Rye Farm is in a quiet rural location, ideal for a relaxing break. Not only can you watch the bird life and enjoy a walk through the countryside, but it is close enough to Colchester to explore Britain’s oldest recorded town.
Each apartment offers a high standard of comfortable accommodation and is comprehensively equipped. Alternatively sit outside your apartment, relax and enjoy some night time star gazing of the uninterrupted night skies, with little light pollution.
We are 7 miles from Mersea Island, 2 miles to Abberton Wildfowl centre 4 miles from Colchester town centre and the beautiful Colchester castle, and Colchester zoo is just 3 miles away, to mention just a few.
History of the Farm
Peters grandfather purchased the farm in 1921, however it was compulsorily purchased back in the 1930s to build Abberton reservoir, and subsequently the family became tenants of Essex & Suffolk Water. The reservoir has now been massively enlarged and as a result Rye Farm has been reduced in size. We still grow some cereals and graze a few livestock.
Around the farmhouse itself is a moat, which spans almost three quarters of the way around. This is very popular with many wildfowl, and even the occasional Kingfisher if you are lucky enough to see it. The house and accommodation actually look out over Abberton Reservoir, a 1200 acre wetland, a site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, and one of the most important wildfowl havens in Europe.
We have four comfortable and fully equipped self catering apartments, in two converted 17th Century farm buildings.
Our Apartments
The Courtyard
Pond View, Cart Lodge and The Granary
These three apartments are in a building erected during the 17th century, probably around the same time as the farmhouse. It was originally built as a cart lodge, to house the farm’s horse-drawn carts, whilst the first floor served for some time as a granary. In 2009 the conversion of the former cart lodge into three holiday apartments was completed. In a sensitive conversion, some of the old posts and beams have been retained and incorporated as attractive interior features.
General Information
Staying at Rye Farm
There is plenty of on site parking and wifi is included in your stay.
At Rye Farm we have flexible change over days, and we aim to be as accommodating as possible, with a minimum stay of 2 nights.
Staying at Rye Farm
Your apartment will be available from 3pm on the day of your arrival, and we ask that you kindly vacate by 10am on the day of your departure, so that it can be prepared for the next guests.
The above arrival and departure times may be varied by mutual agreement, depending on other bookings for the apartments.
Restrictions and Warnings
Restrictions
Unfortunately, we do not accept dogs or any pets at Rye Farm as we are still a working farm.
Smoking is not permitted in the buildings.
Safety
We are a family friendly Farm, however we do have open unfenced water in places (The moat around the house). We do advise parents/carers to always keep close supervision of children. Machinery may also be travelling through the farm yard at busy times of the year.