4-star holiday cottage near Malvern, Worcestershire

News

  • Rhydd Barn wins ROSE Award

    Visit England Rose Awards 2025 presentation to Rhydd Barn
    Rosemary Boaz (centre) and Sharon Yelding (right) are presented with the VisitEngland ROSE Award by Lady Victoria Borwick, chairman of VisitEngland.

    Rhydd Barn has won one of the rare VisitEngland ROSE Awards 2025 given to outstanding accommodation providers. Only 100 accommodation providers are selected to win a ROSE Award each year. Rosemary Boaz, owner of Rhydd Barn, and Sharon Yelding, housekeeper of the Barn, were presented with the award at an event on Wednesday 10 September at The Post Barn, near Newbury, Berkshire.

    The ROSE (Recognition Of Service Excellence) Awards showcase the accommodation providers who deliver the warmest of welcomes and where the staff provide incredible experiences for their customers irrespective of star rating, style or type of accommodation.

    See our special page celebrating our ROSE Award

    Official press release: Winners of VisitEngland’s 2025 ROSE Award announced

    Rhydd Barn page on VisitEngland website

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  • New additions

    We have installed some extra USB charging points to fit the more recent smaller USB-C standard (as well as the older USB-A type). Also a new water butt at the end of the pigsty to replace the old one which was leaking. And there is a new electric kettle in the kitchen — which is supposed to be quieter after it was pointed out that the old kettle was very noisy.

    New USB charging socket
    New USB charging socket
    New water butt by the pigsty
    New water butt by the pigsty
    A new quieter kettle
    A new quieter kettle
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  • Dear Pheasant

    The lovely pheasant who frequently visited the barn was, one late afternoon, sadly, found dead on the road. Possibly the same pheasant who proudly strutted around the Barn that I photographed in an earlier news item around a year ago? My great niece and I wrote the poems below inspired by our memories of the pheasant’s natural beauty and charm.

    MY POEM

    Late Sunday afternoon you were in my field

    Pecking the grass

    Relaxed and content

    Coming up close to the barn.

    Now you are dead on the road,

    Your beautiful plumage can be seen.

    Why would you try to cross the road?

    You were safe in our fields.

    We are all sad Our lives are emptier without you.

    MY GREAT NIECE’S POEM

    The pheasant was nice

    Although I don’t like birds.

    The bird was magnificent, beautiful, strong.

    Although you’re gone You’ll still be in our hearts.

    Pheasant picture by my great niece
    Pheasant picture by my great niece
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  • 4-star award for Rhydd Barn

    VisitEngland award logos

    We are pleased to announce that that Rhydd Barn has, yet again, achieved a 4-star Gold Award rating from VisitEngland in an its annual inspection carried out on 20 March 2025. Our Walkers Welcome and Cyclists Welcome accreditations were also confirmed for another year. We are grateful to Sharon, our cleaner (who helped the Barn achieve a 100% rating for cleanliness), and our team who maintain the buildings and grounds as well as Andrea who provides a ‘welcome pack’ for our visitors.

    We have just received the full report. Here is the summary:

    Rhydd Barn continues to offer comfortable very well well maintained accommodation for its market. Mrs Boaz, the Proprietor, and her team clearly take great pride in the barn, this being very much reflected in the high standards achieved and maintained and for which all are to be congratulated. A real credit to you all. Well done! This continues to also be reflected in the number of return guests, a real testament to the commitment to the business of the owners and team.

    It is therefore a pleasure to once again reconfirm the Four Star Self catering rating along with Gold Award for another year reflecting this, and fully deserving. Congratulations to you all!!

    It is also understood that the Proprietors feel the current rating and award meets well with the market expectations and business levels catered for and we wish them all the very best for a successful coming 2025 Season, and stay safe and well one and all.

    Walkers Accreditation also confirmed for another year.
    Cyclists Accreditation also confirmed for the coming year.

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  • Poems at Rhydd Barn

    15 January, 2025

    Rhydd barn picture window view
    Rhydd barn picture window view

    I am at the Barn. My great nieces call in to see me, late afternoon. My sister had collected them from school. One of my nieces has always been interested in writing poetry. It was a very atmospheric afternoon with the mist coming down. We sat in front of the downstairs picture window in the barn, so we had the same view at the same time, and wrote our poems…

    This is my poem:

    Western View through Barn Window

    Cold January afternoon

    towards close of day.

    Bright chaffinch flies onto fence

    mown green grass by sheep beyond.

    Distant silhouettes of winter trees

    fading into the mist,

    pattern of branches against grey sky

    soon to disappear.

    Grandma arrives calling

    children for tea, gymnastics.

    Father impatient to go

    sounds horn of car.

    All is silent again.

    Little dog relaxes once more and sleeps.

    Outside a thick mist has

    covered the trees.

    No one would know they are there.

    The grass colour fades,

    the dark fence remains.

    And here is my niece’s poem:

    World poem
    World poem

    I look up.

    I look at the birds

    the trees and the view.

    I look at the beautiful oak tree,

    the old gate

    and multicolour stones.

    And I see a beautiful

    World

    I thought my niece’s poem was such a contrast to mine—a young child’s view of the world beyond the weather outside.

    —Rosemary Boaz

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  • Sheep in our field

    At the moment our field below the Barn is hosting eight sheep and one ram from our local farmer. They are doing a good job of keeping the grass down.

    Sheep grazing field -01
    Sheep grazing field -01
    Sheep grazing field -02
    Sheep grazing field -02
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  • Shower safety

    We have installed a grab handle in the shower for safety.

    shower before grab bar fitted
    shower before grab bar fitted
    shower with grab bar fitted
    shower with grab bar fitted
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  • Early signs of Autumn

    Conkers are already appearing on the horse chestnut tree alongside the driveway and the leaves are beginning to lose their bright green colour. Plentiful bright orange berries can be seen on the pyracantha which acts as screening for the gas tank.

    horse chestnut conkers
    horse chestnut conkers
    horse chestnut conkers
    horse chestnut conkers
    pyracantha berries
    pyracantha berries
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  • Flower pots and baskets

    We have refreshed the flower baskets and pots which decorate the barn’s patio as shown in the photos.

    patio flower pots
    patio flower pots
    patio flower baskets and pots
    patio flower baskets and pots
    patio flower baskets and pots
    patio flower baskets and pots
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  • Woodpecker

    We occasionally receive emails from our guests about wildlife they have seen during their stay at Rhydd Barn. Our recent delightful guests from Germany sent us this email after seeing their review posted up on our reviews page:

    Thank you so much to mention our review on your new and very perfect done homepage.

    As I did browse your website I also found your picture of the male pheasant in front of the barn.

    So I don’t want to withhold a picture from you of a very beautiful green woodpecker that “keeps your floor joints clean”.

    We took the photo  on the morning of June 15th right through the kitchen window.

    We often can listen to the woodpecker in our area [in Germany] as well, but we had never ever the chance to see one so nearby.

    Green Woodpecker
    Green Woodpecker
    Green Woodpecker
    Green Woodpecker
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