Welcome to our August 2026 newsletter!
August has brought us another month of unusually hot, dry weather, with the drought continuing across our corner of Dorset. Thanks to the old well at Well Cottage, we have been able to keep the garden watered throughout the hosepipe ban, while carefully tending everything else with watering cans. Then, during the final week of August, the rain finally arrived—and what a difference it has made! The garden has been thoroughly nourished, the colours seem brighter than ever, and we have been able to enjoy a very welcome rest from our seemingly endless watering duties.
Despite the dry conditions, the garden and vegetable patch have continued to provide us with an extraordinary harvest. Later in the newsletter, we will show you some of the wonderful produce we have gathered throughout the season and tell you about the vegetable patch as it begins to move into its next phase. The rest of the garden, meanwhile, is simply bursting with colour and life.
Most importantly, we have welcomed another collection of gorgeous guests to Well Cottage this month. We have loved every minute of their company and the warmth, laughter and beautiful presence they have brought into our home. It is our guests who make it possible for us to live in this wonderful place and continue doing what we love, and we never take that privilege for granted.
This month, we’re excited to share:
- Featured Additional Location – A spotlight on one of our extended stay locations. The Seaside Devon Town of Salcombe.
- Featured Excursion – A closer look at one of the experiences that can be included in your itineraries, Breamore House, Church and Mizmaze
- Exploring Our Corner of England – Sutton Waldron Church – St Bartholomew
- Another Sterling Guest Review – Returning guests are not disappointed!
- Guest Gallery – A few favourite moments from recent guests
- Local News Corner – When the Postman Came on Foot
- From the Garden at Well Cottage August 2026 – How is the garden looking today and what are we growing?
- Behind the Scenes at English Cottage Vacation Featured Video – The Story Behind English Cottage Vacation | From the Very Beginning
- A Taste of Well Cottage – Laura shares the recipe for her delicious Luxury Fish Pie
- Your chance to buy Laura’s Recipe Book
- Travel Advisor Programme – A chance to work with English Cottage Vacation and bring this wonderful experience to your clients.
- Help Us Improve – We’d love your feedback! Complete our short survey to help shape future newsletters
- Picnic Basket Winner – Find out who has won this month’s English Cottage Vacation picnic basket. Could it be YOU?
- Everything You Need to Know – Quick links to planning your itinerary, FAQs, payment information, cancellation policies and everything else you need to plan your stay.
- UK ETA Reminder A helpful reminder for international guests travelling to the UK.
- Step Inside Our Community – Join our For the Love of England Facebook community and share your passion for England with fellow Anglophiles.
So, settle somewhere comfortable and join us as we look back at another busy, colourful and memorable August at Well Cottage.
Featured Additional Location: Salcombe, Devon
Tucked away on the beautiful South Devon coast, Salcombe is one of England’s most desirable seaside towns. Set beside a sheltered estuary and surrounded by rolling countryside, secluded beaches and sparkling blue water, it has a relaxed coastal atmosphere while still feeling wonderfully elegant.
Its pretty streets are filled with independent boutiques, galleries, cafés and restaurants, while the harbour is alive with sailing boats, traditional ferries and people setting out to explore the estuary. Fresh seafood is naturally a highlight, and few things feel more quintessentially English than enjoying fish and chips beside the water while watching the boats sail past.
Beyond the town itself, there are glorious beaches, hidden coves and beautiful stretches of the South West Coast Path to discover. Guests might spend their time taking a boat trip, crossing the estuary by ferry, walking along the coastline or simply enjoying the slower rhythm of seaside life.
Salcombe holds a particularly special place in Laura’s heart. She spent many childhood summer holidays there with her parents, staying in their camper van across the estuary in East Portlemouth and enjoying the sort of carefree English seaside holidays that remain with you forever.
Her days were filled with crabbing, fishing and rock pooling; swimming and snorkelling in the sea; sailing in her father’s boat; and spending long, happy hours on the beach. There were shopping trips along Salcombe’s pretty high street and regular journeys back and forth across the estuary on the little passenger ferry connecting East Portlemouth with Salcombe. It was simple, joyful and, for Laura, the very picture of an English seaside summer.
As an additional English Cottage Vacation location, Devon allows guests to combine the warmth and personal hosting of their stay with us with a few wonderful days beside the sea. Laura and Nathan travel with you, continuing to take care of your meals, chauffeur-driven transport and daily arrangements while you experience an entirely different corner of England without sacrificing the ease and familiarity of your hosted vacation.
