent of triple glazing the pubs windows . Polesworth is a lovely large village with good bus connections to Tamworth and Lichfield , and Birmingham with a change of bus. There is a good fish and chip shop in the high street . The Coventry canal is close by for a quiet walk . We would not hesitate to return .

A truly wonderful find.

Every possible commodity you could need was provided. There was a fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, microwave, toaster, kettle, you think of it and it was there. Even a log burner with endless logs on request from Fàther Philip. There was milk in fridge and even a cake. The heating was on all day so really cosy. Beautiful antique furniture throughout and at least 5 vases of fresh flowers. I could go on and on. The country side was beautiful and Father Philip on standby for any problems. I would definitely recommend it. We will definitely be returning as the price was certainly worth it as it was so beautifully presented

Very nice place to stay but the stairs are really steep and probably not suitable for small dogs like ours , ideal for a couple on their own .

Could not fault Porters Lodge, Absolutely amazing and would recommend to anyone

Absolutely fabulous place, beautifully restored with so many features, stairs to accommodation are very steep as they are over the original stone steps, but you get used to them!

! Father Philip was so welcoming on arrival, inside a cake was waiting for us & flowers everywhere which is a really nice touch. You can here outside noise but not too bad only downside is we had a group of people deciding to have a very loud conversation under the gate entrance at 3am which woke us & the dog, but that was the only downside, would definitely stay again so we can have a proper tour if the abbey

We had a wonderful stay in the Porter's Lodge which was very clean and comfortable with everything we needed.

A property full of character and although there is some road noise at times, it felt really peaceful. There is a pub (which offers a free drink to guests staying here) opposite as well as a club. The pub has live music on Friday/Saturday which didn't affect our stay at all. There is a lovely park for walking the dog, Maisie loved her holiday! Suitably located for visiting National Trust and the amazing National Memorial Arboretum. We were welcomed warmly by Father Philip and the milk/tea, cake and abundant fresh flowers were very much appreciated. All in all a great way to celebrate our Ruby Wedding anniversary. ❤️

Beautiful property10 out of 10.

Only problem was the internet was down for the whole stay. But we survived with mobile data

We’ve have just had the most amazing stay at Porters Lodge.

The property was absolutely stunning and steeped in history. It has been beautifully and lovingly restored and very well equipped with everything we could have possibly needed. We had one day of rain but we didn’t mind as we snuggled up indoors and just enjoyed the gorgeous property we were staying in. The property was spotless and we were welcomed with tea and cake and vases of beautiful fresh flowers which was such a lovely touch. Amazing comfortable king size bed and a bath and walk in shower luxury! We had our dog with us and found some very pretty walks especially by the canal It was so nice watching the narrow boats chugging up and down. Local pubs all dog friendly and local people so friendly and everyone we met made us feel so welcome. Polesworth Abbey church was absolutely beautiful and we were even invited to watch the bell ringers practice and have a go ! Father Phillip was so welcoming and we can’t thank him and the local people enough for making us feel so welcome. We’d really love to visit again. Thank you Father Phillip and your lovely helpers for making our stay so special. Penny and Carl and Hadleigh our Golden Retriever! Worthing West Sussex

The Porter’s Lodge was a delightful property - full of history and atmospheric: a Tudor property but fully equipped with everything you needed for a comfortable stay.

It provided us with a brilliant base from which to explore the surrounding area; we visited all four neighbouring counties in one week! Father Philip and his team had done a fantastic job in preparing the property for us and were very welcoming.

We really enjoyed a week at the Porter’s Lodge.

Father Phillip was wonderful, greeting us personally and made us feel incredibly welcome. His knowledge and interest in the building brought it to life. The accommodation was spotlessly clean and we loved the little attention to detail such as fresh flowers in various places and a lovely cake! The stairs are steep but you are informed about them in the description of the property. We enjoyed trips to the Battle of Bosworth, Lincoln, Tamworth and various National Trust properties, such as Mosley Old Hall, all within a short drive. The Abbey grounds are lovely for walking the dog and we walked along the Coventry canal for some distance. Please be aware of the pub over the road which has a late licence until 1am on Friday and Saturday nights. This was a nuisance but didn’t ruin our holiday by any means although if you are looking for absolute peace and quiet, you should take this into consideration. We thoroughly enjoyed this historic property.

A great conversion.

Inside it is all modern convenience outside it's a 12th century gatehouse. We were a little concerned about all the stairs but found it wasn't a problem for us. We are both in our seventies but reasonable fit. Anyone with mobility problems would struggle. Father Philip was friendly, welcoming and helpful.

Porters Lodge is an amazing place to stay.

So comfortable and characterful with its beautiful exposed beams. It was warm and cosy yet spacious and airy.. We loved it.

