Sebright Farm Cottage is a luxurious holiday home near London, UK situated in private parkland on the important historic site of Beechwood Park, Hertfordshire.

This large self catering holiday house is totally secluded with great views of the English countryside in every direction from the house and gardens.  The open bright aspect and fresh air provides a great feeling of freedom and well being, in this historic part of South East England.  The grounds, landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown are now officially an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wildlife can be enjoyed from within the cottage grounds – Fallow, Roe, Muntjac and Chinese water deer, Red kite, buzzard, kestrel, green and greater spotted woodpeckers, lapwing, woodcock, marsh tit, willow tit, hawfinch, 4 species of owl, pied wagtail and even a bald eagle that had escaped from Whipsnade Wild Animal Park have all been spotted within the park recently.

With two acres of its own private gardens together with access to the surrounding area this English country holiday cottage is ideal for a few days break – near London.  Enjoy the countryside from inside the house and enjoy a barbeque lunch or dinner in the cottage woodland.

This luxury family holiday let is near London in the home counties just a short drive from Harpenden, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Luton, Dunstable, Studham, Redbourn, Markyate and Flamstead.

Beechwood Park History

After the battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror gave his faithful supporter Ralph de Tony, this coveted site as recorded in the Domesday book of 1086.

As King of England, William the Conqueror would have expected this new Lord of the Manor to protect St Albans Abbey and its pilgrims.  Ralph de Tony’s grandson founded a Benedictine nunnery at Beechwood Park before 1150 to assist this purpose.  Now underground, the remains of this ‘Nunnery of St Giles’ lie just a short walk from Sebright Farm Cottage identifiable in a hot summer.

Having squandered the wealth left to him by Henry VII and having fallen out with the Catholic Church, King Henry VIII sold the assets of Catholic institutions for his own financial gain.  The Dissolution of the Monasteries resulted in the destruction of the Nunnery of St Giles at Beechwood Park.

The Manor House on the site was used frequently by Henry VIII and later by Edward VI due to the site’s reputation of clean healthy air, its’ immense natural beauty and given it is ideal for a short holiday near London.

In 1537, the site was let to Sir John Tregonwell by King Henry VIII in thanks for his help with the monastic dissolutions.  Shortly afterwards however, Henry VIII realised the site was far too good to let to Sir John and he granted it in a letter written by the King himself, dated September 30th, 1539, to Richard Page and Dame Elizabeth. The Sebright family’s ownership of the house and grounds arose when Sir Edward Sebright, 3rd Bt. (1668-1702)’s wife inherited it.  The Sebright Family made huge improvements to the grounds and house over a period of nearly three centuries.  The Sebright’s welcomed many guests wishing to take a break from the City and let them holiday in the English country they loved so much.  Guests wishing to have the privacy of their own English country cottage near London, did their own self catering in one of the separate buildings to the Manor House.
In 1961 the site was purchased by Group Captain Peter Stewart OBE whose energy and enthusiasm led to renovations of the Manor House to provide a first class private school and sustainable use of the greater site for agriculture let to local farmers – ideal being so near London and the increasingly highly populated county of Hertfordshire. The farm adjacent to Sebright Farm Cottage, part of Beechwood Park, produces the finest organic lamb and beef, together with some organic cereals.