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7 of the best Isle of Wight manor houses for hire - 2020
Honestly, the thought of owning a manor house does not appeal to me.
Sure, you get wonderful history and character but think of how long it would take you to clean the bathrooms.
A better option is to hire a manor house on the Isle of Wight for a few days.
Here are seven of the best ones. Some of them allow you to hire the whole place whilst others are B&Bs.
Sure, you get wonderful history and character but think of how long it would take you to clean the bathrooms.
A better option is to hire a manor house on the Isle of Wight for a few days.
Here are seven of the best ones. Some of them allow you to hire the whole place whilst others are B&Bs.
1. Kingston Manor (sleeps 16)
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Kingston Manor is a pretty spectacular place for a family gathering...if you can afford it.
It's Grade 2 listed and has colossal grounds which stretch to 15 acres including a lake and stream (keep that in mind if you're planning a holiday with young children). Inside, it's got eight bedrooms and lots of original features like a 17th century fireplace as well as some less original features, such as a hot tub and table football. The main dining room is called The Great Hall and has seating for 16. Rather hilariously there's also something called 'The little dining room' which still seats 12 people and is bigger than most London apartments. Kingston Manor is in the South(ish) Wight which is one of the sleepiest parts of the Isle of Wight. It isn't right by the coast but the busy beaches of Shanklin and Ventnor are about 20 minutes away by car whilst the unspoilt crumbly cliffs of Compton Bay are about 15 minutes drive. |
Kingston Manor dates back to the 13th century and has features including...
...a grand dining room with an open fireplace...
...as well as a drawing room and library
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2. Arreton Manor (sleeps 2)
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Arreton Manor is your best bet if you want a manor house experience without spending thousands of pounds on hiring the whole thing. It's a B&B so couples can stay in a room within the house called The Culpeper Suite or a property within the grounds called The Nook.
The house itself probably has the most impressive history of all of the Isle of Wight manor houses which you can stay in. According to the website, it has been owned by eight British monarchs including several that I've actually heard of including Henry VIII, Charles I and Elizabeth I. Queen Victoria planted a tree in the grounds. But of course, most, er, impressive is the fact that back in 2005, Yvette Fielding and Derek Acorah wandered round Arreton Manor for an episode of Most Haunted. Arreton is towards the middle of the Isle of Wight. The nearest beach at Yaverland is about 10-15 minutes drive away. Reviews are 5/5 at the time of writing. |
Charles I, Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I all owned Arreton Manor...
...which has a suite within the house...
...and The Nook within the grounds
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3. Northcourt House (sleeps 16 or 32)
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Northcourt in Shorwell is a good choice if you're attempting a (very) big family gathering.
There are two historic properties within the grounds called The North Wing and The West Wing, both of which sleep up to 16 people (that's a total of 32 for anyone reaching for the calculator). It was built in the 17th century and has a history going back a few centuries earlier. Its most notable former resident was the uncle of a Victorian poet called Algernon Swinburne. Reviews for both properties average 5/5 at the time of writing. |
Northcourt is split into two properties which both sleep 16 people...
...with suitably grand rooms and furniture
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4. The Hermitage (sleeps 20)
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The Hermitage is one of the more modern manor houses on the Isle of Wight. It doesn't have a romantic history of kings and queens but it does have a classy modern decor and a games room with a pool table and a 60 inch TV screen. I know which I'd rather have.
It's in the South Wight and was mostly built in the late 19th century. There are 11 acres of land to wander round and you can drive to the beach at Ventnor in about 15 minutes. It's got a gym and playroom and the dining room can seat 20 so you might actually get to eat together. |
The Hermitage was mostly built in 1895...
...and it's got a nicely done modern interior
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5. Weston Manor House (sleeps 14)
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Weston Manor House is in the West Wight, which is my personal favourite part of the Island. Local beaches include Compton Bay, Freshwater Bay and Totland which are all good for various watersports. Alum Bay and The Needles lighthouse are only a few minutes away by car. And yes, you can still fill up an Isle of Wight shaped container with multicoloured sand.
Weston Manor House is a Victorian manor house so it's not as ancient as some but it's got lots of original features as well as a cocktail bar and a snooker room. It's very spacious and is often used for weddings. At the time of writing, it is scoring slightly above 4.9/5 from reviewers. |
Weston Manor House has six bedrooms...
...and views down to the sea from some of its spacious rooms
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6. Tapnell Manor (sleeps 16)
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Tapnell Manor has the advantage of being attached to Tapnell Farm Park which is one of our favourite Isle of Wight attractions. Guests can get a small discount to the entry price where there are things like pedal go-karts and bouncy pillows. The Isle of Wight Aqua Park is also on the same site.
It's in the West Wight, near to the site of the famous 1970 Isle of Wight Festival where Jimi Hendrix and The Doors played to a crowd of about 600,000 (well, no-one quite agrees exactly how many people turned up). Anyway, I digress. The house itself has 10 bedrooms and sleeps 16 people. There's an open fire, wooden beams and an Aga (the middle class dream, obviously). It's not quite as vast and historic as some Isle of Wight manor houses but it's still a good choice for a big family gathering. |
Tapnell Manor is adjacent to Tapnell Farm Park in the West Wight...
...and it's got a cosy interior with open fire
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7. Shalfleet Manor (sleeps 16) and Shalfleet Manor Barn (sleeps 6)
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There are two properties to hire with this one, so it's an option if you're organising a group holiday with one family who you'd rather not be too close to...
The main building is Shalfleet Manor which is thought to be partly from the late 16th century. It sleeps 16 and has oak panels and a 17th century fireplace. Outside, there's a pretty garden as well as tennis court and an outdoor swimming pool. Meanwhile, Shalfleet Manor Barn is the smaller property in the grounds. It's less historic so there's less risk of an overexcited nephew destroying a priceless artefact. The location is in a sleepy part of the Isle of Wight, a little way inland from Newtown. There are several beaches within about 20 minutes by car. |
The Shalfeet Manor grounds include a swimming pool...
...whilst Shalfleet Manor Barn is a smaller property nearby
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