We were warmly greeted and what a splendid restoration with thoughtful furnishing!

All created a very cosy holiday home with a feel-good ambience. The main staircase was a true 'orthopaedic exerciser' throughout our stay, definitely a feature not to forget, but fun too! Enjoyed reading about history of the Abbey and local efforts to preserve both historical houses. There was a noticeable excellent standard of cleaning in the Lodge and we very much loved the fresh flower arrangements, a lovely touch, thank you. Had kitchen/heating equipment problems and found caretakers from the vicarage friendly and willing to help but, unfortunately, it was outside their control or abilities to fix. Problem with the dishwasher was known prior to our arrival and it would have spared much frustration and worries, if we were told it was faulty. The internet was also non functional throughout our stay. There was little to explore in the village itself, hardly any signposting to help find walks, but there were many great historical houses with parks and gardens within a 15-50 mile radius for day long outings. The 2 Local Farm shops we visited had good tearooms and great produce. Noisy pub goers opposite the property were a nuisance, we also had to clean broken glass on the path and the driveway, but weekdays were reasonably peaceful. Overall, our stay was pleasant and left us with good memories. If you like history the 'Porter's Lodge' is a real treat for a short break!

What a wonderful place to stay, historic, interesting, clean and well equipped, even the dog was well catered for.

Lots of things to do nearby and some lovely pubs in the nearby villages, we will definitely go back

not clean, lots cobwebs on windows and dust, not dog friendly stairs way way to steep and narrow, no secondary fire escape, some windows had selotape over cracked glass, cooker did not work.

we had to leave on the same day as we arrived after tavelling almost 300 miles to get there, we asked for a refund but father phillip did not return our e mails to him not very nice to reply. would not RECOMMEND this to anyone

This property has been lovingly restored and made comfortable for anyone renting it.

It is adjacent to the abbey and there are plenty of walks around the area. I would advise it is not suitable for anyone with mobility issues as there is a steep staircase to get to the first floor, there are also a number of stairs to the bathroom and 14 stairs to the bedroom that is on another level. The kitchen is well equipped with plenty of equipment available. There is a parking place, unfortunately there is no garden at the property, although there is a garden for the next door property. On the whole a very nice place to stay.

Property was beautiful and clean everything was there for us ,cake and flowers lovely touch .

Area not so great though two pubs were described as serving food both didn’t only Indian restaurant but as we had our dog that was no good so takeaway it was.Area was ok not a great lot to do walking distance. must mention if you take your dog no garden so it’s up and down stairs to walk them .But our host was extremely friendly many thanks to him .

A beautiful property well presented and well maintained, the furniture in the livng room and bedroom is perfect in matching the medieval period the property dates from and makes it feel like you are stepping back in time.

Fortunately the kitchen and bathroom are both very modern and well equiped! We were very grateful for the lovely flowers, the milk and fruitcake on arrival were also much appreciated. The only thing we found challenging were the stairs up to the lodge which are rather steep and a bit too many for someone with 74 year old knees....

This is a fabulous property in great condition looked after beautifully by the host.

It's unique and charming but for its front aspect looking onto the very noisy social club and noisy pub, dont book at weekends ! Sadly boy racers seem to use the road where the property is situated as a burn up racetrack late at night too. We took our dog because its dog friendly and the property is but there are very very few places if any to go enjoy a meal with your dog in the immediate and surrounding. areas they are simply not allowed in.

What an amazing place.

We really felt like we had stepped back in time. Father Phillip was really welcoming and great for sharing some of the history of the Abbey and gatehouse. Porters lodge has everything you need for a great holiday. Be aware there are lots of steps, some quite steep if this is a problem for you. My only request would be a rubber bath mat as the bath looked lovely, but I was too worried about slipping trying to get in and out. Ideally situated in the village with 3 convenience stores and butchers near by. There are also several pubs and a great chippy. We had a lovely week exploring the area and would definitely recommend it to others.

We loved our stay at the Porter's Lodge.

The building is amazing, and has been very sympathetically renovated to preserve original features while providing comfortable accommodation. Father Philip was a fantastic welcoming and knowledgeable host, we would happily return and thoroughly recommend.

Superb location, well appointed, very cosy, fab log fire with extra logs on request, easy access to local shops & amenities, plenty of take-aways in the village, excellent award-winning butcher within 5 mins walk, lots of lovely walks nearby, friendly locals, no noise from The Spread Eagle across the road, convenient & safe off-road parking, very welcome cake, milk & flowers on arrival.

This is an historic property which has been very sympathetically restored, it was a perfect location to stay, close to the abbey and the facilities within the small village of Polesworth.

The property was immaculately presented, with fresh flowers et al. Communications were first class and we would certain ly recommend this location to anyone and everyone.

Amazing place to celebrate my 60th birthday.

