Tintinhull House - National Trust Holiday Cottage

The National Trust owns this 17th-century manor house near Crewkerne, and it's primarily let as a holiday cottage rather than operated as a visitor attraction in the traditional sense. If you're renting it for a week or weekend, you'll find yourself in a proper period property with genuine character - the sort of place that feels lived-in rather than museum-like, which is refreshing.

What makes Tintinhull genuinely interesting is its gardens. Laid out in the 1920s by Mrs Phyllis Reiss, they're formal and intimate in equal measure - topiary, compartmented planting schemes, views that reward slow wandering. Even as a guest in the house, you get full access to these grounds, which would take a couple of hours to explore properly. It's the kind of place where you'll find yourself sitting on a bench just taking it in rather than ticking boxes.

This works best if you're planning a Somerset holiday anyway - stay at Thorney Lakes Caravan & Camping Park five miles away, or splash out on Esme's Escape's luxury shepherds huts if glamping appeals. Then use Tintinhull House as a day visit or anchor your week there. Honestly, it's more valuable as part of a broader National Trust trail through Somerset than as a standalone destination. The house itself requires advance booking, so it's not a casual drop-in, but if you're after somewhere atmospheric to base yourself, it delivers.