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Options & pricesDiscover Layer Marney Tower in Essex, the tallest Tudor gatehouse in England with 500 years of history, privately owned by Nick and Sheila. You will be introduced to the grazing animals during feeding time each morning – meet at the Tower’s courtyard at 8am. Your cosy canvas hideaways are nestled in birch, ash and alder trees that you’ll share with pheasants, woodpeckers, muntjac deer and owls. All in all, this country estate is the ideal spot for a family holiday in Essex that allows you to unwind and enjoy the slower pace of life in the Essex countryside.
Layer Marney Tower is well placed for you to explore some little-known gems of the Essex coastline, one of the longest of any county in England. If you like bird watching, Abberton Reservoir is just a ten-minute drive away. Blackwater Estuary National Nature Reserve for some wildlife watching. Colchester, the first city founded in England, is well worth a visit, both for its history and for its zoo, recently voted one of the best in the country. Oyster lovers will already know all about Mersea Island. Constable Country is a short drive away at Dedham Vale, where you can see where the Haywain was painted, one of the most famous paintings in the National Gallery.
During your holiday in this stunning Essex farm, you will have free access to the Tower when it is open, where you can learn about the ups and downs in its history, join in the fun and get a stunning view all the way to the sea from the top. For the adventurous, fly your kites, organise your own cricket or football in the big fields or climb up the farm’s spider web frame, the choice is yours! Some tents come with a hot tub (bookable extra), a truly indulgent way to get back to nature. When the sun sets, grab some marshmallows from the honesty shop and gather around the campfire. You may be able to book in for a pizza night (date and availability dependent) where you can meet Nick and Sheila the owners, create your own pizza toppings and socialise with fellow guests. After a long day of exploration, you can collapse into your comfy bed for a good night’s sleep at one of the best places for a family holiday in Essex.
Hot tub
Honesty shop
Pizza oven
Private shower
Outdoor playground
Cannot accept dogs
What animals will you find on this farm?
Sheep
Chickens
Goats
Lambs
Dogs
Including wood for the wood-burning stove (1 pack per day)
Including welcome package with bed-linen, towels, candles, matches, washing-up liquid and other basic items
Private showers
9.3
Meet your hosts
We are Nick and Sheila and together with our team (and our menagerie of animals), we will welcome you to the beautiful Layer Marney Tower.
Dip into your private hot tub, spoil some goats and let our place be your escape from modern-day living.
If John Lewis sold holidays, they'd look like this
Mersea Island
Colchester
The Essex salt marsh coast