We loved everything about it and I wanted to bring most of the furniture home with me ! All the fresh flowers were a lovely touch as well as the welcome cake and milk. The Abbey was lovely to look around too and with local walks along the canal and river, we didn't have to venture far for peace and quiet.

Lovely accommodation.

Very homely and spacious, rooms all good sized and everything you could wish for there.

The property is really old & unique - feels like you're stepping back in time.

It is also very well maintained & tastefully decorated with the relevant style. We would definitely consider staying their again if we're ever visiting the area again in the future.

This is a wonderful historic place to stay, cosy and well equipped.

The stairs into it are steep but once inside it is beautifully decorated and spotlessly clean. We were made to feel very welcome by Fr Philip. The National Memorial Arboretum is an extraordinary place to visit and the Staff at the Spread Eagle opposite the Porters Lodge made us feel very welcome.

great property.

full of character. great heating. lovely bath. excellent parking. I had family business to attend to and stayed in the cottage for 2 weeks and it felt like a home from home. great location to get around by car and not far to big roads bur also great to walk out of door and have a good few hours walk. highly recommend and father Philip is a hoot.

A cosy and well situated lodge.

Loved the interior. Kitchen well equipped. People of Polesworth very friendly. Spread Eagle pub just over the road. Great live music on Friday and Saturday night. Private parking. Father Philip very welcoming. Milk and cake for us on arrival. Thank you.

Absolutely beautiful lodge.

The road was a bit busy so maybe not good for light sleepers. Locals were very friendly and accommodating.

Sykes communication was first class.

accommodation was spotless and facilities and items provided were way above normal expectations. Father Philips at the church was knowledgeable and keen to assist, we found the village itself to be very friendly and welcoming. Ideal for couples looking for a romantic getaway. As stated in the details, the stairs to the first floor accommodation are slightly steeper than normal but have a sturdy handrail and should not really be a problem. There were some nice little touches on arrival, basics such as loo rolls, washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets, tea, sugar etc plus there were four vases of fresh flowers, fresh milk in the fridge and a fruit cake with a welcome note. Strongly recommend you try the Sunday morning service at the church, a 1 hour service presented in a light hearted way by father Phillip, best ‘landlord’ your ever likely to meet. Quick mention again on the village, has Chinese, Indian and fish and chip takeaways, nice selection of local shops and a well stocked modern coop, pubs and Indian restaurant are dog friendly and there’s a park, river and canal walks to enjoy. Bottom line, we consider ourselves lucky to have stayed here.

Had a great time at porters lodge and polesworth a great place with very friendly people.

Fantastic chance to spend a few days in a place that is 100’s of years old.

More room (especially headroom) than expected for such an old place. Accommodation was very well equipped and had comfortable facilities throughout. Only a small Tv but it worked well and frankly we weren’t really there to watch tv! Access through narrow, steep staircase might be a challenge for less mobile visitors. We were made very welcome by Father Philip.

It was a real privilege to stay in such historic accommodation; beautifully clean, well equipped and comfortable.

Father Philip was a gem and we were made to feel welcome; the fresh flowers, milk and cake were lovely touches. The Spread Eagle pub opposite was very friendly and we enjoy a complimentary drink being neighbours - a bit of noise, but we had ear plugs because of previous reviews. About an hour’s drive from the ‘Peak’ walking we were after - our mistake, but then if we had stayed elsewhere, we would not have had such amazing accommodation..

The stairs both to access the lodge and once inside to access the different levels were very steep and extremely difficult to carry a suitcase and shopping up.

Very noisy as all of the smokers from the pub opposite stand under the arch and you can hear every word of the conversation. Also right next to a busy road traffic noise starts at 6am pub noise doesn't stop until 1 30am Friday and Saturday nights.

We had a lovely time at the Porters Lodge.

A brilliant little cottage with everything you need for a break away from home. We were made to feel very welcome by Father Philip from the Abbey, and by everyone we met in the village. We went down to the Bulls Head pub and had a great night with the locals and the landlord. Would also recommend the Green Man in Middleton, approx 20 min drive for a cracking roast dinner

What an amazing experience staying at Porters lodge.

Lovely warm welcome from Father Philip, lodge itself was perfect! Far exceeded our expectations. Beautifully restored and furnished. 5 pubs and a supermarket all in walking distance were a bonus. Can't wait to return

The space was totally unexpected, the property was absolutely spotless and obviously loved by the people who maintain it.

The welcome by Fr Phillip was so relaxed and ‘unofficial’, it felt like being welcomed by a friend. We had noted the comments about weekend noise from the pub over the road but were fortunate to a) stay midweek, and b) stay during the Coronavirus pandemic when live music wasn’t permitted so we didn’t get disturbed. We will definitely return as there was so much to see and do that was out-of-bounds for the time-being, and we’ll be prepared with ear plugs if the music might be a problem!

