Peacock Cottage, Kirby Hall

Renting a holiday cottage for a short break is a great way to forget your troubles and enjoy a mini holiday without breaking the bank. And if you want to go somewhere a little bit different, English Heritage have holiday cottages in the grounds of some of their historic buildings

There's a real sense of stepping back in time when you drive up to Kirby Hall, near Corby, in Northamptonshire. You catch a glimpse of the Hall as you approach along the drive, but it's the gates that really gives you the sense of scale. They're enormous! The biggest gates I've ever seen, and if you're staying at the custodian's cottage, you get to drive through, like the lord of the manor!

Built in Elizabethan times, Kirby Hall itself exudes an air of calm gracefulness. The owners had hoped to tempt Elizabeth I to visit, but unfortunately she never stayed there. But the scale and grandeur would not have disappointed her, I'm sure. Now half derelict, the walls provide roosting spots for peacocks, while the building itself has been used as the location for a recent film version of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.

Staying at Peacock Cottage
Peacocks have free rein for the grounds, and the custodian's cottage in which we stayed is named for them. Much more recently built than the great house, this small cottage sleeps four and provides a great base from which to explore the house and grounds. After hours, you're the only people at the house and are welcome to wander around the grounds, although English Heritage do ask that you don't venture into the building because of the uneven ground.

It was full moon when we visited, and seeing the house in the moonlight was eerie and wonderful. Owls were hooting nearby and we could pick out the shapes of peacocks above us as they settled in for the night. I worried that the ghosts of Elizabethans past would bother us at night, but this was totally unfounded. The only sounds that woke me were the peacocks squabbling in the morning.

The cottage was well-equipped, nicely furnished and scrupulously clean, with two bedrooms upstairs and living room, dining room and kitchen downstairs. Although the bathroom is downstairs, there is a separate loo upstairs - perfect for those with small children. My only grumble was that the living room was quite long and narrow, but there is a spacious garden with outdoor furniture if you visit in summer.

There are several nice luxuries included in your holiday cottage. English Heritage toiletries are in the bathrooms, and shower gel and body lotion are also provided, adding that hotel-feel to the weekend. English Heritage also provide a 'welcome hamper' with proper coffee, tea, milk, eggs, bread, fruit juice, some cheese and a bottle of wine, so you don't have to dive into a supermarket the second you arrive.

English Heritage have several cottages for rent on their properties and they really are a lovely way to see the ancient buildings. Although many of the rental cottages aren't that old, it's a great way to experience stately-home life and enjoy the beautiful buildings at all the times of the day and night.

For more information, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk