What would some of our favourite fairytales be, without crumbling castles, formidable farmhouses and tremendous treehouses? The fictional spaces that our best-loved characters occupy are often so central to the story that they almost become another character in the book.
To celebrate World Book Day on 7 March, we’ve found some of the fairest homes of them all that have seemingly been plucked straight from the pages of a storybook. With turrets, thatched roofs, and secret gardens, we could easily live happily ever after in these fairytale cottages in the UK.
Read on to discover a real-life gingerbread house, an enchanted castle, and a grand mansion brimming with Austen-worthy romance. Or click the button below to browse our full collection of quirky holiday cottages.
Escape somewhere magical
Turn the page to:
The gingerbread house (Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm)
With its rounded, golden walls, thatched roof, and gothic-style windows, this 250-year-old gate lodge in Dorset could be just the home that Hansel and Gretel stumble upon in one of the most famous stories of all time.
Stockford Lodge is a fairytale cottage in the woods, but instead of a wicked witch hiding behind walls of gingerbread, you’ll find cosy interiors with little luxuries like underfloor heating and a slipper bath. And instead of a deep, dark forest, you can enjoy 2 acres of beautiful bluebell woodland leading to a stream, where you can spot roaming deer.
Book Stockford Lodge
Kirrin Cottage (The Famous Five by Enid Blyton)
A place where gold ingots were found, kidnapped children were rescued, and multiple adventures were had, Kirrin Cottage was the legendary home of The Famous Five. Said to be about 300 years old, this large house was built of white stone, with sweetly scented roses trailing up its walls.
Just like the house from the book where George and her family lived, Drongstyle Cottage resides in Dorset and is bursting with olde-worlde charm. While there may not be any secret passages lurking beneath the floorboards (that we know of), there are plenty of hidden nooks to explore and a fairytale English cottage garden to admire.
Book Drongstyle Cottage
Thornfield Hall (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë)
This grand country house in the Lake District, with its grey façade, stone mullion windows, and fortress-like parapets, looks like the perfect setting for a Brontë novel. Surrounded by elegant gardens, Winder Hall is just what we imagine Mr Rochester's Thornfield Hall would have looked like in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.
When you’re not strolling along the private river walk, you’ll be curled up fireside with a tipple from the bar or banqueting in the wood-panelled dining room while someone gently tinkers on the baby grand piano.
Book Winder Hall
Granny’s house (Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault)
Settled in a secluded valley within an enchanting woodland garden in Devon, Little Barn Oakford embodies the very essence of a cottage from a fairytale. You could quite imagine Little Red Riding Hood emerging from the trees and knocking on the stable door to deliver a basket of treats to her grandmother.
No wolves are waiting to pounce here though. Rather, a sweet little dwelling warmed by a crackling wood burner, with a traditional cottage-style staircase leading to a restful king-size bedroom. It’ll be all the better to see you there.
Book Little Barn Oakford
Manderley (Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier)
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” One of the most famous lines in literature begins Daphne du Maurier’s spine-chilling gothic novel, Rebecca. It sets the scene for a story whose dominant presence is the foreboding manor house known as Manderley. Sometimes a comfortable home and at other times a malignant force, the house and its dark secrets influence the thoughts, actions, and behaviour of the book’s characters.
Healey House near Holmfirth in the Peak District has that same commanding air. Yet behind its Georgian walls, you’ll find far more relaxing interiors, with elegant bedrooms, impressive dining room, pool table and cinema-style projector in the lounge. Board games, table football, a digital piano and a croquet lawn add to the entertainment options. You can rest assured that there are no creepy housekeepers here.
Book Healey House
Wuthering Heights (Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë)
Wuthering Heights is a remote moorland farmhouse in Yorkshire and the setting for the classic novel of the same name by English author, Emily Brontë. This bleak tale about star-crossed lovers is widely considered to be one of the greatest novels ever written, overflowing with passion, desire, and obsession.
Mirroring Heathcliff’s brooding character, we think Arundel Grange is sure to inspire fans of this literary masterpiece. The 17th-century farmhouse is tucked away within the windswept folds of the Yorkshire Dales, boasting spectacular views from every window. Thumb your paperback beside the fire, imagining the ghosts of the two lovers wandering the wilderness outside.
Book Arundel Grange
The house in the woods (Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Robert Southey)
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks who stumbled upon a house in the forest. It was a thatched cottage, just like The Lodge At Godshill Wood which is hidden amongst the swaying boughs of the New Forest National Park. It was home to three bears, who had popped out for a walk in the woods while their morning porridge was cooling down.
When no one answered the door, Goldilocks let herself inside – and we all know what happened next… Re-live one of the most cherished children’s stories, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, at this luxury lodge. There’s a king-size bedroom for Father Bear, a double bedroom for Mother Bear, and a twin bedroom for Baby Bear, so you’re sure to find a comfy bed that’s just right.
Book The Lodge At Godshill Wood
Misselthwaite Manor (The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Frances Burnett Hodgson's novel The Secret Garden is an enduring tale of transformation and healing through nature. Following the death of her parents, Mary Lennox is sent to live with her reclusive uncle in Misselthwaite Manor on the wild North York Moors – a place very similar to Reynard House.
