The Stone Barn is separate to Stratton House and accessed by electronic gates with parking on the wide driveway in front of the barn which has its own front door. An old barn which has been converted to the highest environmental criteria, two spacious luxury designer studios are available with one on the first floor with high sloping ceilings and full length doors overlooking the gardens protected by a glass balconette, and the second on the ground floor open onto the driveway with its own entrance. There is a comfortable living and work area. This includes phone chargers, broadband plug-in points for computers, wif-fi with fibre that delivers an average speed of 35+ mbps, a bedside Pure radio/alarm clock with an ipod docking station and adaptors, a 47” smart 3D TV and a blue-ray DVD player. For those with simpler needs there is a selection of good books. A fully equipped kitchenette (no oven) with basics provided for breakfast includes pods for the Nespresso. The bed is king sized with ViSpring mattress, Egyptian cotton sheets and choice of pillows. The ensuite bathroom has a walk-in power shower with The White Company toiletries, fluffy bathrobes and slippers.

An active semi-retired couple living on site but in a separate building so readily available

Stratton Audley is a small attractive rural village as seen on the village website. It has a twelfth century church and a thatched pub providing traditional food a two minute walk away from The Stone Barn. Other restaurants are a short drive. It is situated in North Oxfordshire which has fast links to London and Oxford, but its tranquil setting takes you into a different world without public transport. It is a popular area for cyclists and walkers due to its gently undulating country roads winding between other pretty villages. For the leisure traveller it’s a great location for exploring the Cotswolds and with the M40 only 15 minutes away, it is a convenient base for places further afield, whether on business or pleasure. Within a 15 mile radius: the university City of Oxford; the ancient town of Woodstock with Churchill’s birthplace Blenheim Palace; Waddesdon Manor ancestral home of the Rothschilds; Stowe school and botanical gardens; and the international Grand Prix motor racing circuit of Silverstone. The fast expanding town of Bicester and Bicester Village, Europe’s largest outlet shopping centre, is a short drive away.