Just as every Well Cottage vacation is tailored to our guests, so too is the accommodation chosen for an additional stay. Depending on your group size and travel style, we might reserve a cosy rural cottage surrounded by the peaceful South Devon countryside, a beautiful coastal retreat with sea views or a charming property in the heart of a bustling seaside town. Every property is personally selected to complement your vacation perfectly.
Our Additional Location Option is designed to help you experience even more of England while enjoying the same fully hosted, chauffeur-driven and completely personalised style of travel that makes an English Cottage Vacation so unique. Salcombe is the perfect Devon excursion for anyone dreaming of seeing more of England: Devon can be part countryside escape, part coastal adventure and entirely unforgettable.
To begin planning your perfect English experience contact us today:
Featured Excursion: Breamore House, Church & Mizmaze
Hidden away near the edge of the New Forest, less than an hour from Well Cottage, Breamore House is one of those wonderful historic places that even many English visitors have yet to discover.
Approached through grand lion gates and along a winding driveway, the house appears beyond an ancient yew tree believed to be around 1,000 years old. Completed in 1583, Breamore is a beautiful Elizabethan manor house built in the traditional E-shape said to honour Queen Elizabeth I. Unlike many of England’s better-known stately homes, it remains wonderfully peaceful and retains the atmosphere of a much-loved family home.
A guided tour takes visitors through a collection of historic rooms filled with period furniture, paintings, tapestries and fascinating objects gathered across generations. The house stands between peaceful parkland and ancient woodland, with views stretching towards the New Forest.
The estate is also home to the Breamore Countryside Museum, a remarkable collection celebrating traditional English village and farming life. Its displays recreate workshops, trades and everyday settings that have gradually disappeared from the countryside, including a blacksmith’s forge, village shop, schoolroom, dairy, brewhouse and cobbler’s workshop. Historic farm machinery, tractors and tools help to tell the story of how rural communities once lived and worked.
Nearby stands the beautiful Saxon Church of St Mary, while those wishing to explore farther can search for the Breamore Mizmaze—one of only a handful of surviving ancient turf mazes in England.
Breamore offers exactly the sort of experience we love sharing with our guests: beautiful, historic, deeply English and just far enough from the usual tourist trail to feel like a genuine discovery. Depending on the interests of our guests, it can be incorporated into a personalised English Cottage Vacation itinerary.
Discover more about Breamore House and plan your visit
EXPLORE ALL OUR AMAZING EXCURSIONS
Exploring Our Corner of England: The Colourful Secret of Sutton Waldron
Just a few minutes from Well Cottage, tucked away at the end of a quiet country lane in the neighbouring parish of Sutton Waldron, stands St Bartholomew’s Church. From the outside, it appears to be a charming but relatively modest Victorian village church. Step through the door, however, and an extraordinary surprise awaits.
The present church was consecrated in 1847, replacing an earlier Saxon church that had fallen into disrepair. It was built at the expense of the village rector, the Reverend Anthony Huxtable, and his wife, with George Alexander appointed as its architect. Yet it is the remarkable interior decoration that makes St Bartholomew’s so important.
Its richly coloured walls, arches and ceilings were designed by Owen Jones, one of the most influential designers and architects of the Victorian age. Inspired by his studies of colour, geometry and decorative art from around the world, Jones filled the church with intricate patterns, borders, biblical texts and vivid shades of blue, red and gold.
Only four years later, Jones was appointed Superintendent of Works for the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was responsible for the celebrated colour scheme inside the Crystal Palace. The ideas he developed in this tiny Dorset church can therefore be seen as an early glimpse of the work that would later be admired by millions of visitors in London.
St Bartholomew’s is believed to contain the only surviving complete decorative scheme by Owen Jones. After years in which parts of the design had faded or been obscured, an extensive restoration was completed in September 2025, allowing its extraordinary colours and details to be appreciated once again.
The celebrated poet and architectural enthusiast Sir John Betjeman regarded it as one of the loveliest examples of Victorian church architecture, while the artist John Piper was so captivated by its interior that he produced both a painting and a lithograph of it.
Today, Sutton Waldron remains a tiny rural parish of around 225 people, without a shop or pub. Yet hidden within it is a nationally important work of Victorian design and an unexpected connection to one of the most famous buildings of the 19th century.
It is precisely the sort of treasure that makes exploring our corner of Dorset so rewarding: unassuming from the outside, astonishing within and quietly waiting at the end of a country lane.
