Manor Holding Byre is a converted traditional farm animal living quarters, built in Victorian times with brick, on the ruins of a previous stone building. It is part of a small group of buildings forming an ancient cottage farmstead, Listed Grade II for its historic interest. It overlooks an ancient mixed fruit orchard Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); alongside an even older ridgeway, now designated part of the EU sponsored long distance (109ml) Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark Way. The Byre was renovated after a fire last century, with well equipped galley kitchen, plus wheelchair accessible wetroom shower & toilet. It has been super insulated, with invisible underfloor central heating to make a cosy winter refuge from the madding world outside. Inside it evokes a compact manorial hall with full height main room featuring traditional oak roof beams and thick walls; but feels light and airy due to the oak mullioned windows and skylights. The towering, well filled bookshelves provide plenty of reading for long winter evenings (Free ladder on request). External stone stairs lead to a cozy mezzanine twin bedroom.

Penny and Nigel Dobson-Smyth have spent the last quarter of a century restoring Manor Holding, with help from our guests and the EU among others. Formerly a group of derelict ruins overgrown in a neglected and almost forgotten corner of the forest, Manor Holding is now described by our guests as, “Gorgeous”, “Idyllic”, “Lovely” and “Home from home”. It is now recognised and designated by English Heritage and Natural England. But the resident wildlife are your real hosts.

Just across the ridgeway stood a large Iron Age settlement at the heart of the ancient Wyre Forest, which sits astride Britain’s longest river the Severn. The forest held several Norman deer parks, before developing major coal, iron, leather, and charcoal industries. The small brook through the middle of the forest once powered more mills than the Severn! Sponsored by Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley, her favourite, established two blast furnaces close to Manor Holding. History has left a maze of ancient holloways, tracks and boundary ditches, now overlain with long and short distance paths, cycleways and bridleways. After the Civil War industry moved upstream to Ironbridge. The forest; now with the largest woodland National Nature Reserve in the country, much of it designated Ancient Woodland, & extensive SSSIs; is Worcestershire’s 2nd largest tourist destination. Home to GoApe, Severn Valley Railway, West Midlands Safari Park (itself the county’s most popular destination), Bewdley and Stourport. +Cleobury, Highley Lido, Bridgnorth, Ludlow Slow City, Ironbridge World Heritage Site, Witley Ct, Black Country Museum, Brum, Worcester, Shrewsbury, local vineyards and breweries.