Hereford, Worcester and Shropshire
These counties bordering Wales to the west, the Cotswolds to the south and the former industrial heart of England to the east offer the visitor a combination of beautiful, rolling and totally unspoilt countryside and the fine historic cathedral cities of Gloucester, Worcester and Shrewsbury. The National Trust protects some of the best countryside, finest houses and most important gardens in the area. Berrington Hall in Herefordshire is an elegant neo-classical house of the late 18th-century and now has a holiday home in a part of its gatehouse. We also offer the chance to become part of living history by staying in the unique Back to Back houses in the heart of Birmingham in the West Midlands. Three of our cottages at Dudmaston, Shropshire, offer the ideal spot for a quiet break, excellent for walking, cycling and fishing.

Brilley
Brilley lies in a beautiful and remote area of the Herefordshire Marches, about twenty miles west of Hereford, hugging the border of Wales. On a clear day there are superb views of the local Black Mountains and Hay Bluff. Higher parts of the property give a glimpse of The Brecon Beacons, The Malvern Hills and beyond to May Hill in Gloucestershire. In ancient times the heavily wooden parish of Brilley lay in Wales, with Offa’s Dyke just to the east. Today, much of the land is agricultural but some remnant ‘wild’ woodland remains. Cwmmau Farmhouse lies at the junction of two streams running through small ravines or ‘Dingles’ and the name reflects this, coming from the welsh ‘Cymmer’ meaning confluence. The large, ‘Black and White’ farmhouse has a long and fascinating history. It originally started life in 1620 as a hunting lodge built on the course of a medieval ‘hollow way’. Phillip Holman, High Sheriff of Herefordshire, needed high status accommodation to house his hunting guests. Over the next 200 years the building evolved into a large, rambling farmhouse at the centre of a considerable estate. But the fortunes of the Cwmmau gradually declined until, in the 1930’s, a Lloyds underwriter called George Menges and his family took on the awesome task of renovation. In 1965 the house and two other farms was left to the National Trust and now this special building returns to it’s original purpose of offering a warm welcome and unique accommodation to visitors – this time as a holiday home. A few days each year it is also open to the public.