Discover more about St Bartholomew’s Church, Sutton Waldron
Another Sterling Guest Review
“This was our second time staying with Laura and Nathan and it did not disappoint“
We’ve stayed with Nathan and Laura previously
Our vacation with English Cottage Vacations was beyond all expectations. This was our second time staying with Laura and Nathan and it did not disappoint. From the very beginning, planning our trip with Nathan was seamless and he was always ready with suggestions and more than willing to work with anything we wanted to add to the itinerary.
My husband and I and our four daughters were so well taken care of. I seriously can’t think of anything that wasn’t taken care of. There wasn’t a single thing that was missed. My husband ended up in the ER with a kidney stone and we never had to worry that our girls weren’t going to be taken care of.
Two of our daughters had birthdays while we were there. Laura and Nathan celebrated them like family. Complete with decorations, beautiful and delicious cakes and even presents. Our girls felt spoiled.
The food, the driving, the excursions, we loved every minute! We never wanted to leave and can’t wait to go back. If only Laura and Nathan could handle all our travel.
– Elizabeth Gerber, June 2026
We do everything we can to take all the work and worry out of your vacation so you can simply relax and enjoy the experience. We’re always so grateful to receive feedback like this that acknowledges our attention to detail, thank you Elizabeth!
Have you been a guest of ours? We’d be so grateful if you can share your experiences on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews too! Also be sure to check out the testimonials featured on our website!
Guest Gallery: Memories from Well Cottage and around the South West of England
Clockwise from top left: Guests celebrating 40 years of marriage; picnicking at Salisbury Cathedral; Another wonderful evening meal at Well Cottage
Clockwise from top: Sunday Roast at the The Compasses Inn; another perfect picnic spot!
Clockwise from left: Guests helping Nathan to save a bird trapped in the thatch; Picnic time; This pub is one of our favourites!!
SEE MORE PHOTOS ON OUR GUEST GALLERY
Local News Corner: When the Postman Came on Foot
Today, we rarely give much thought to how our letters and parcels reach us here in Fontmell Magna. Yet, less than 200 years ago, receiving a letter in our little corner of Dorset was a rather more complicated affair.
Before the 1830s, the lower roads through Fontmell parish were little more than a collection of country lanes. The road we now know as the A350 was constructed following the Turnpike Act of 1822–23, improving the connection between the surrounding villages and the larger post towns of Shaftesbury and Blandford.
Until then, Fontmell residents relied on individual arrangements to have their mail collected from—or left at—designated receiving houses in the nearest post towns. Post Office records dated 30 January 1835 reveal a proposal to pay a messenger £18 and five shillings a year to travel from Shaftesbury and meet another messenger arriving from Blandford at Iwerne Minster. There, the post could be exchanged and carried onwards to its destination.
Regular postal deliveries from Shaftesbury began after the introduction of the Universal Penny Post in 1840. Over the years, our local postmen completed their carefully planned routes through the valley villages first on foot, then on ponies and bicycles, and eventually in postal vans.
Fontmell parish once had three post offices of its own: one in Fontmell Magna beside the Methodist Chapel, another at Bedchester crossroads, close to Well Cottage, and a third behind the Methodist Chapel at the top of Hartgrove Hill.
It is a lovely reminder of how connected these small rural communities have always been—even when delivering a simple letter required several messengers, a meeting in the next village and, quite possibly, a dependable pony.
With thanks to the Fontmell Magna Village Archive Society for preserving and sharing this fascinating piece of our local history.
The current post box standing on Bedchester Crossroads
From the Garden at Well Cottage
August 2026
After such an extraordinarily dry summer, the final week of August brought something we had all been longing for — proper rain. And what a difference it has made.
We’ve been under a hosepipe ban throughout the drought, but thankfully our old well has once again proved invaluable, allowing us to continue watering the garden with well water, while anything from the mains has had to be carried rather laboriously by watering can. It has certainly kept us busy! So when the heavens finally opened, it wasn’t just the plants that breathed a sigh of relief — we did too.
Within hours, the whole garden seemed to respond. Colours became richer, flowers perked up and everything suddenly looked greener, fuller and more alive. After weeks of carefully keeping everything going ourselves, it has been rather lovely to put the watering cans down for a few days and let nature take over.
Various aspects and colourful flowers from around the garden
Veggies growing in the veggie patch Aug 31st
The vegetable patch itself is now beginning to move into its next phase. Some of the summer crops are coming to an end and being cleared away, while others continue producing and we begin looking towards what the garden will give us as summer slips into autumn.