We had a very warm welcome from Father Philip.

Accomodation was breathtaking !! and so many extras, Christmas tree and jugs of holly/flowers. We lacked for nothing, hardly any noise at all from the pub opposite even on New Years Eve ! We enjoyed walks from the Abbey Church along the river, and along the Coventry Canal. Slightly further afield beautiful walking in the Charnwood Forest area, and then New Year's day we enjoyed travelling by steam on The Battlefield Line, from Shakerstone Station, only about 5 miles from the Lodge. Complimentry mince pie and sherry was handed out before we got off, its a 15 minute walk then up to the Battle of Bosworth site before heading back for train. We hope to return .

Really enjoyed our stay, and the warm welcome from the host!

The host also responded virtually immediately to any questions we had. Property is very nicely renovated, and we appreciated very much the attentions (woodstove ready to go, cake etc). In addition, the kitchen was very well equipped, and bathroom was great. Off-road parking was comforting. The only downside was the noise of the pub across although it wasn't too bad (not rowdy, and it didn't go on all night). It was a great weekend!

privileged to be able to stay at such a historic and unique property .

Porters Lodge was far better then the photos showed.

We loved everything about the cottage itself and getting the keys all went smoothly. However we did have some concerns before we came about the noise level from the pub across the road and our concerns were justified. Saturday night was especially loud and it partly ruined our stay. We would never stay there again which is a shame because we loved the cottage.

A beautiful property with lots so stunning period features.

Has everything you need.Great slipper bath and lovely comfy bed.A pity the village isn't prettier,but get into the cottage and it's so cosy with the lovely wood burner.

A remarkable conversion of a fabulous historical building - a privilege to be able to stay there.

Amazing refurbishment of 14th century building.

Lots of info on the history. Felt spacious and cosy. Didn't want for anything. Great to be in the Abbey grounds. Lots of fresh flowers and beautiful furniture. Father Phillip v welcoming and helpful. Our little dog loved it too. A little noisy Fri and Sat night from pub but good the village is lively tbh and didn't go on too late. We hope to come back and stay in the winter to use the wood burner. Good fish and chips over the road.

We had a fantastic time, this property is truly wonderful and we couldn't have been made more welcome.

The lodge is so full of history and and has been beautifully restored retaining so many original features, it was absolutely well equipped with everything we need, and was beautifully cleaned and presented with some lovely additional touches in our case a Christmas tree which gave it a lovely festive homely feel. The area was great with lots to do and see we visited Stratford upon Avon for the theatre and Warwick Castle, but you do not need to go far, the village itself has a lovely river walk and poetry trail and the people were incredibly friendly in the local shops and pubs. We would highly recommend a visit to this special property.

Wonderful!

The Porter's Lodge is a wonderful building and has been renovated to an exceptionally high standard and is incredibly well-equipped. It is spotlessly clean and is very well looked after. Father Philip made us feel very welcome indeed. The best views from the cottage are out over the abbey grounds, which were beautiful in the snow. Despite the falling temperatures outside, we were lovely and warm thanks to the log burner and great central heating. The village of Polesworth has a few shops (including a well-stocked Co-op). There aren't many eating out options in the village itself - the Spread Eagle pub right across the road from the Porter's Lodge was friendly but didn't seem to serve food. However, as the cottage is so lovely and the kitchen so well-equipped, it was a pleasure to stay in and eat. The village makes a great base but you do need a car (or bikes) to make the most of the area. As suggested in the details, there was some noise from the pub and the social club, but it didn't disturb us at all. We would thoroughly recommend the Porter's Lodge - it's a wonderful cottage.

Words do not do the porters lodge justice!

Not only did the property it's self wow me but all the lovely touches, such as fresh flowers, milk and a delishous cake, is what took my stay from amazing to absolutely beyond Words!!!

The Polesworth Porterhouse Lodge was so much more than we ever expected.

It was beautiful, cozy, and very clean. The history is amazing. The people of the Abbey are genuine and welcoming. We cannot wait to return!!

Loved our stay at the Porter's Lodge - photos don't do it justice and Father Philip made us feel so welcome - thank you

Porters lodge was amazing, very romantic & we had a wonderful stay.

Father Philip was a terrific host with nothing being too much trouble - a genuinely nice man. We hope to return again in the not too distant future

The character and location of the property, only downside is the steepness of the steps to get to the holiday let , not suitable for large dogs but manageable

Great to stay in a place with such history, that's been beautifully restored.

Enjoyed walks along the canal in both directions.

Polesworth Abbey cottage was a superb cottage and was by far the best cottage we have stayed in.

There was so much history and the cottage has retained so much of its' originality. It was very peaceful and comfortable.