Ashwell Hall

Down a tree-lined drive in the heart of the Forest of Dean, Ashwell Hall emerges with quiet grandeur. This Grade II listed Georgian manor has stood for over 400 years, and stepping inside feels like crossing into a living storybook. Light spills through tall sash windows, warming the aged floorboards and casting shadows across hand-carved panels. Yet there’s nothing stuffy here, this is a house with heart, where history meets soul.

Inside, the interiors shift from stately to playful, with richly panelled rooms giving way to bursts of personality. The dining room is a showstopper: dark wood panelling, a salvaged medieval carving from Clearwell Castle, and a candlelit oak table that comfortably seats sixteen. Upstairs, eight distinctive bedrooms offer bold wallpapers, vintage linens, and just the right amount of mischief. Each space tells its own story, no two are alike, and that’s precisely the charm.

In the farmhouse kitchen, mornings begin around the AGA with coffee and chatter. The hearth is huge, the air warm, and the table built for hearty breakfasts or wine-fuelled evenings. There’s a morning lounge with a baby grand piano for impromptu carols, and a cosier evening lounge where deep sofas and an open fire encourage you to do absolutely nothing.

Step outside and the grounds unfold, walled lawns, old trees and sunlit corners perfect for garden games or stargazing. The wood-fired hot tub is a crowd favourite, especially on frosty nights, while the firepit nearby invites marshmallows and late-night stories. For celebrations that call for something special, the cellar nightclub is truly unexpected, a vaulted hideaway with full DJ setup, lights, and sound system ready to host unforgettable evenings.

Tucked within Coleford in Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean, Ashwell Hall offers more than just a place to stay. It’s a stage for milestone moments, laughter-filled weekends, and memories that root themselves deep. Whether it’s a family reunion, birthday bash, or just an excuse to gather, this is a house built for togetherness, warm, soulful, and never ordinary.

As mentioned in...

Glamour Magazine