It is one of our favourite things about growing so much of our own produce here at Well Cottage. The garden never really stands still. There is always something finishing, something beginning, something to pick — and invariably something that has grown far more enthusiastically than we ever intended!
From Top Left Clockwise: My one and only fig, the herb trolly, some of Aug harvest, physalis, a young patty pan zucchini
A Cornucopia Of Organic Produce
Down in the vegetable patch, August has been a month of almost constant harvesting. All of our baby sweetcorn has now been picked, along with our wonderfully quirky little yellow patty pan (zucchini) courgettes — squat, round and rather pretty things that look almost too decorative to eat.
The tomatoes have been ripening beautifully, we’ve lifted onions, picked raspberries and, rather unexpectedly, had another flush of strawberries in this final week of August. The cucumbers have been coming through by the dozen, to the point where we are beginning to wonder quite how many cucumbers two people and six guests can reasonably eat!
One of this year’s loveliest surprises has been our grapevine. We’ve been harvesting bunches of our own grapes and they are genuinely delicious — wonderfully sweet and an enormous treat straight from the vine.
And, of course, August in the English countryside means blackberries. The hedgerows around us have been absolutely laden with them this year. Despite the drought, they have been fantastic: big, juicy and plentiful. We’ve been out gathering bowlfuls whenever we get the chance, bringing them back to the cottage to make the most of one of our favourite late-summer harvests.
From Top Left Clockwise: cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, strawberries round 2, cucumbers, onion harvest
Featured Story: The Story Behind English Cottage Vacation | From the Very Beginning
Ever wondered how English Cottage Vacation began?
In this video, Laura takes you right back to the very beginning and share the story behind English Cottage Vacation — where the idea came from, how their journey unfolded, and how a dream became the experience we welcome guests to enjoy today.
It’s a story of a shared love for England, hospitality, good food, beautiful places and creating something genuinely personal for our guests.
Join Nathan and Laura as they look back at where it all started, the journey along the way, and what English Cottage Vacation has become today.
A Taste of Well Cottage: Laura’s Luxury Fish Pie
A rich and comforting British classic made with salmon, cod and smoked haddock in a creamy white-wine and herb sauce, finished with buttery Cheddar-topped mashed potato.
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the fish filling
- 300g skinless salmon fillet
- 300g skinless cod or haddock fillet
- 300g skinless undyed smoked haddock
- 600ml whole milk
- 150ml dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 small leek, finely sliced
- 60g butter
- 60g plain flour
- 100ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 150g frozen peas
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the potato topping
- 1.25kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into even pieces
- 100g butter
- 100ml warm whole milk or double cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 100g mature Cheddar, finely grated
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A little extra butter for the top
Directions
- Prepare the potatoes.
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until completely tender. - Poach the fish.
Cut the salmon, cod and smoked haddock into generous bite-sized pieces. Place them in a wide saucepan with the milk, white wine, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring the liquid very gently towards a simmer, then cook for 3–4 minutes. The fish should be only partly cooked, as it will continue cooking in the oven. - Carefully lift the fish from the pan with a slotted spoon and place it in a large ovenproof dish. Strain the poaching liquid into a jug and reserve it for the sauce.
- Make the sauce.
Melt the butter in a clean saucepan and gently cook the sliced leek for approximately 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute. - Gradually add the reserved poaching liquid, stirring continuously to create a smooth sauce. Allow it to simmer gently for several minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the double cream, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley and dill. Taste before adding salt, as the smoked haddock will already provide some seasoning. Finish with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
- Scatter the frozen peas over the fish, then pour over the sauce. Fold everything together very gently so that the pieces of fish remain intact. Leave the filling to cool slightly while you finish the potatoes.
- Make the topping.
Drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly and allow them to steam dry for a minute or two. Mash until smooth, then beat in the butter, warm milk or cream, egg yolks and half of the grated Cheddar. Season well. - Spoon the mashed potato carefully over the cooled fish filling, beginning around the edges to seal the sauce inside. Spread it evenly, then use a fork to create ridges across the surface.
- Sprinkle over the remaining Cheddar and dot with a little extra butter.
- Bake the pie.
Place the dish on a baking tray and bake at 200°C/180°C fan/400°F for 25–30 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the potato topping is crisp and golden. - Allow the fish pie to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Optional addition: If you enjoy shellfish, add 150–200g of peeled raw prawns or shrimp to the fish filling before covering it with the sauce. They will cook perfectly while the pie is baking.
