A historic Gloucestershire hotel is returning to its roots and injecting a fresh lease of life to its latest acquisition — a Grade ll listed coach house and stables.
Part of its original estate, Stonehouse Court Hotel, near Stroud, has snapped up the 19th-century buildings after they came back on the market, decades after being sold to local families.
The historic buildings will now undergo an extensive refurbishment to transform the four-bedroom spaces into an eight-bedroom quintessential Cotswolds-style retreat.
Expected to be ready by spring 2025, the project will see the hotel partner with Cotswolds-based interior designers, Squid.inc, to elevate its historic architectural features while incorporating contemporary decor and furnishings.
Award-winning landscape designer Thomas Hoblyn is also coming on board to help link the coach house back to Stonehouse Court, through the hotel’s front gardens, alongside the original pathway that coaches would have used in the 1870s.
His ambitious designs for the space include productive gardens and an orchard.
Available for exclusive use as well as individual room bookings, the new space named 'Little Court' will also have a strong sustainable ethos with many eco-friendly touches.
General manager at Stonehouse Court, Maz Jurko, said: 'We’re thrilled to finally reunite the original 19th century coach house and stables to our manor house, in an exciting project that will transform it into a stunning example of high-end accommodation.
'At Stonehouse Court, we have always embraced the rich history and heritage of the region, and with this new venture, we aim to elevate that experience further for our guests.
'By partnering with local designers and landscape experts, we are not only ensuring Little Court retains its historic charm but also infusing it with contemporary elements and sustainable practices that reflect our own commitment to preserving the beauty of the Stroud Valley for future generations.
'While this is an ambitious undertaking, we hope to have everything in place ready for a spring 2025 opening — providing the perfect opportunity to explore and discover this breathtaking region.'
The coach house was originally built around 1870 for Lucina Marling from the Marling Family, who owned the estate from 1847 to 1906.
It later passed into the ownership of Caroline Winterbotham who also owned Stonehouse Court, the court farm and surrounding land. She left the coach house to her housekeeper and butler, who lived there. They sold it to the Youngs, who in turn sold it to the last family, before Stonehouse Court took it back 50 years on.
