Overview

This is a grade 11 listed building, no 1088786, listed 25th August 1960. It is mainly an 18th century golden coloured Cotswold stone building, formally the Rectory, stand right next door to St Edwards church, before becoming the Stow Lodge, then taken over to become the Stow Lodge Hotel. (Photo 1). The Cotswold stoned entrance has two pillars with a metal gate that leads the way towards the driveway and entrance to this delightful Cotswold hotel. It is nice and level for wheelchair users to approach, along the form driveway. There is no actual entrance for cars to use this way, as they encourage traffic to arrive via the main road of Fosseway, an ancient Roman road, that leads to their private car park. (Photo 2). The hotel has a very attractive feel about it as you arrive towards the front. It has two storeys with attics, with a Cotswold stone slate roof. One feature you will notice are the diamond casement windows, with a modern built porch now masking the old Tudor arched doorway. (Photo 3). As you enter it has that classes look about it, simple plastered walls with large cornice and centre chandelier, with warm carpets and polished woodwork, the furnishings are not overdone but do add character to the entrance. (Photo 4). Immediately you will enter the bar and lounge areas, with its polished panelled woodwork and a well stocked bar, friendly staff are ready to take your drinks order. (Photo 5). The seating is quiet comfortable, with room to place your wheelchair, and drinks are quickly brought to your table. (Photo 6). The bar lounge is comfortable and pleasant, and you may enjoy lunch here, served daily. (Photo 7). The hall has much to admire with rich colours throughout, the staircase leading to the bedrooms is inviting, with a lovely wooden balustrade, while the passage ahead leads along towards the toilets. (Photo 8). These toilets have a security lock on them, and you need a passcode from the reception desk to be able to use the toilets. (Photo 9). Opposite the bar, you will find the door to enter the residents lounge for the use of overnight guests. (Photo 10). This is a lovely warm cosy lounge, beautifully decorated with its old open fireplace and comfortable leather chairs, just the place to sit and relax with glass in hand, especially for pre-dinner drinks. While enjoying a drink in the lounge before you retire to your room, you may wish to learn about the history of this delightful hotel. In the early 1700’s the rector of Saint Edward church, Edward Morris, passed away,and his wife Dorothy Hippisley, having no children, bequeathed the Advowson to this church to her cousin Richard Hippisley. Advowson simply meant that under English law, she had the right to nominate someone to take on the right to now move into the church rectory, a process known as presentation, and become the rector of such church, providing the then Bishop approved of such an individual. So in 1744, Richard Hippisley became the rector of St Edwards church. The rectory at this time was a small home on Sheep Street, and he felt it was not large enough to live comfortably enough, so he built a new rectory next door to the church, which became Stow Lodge. Follow his death, a long line of the Hippisley family members were then presented under law of Advowson to become the rectors of Stow Lodge and the church. In 1822 the then rector of Stow, HenrynHippisley, had inherited an estate in Berkshire, and moved there, thus with no a Hippisley available to be the rector, a curate of this time, Richard Vavasoir was appointed to be the rector and allowed to live in Stow Lodge. During the late 1850’s Stow Lodge was let to various tenants, and in the late 1930’s, a school rented the house, to be known as Dent de Lion School. There is a wonderful record of the school of this time that you would enjoy reading, on. www.stow lodge.co.uk/anew/history/history.html You will find the history of Stow Lodge quite fascinating actually, with photos to help you see how the house has changed over the years, highly recommended you reading this web page. In 1954 Mr and Mrs Jux bought the lodge, and today the family run this as Stow Lodge Hotel, and very successfully we must admit, as this is a small hotel we recommend to you. ================================================================= (Photo 11). Their private car park is best approached as you arrive, by coming along the main Fosseway road, which will then allow you to pull into their car park. There are just a few spaces available. (Photo 12). These bays stand opposite a line of very attractive cottages that are now the modern rooms for overnight guests. Each has a level entrance, and are quiet cosy, but there are steps to get upstairs to the bedrooms, so to difficult for disabled. (Photos 13, 14 and 15). THE GROUNDS There are well laid out grounds that are maintained, with lawns and shrubs that may appeal to youngsters, and there are plenty of seating available for those nice sunny days, where you will be surrounded by tall trees that offers the hotel its privacy. ===================================================================== All in all, this is a very nice, cosy, attractive hotel, ideal for peace and quiet, but we would say that we feel a disabled person would struggle to use for overnight stays. However, for coffee breaks or lunch, it would offer you a chance to visit before exploring the rest of Stow, before moving on.

Transport & Parking

Their own private car park, off The Fosseway, is small, but only used for guests, and the few bays are right opposite the lovely cottages converted into rooms that disabled would find difficult to use. For just visiting for drinks or lunch, it would be best to park in The Square, and walk into the hotel, it’s driveway is nice and level for you.

Access

Most of the downstairs areas of the hotel are easy enough for disabled to cope with, but upstairs is out, no use at all, but this won’t stop you enjoying your stay here, and even a delight to use for your coffee breaks or afternoon lunch, a disabled person can manage to do this.

Toilets

We don’t know, as the public toilets in the hotel needed a passcode to get in, and you have to get that pass from the reception desk.

Staff

Very polite, hard working, willing and helpful.

Photos