Laura’s Serving Suggestion
Serve with buttered garden peas, steamed tenderstem broccoli or simply dressed seasonal greens. A chilled glass of English sparkling wine or a crisp white wine turns this comforting cottage classic into a rather lovely dinner.
More of Laura’s Food Served at Well Cottage
FEAST YOUR EYES ON LAURA’S FOOD GALLERY
A taste of English cottage life, wherever you are
Laura’s English Cottage Kitchen Recipe Book is exactly that. A collection of the dishes our guests fall in love with during their stay, each one rooted in comfort, tradition, and a genuine joy for bringing people together around the table. It’s not just a cookbook, but a wonderful piece of the Well Cottage experience to take home and revisit time and time again.
For those who love the feel of a beautiful book in their hands, the stunning 98-page hardcover edition makes a truly special gift:
Or for any other territory, simply search “English Cottage Kitchen Recipe Book by Laura Kurton” on Amazon.
And if time has quietly slipped away, the digital version is ready in an instant, perfect for a thoughtful last-minute surprise that still feels deeply personal:
A note for travel advisors!
We have recently launched our new Travel Advisor Programme here at English Cottage Vacation.
If you are a travel advisor and would be interested in offering our unique, fully hosted English countryside experiences to your clients, please reach out and we will send you further information about working with us.
info@englishcottagevacation.com
Help us improve our newsletters
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If you have a few minutes, please complete our short survey and let us know what you enjoy, what you find useful, and what we could do better. Your feedback will help us make the newsletter more interesting, relevant, and enjoyable to read.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. It really does make a difference.
Celebrating our luxury picnic basket winner!
It’s that time again! We’re thrilled to announce this month’s luxury countryside picnic basket! A beautifully handcrafted willow hamper filled with all the essentials for a dreamy alfresco outing is on its way to one lucky subscriber…
Loretta Labrec!
Please reach out to us by email so that we can arrange delivery!
info@englishcottagevacation.com
Congratulations! Your basket includes:
- Fine china plates and real glassware
- Stainless steel cutlery and linen napkins
- A tartan picnic blanket
Didn’t win this time? Don’t despair – we’re giving away another one next month! Simply stay subscribed to our weekly newsletter and you’re automatically in the draw.
And if you know someone who would love a touch of English charm in their inbox, feel free to forward this email or share the sign-up link – here it is! They could also be in to win!
*Disclaimer: The basket we deliver is subject to availability but we will always strive to ensure comparable quality!
Essential info: Everything you need to know, all in one place
From your first enquiry to your farewell at Heathrow, we’ve designed every step of your English Cottage Vacation to be smooth, simple and utterly stress-free.
Whether you’re curious about availability, wondering how payments work, or ready to shape your tailor-made itinerary, the links below will guide you through it all – clearly, quickly, and with complete confidence.
Your Tailor-Made Itinerary, Discovery Process
UK ETA Reminder: Important note for international visitors to the UK
If you’re planning a future visit to Britain, please note that most overseas visitors – including those from the US and Canada – will now need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before entering the UK.
Visit: https://www.gov.uk/eta/apply
The ETA is a quick and straightforward online travel permission (similar to the US ESTA). It costs £16, is typically approved within a few days, and allows multiple entries over a two-year period.
Airlines began checking ETA status from 25 February 2026, so please bear this in mind if your English Cottage Vacation is already in the diary.
If you’re unsure how this might affect your travel plans, don’t worry – we’re always happy to help!
Step inside our online community!
Join our Facebook group for a peek behind the scenes, seasonal updates from Well Cottage, and a friendly space to connect with fellow Anglophiles. We’d love to welcome you in!
Until Next Month…
As August draws to a close, we find ourselves feeling especially grateful—for the long-awaited rain, for the remarkable abundance of the garden and, above all, for the wonderful guests who have filled Well Cottage with laughter, conversation and happy memories throughout the month.
The first hints of autumn are beginning to appear in the countryside, but the garden is still bursting with colour and there is plenty more to harvest and enjoy. It is a beautiful reminder that each season at Well Cottage brings something entirely different—and something rather special.
Thank you for continuing to follow our story and for sharing in this little glimpse of life at English Cottage Vacation. Wherever you are in the world, we hope our newsletter has brought a small piece of the English countryside to you.
Until next month,
Take care, keep dreaming of England – and reach out for a friendly chat whenever you’re ready to make those dreams come true!
With our very best wishes,
Nathan & Laura
Founders & Hosts
English Cottage Vacation
* All you need to do is arrive – we’ll take care of everything else!
Reach out today to begin your effortless, luxury English countryside escape.