While exploring the grounds, she finds the door to a secret garden, neglected and hidden for years. She sets her mind to bringing it back to life and in doing so, unlocks a special magic that transforms the lives of the book’s characters. Like the garden in the book, we’re sure you’ll want to keep the exquisite gardens of Reynard House in Yorkshire your little secret, too.
Book Reynard House
Toad Hall (The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame)
A grand residence of mellowed red brick with well-kept lawns reaching down to a river; Toad Hall is one of the finest places to live in Kenneth Grahame’s book, The Wind in the Willows. And we think Toad would love hanging out with his pals Rat, Mole, and Badger at Alexandra Barn in Suffolk.
Like Toad Hall, it flaunts magnificent views over the surrounding countryside, and there is a huge ornamental lily pond directly in front of the property when they fancy a dip under the moonlight. Best of all, there is plenty of room for Toad’s vast collection of motorcars!
Book Alexandra Barn
Rapunzel’s tower (Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm)
Now this is one tower that we wouldn’t mind being trapped in for 18 years! While Sampson’s Mill may not be quite as high as Rapunzel’s tower, it’s certainly worthy of a prince and his maiden. Dating back almost 250 years, this charming, converted mill lies in an unspoilt pocket of rural Suffolk.
Like all fairytale cottages, this unique dwelling is as idyllic as idyllic comes, adorned in original wooden beams, and furnished with everything a couple could need for a truly romantic break. After a home-cooked dinner for two, ask your own Rapunzel to let down her hair from the top of the mill so you can climb up and sink beneath the soft sheets of the wrought-iron double bed.
Book Sampson's Mill
Godsend Castle (I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith)
There is something very romantic about the idea of living in a half-ruined castle, just as the eccentric and penniless Mortmain family did in Dodie Smith’s iconic coming-of-age novel, I Capture the Castle. Through six turbulent months of 1934, 17-year-old Cassandra keeps a journal, with funny yet poignant entries about life in their home, a crumbling Suffolk castle.
Her description of the historic fortress very much resembles The Towers on the Isle of Arran. Complete with castellations, arrow slit windows, and a spectacular arched entranceway, this 19th-century tower house was originally built for the Duke of Hamilton and now offers an enchanting retreat for families looking for the ultimate in storybook cottages.
Book The Towers
Falcon’s Nest (Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss)
The heroic tale of the Swiss Family Robinson chronicles the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. A classic story of survival and adventure, the family must pull together to undertake the extraordinary task of constructing a home in a place filled with strange and exotic creatures and plants, with danger lurking around every corner.
We think the Robinson family would feel very at home at The Treehouse At Poppy's Patch. The spitting image of their first constructed home on the island, Falcon’s Nest, this unique treehouse in County Durham is perfect for families who long for adventures in the great outdoors. Boasting five stars, it’s also brimming with luxurious touches.
Book The Treehouse At Poppy's Patch
Miss Honey’s cottage (Matilda by Roald Dahl)
Described by Roald Dahl as being so tiny that “it looked more like a doll’s house than a human dwelling”, Miss Honey's cottage in Matilda is as fairytale as they come. This tucked-away idyll was the home of Matilda’s heroine schoolteacher and despite its small size (or, in part, because of it), the cottage is portrayed in a magical, other-worldly kind of way in the book.
Could the author have been inspired by our very own St Johns Cottage? This 17th-century dwelling in Shropshire is the twin of Miss Honey’s cottage, with its powder blue front door and pretty garden. Inside, exposed wooden beams crisscross each room and characterful furnishings await at every turn.
Book St Johns Cottage
The castle (The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit)
Enter a spellbinding world at The Pink Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. If you’ve ever read The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit, you’ll instantly be enthralled by this whimsical place. Like the castle from the book, this 14th-century fortress is enveloped in glorious gardens – but whether a princess with a magical ring lies within them is for you to find out!
In between your adventures, you can sink into the warm, bubbling waters of the hot tub, indulge in a steam in the sauna, or watch the sun set over the sea from the top of one of the castle’s turrets.
Book The Pink Castle
Pemberley (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
Proudly surveying its vast 500-acre estate, Wolterton Hall is a residence that even Mr Darcy himself couldn’t find fault with. The fictional Pemberley from Jane Austen’s masterpiece, Pride and Prejudice, will forever be in the hearts of Austen fans as the setting of one of the greatest love stories of all time.
Just like Pemberley, the stately home of Wolterton in Norfolk brings romance and resplendence in droves, with its opulent state rooms adorned in glistening chandeliers, original artwork, 18th-century tapestries, Persian rugs, and blazing open fires. It even has a 10-acre lake if you fancy recreating that iconic Mr Darcy scene…
Book Wolterton Hall
Stay in one of our fairytale cottages
Have any of these fairytale cottages in the UK stolen your heart? You’ll find plenty more within our collection of unique self-catering accommodation, from storybook cottages for two to captivating castles for the whole family. Just click the button below to browse.
Unique cottages