Butler’s House

In times gone by, it really was the Butler’s House.  Accessed from outside via courtyard, the apartment comprises a large sitting room with view over the garden. Two bedrooms, either doubles or twin beds, one with en suite shower room/wc and another with separate bathroom next door/wc with shower over bath. This is a cosy, self-contained, two bedroomed apartment. The Butler’s House can either be booked individually for up to 4 guests, or in addition to King John’s House.

The open plan kitchen is fully equipped and there are two en-suite bedrooms. One with walk in shower and the other has shower over the bath. Both bathrooms have underfloor heating. The bedrooms have been individually styled and the beds are super kingsize that can be made up as doubles or twins, the choice is yours. Outside, the croquet lawn is for the exclusive use of guests staying in the Butler’s House. There is ample parking, shared with the main house in the drive. The Rushmore Estate lies within the larger area known as the Cranborne Chase, once a royal hunting ground. There are superb walks in the area including a number of ‘droves’ – green lanes where once oxen and cattle were herded to market. Comprising 7,000 acres in total, the estate contains one of the largest swathes of broad-leaved woodland in southern England and is a wildlife site of national importance.

The estate includes the Larmer Tree Victorian pleasure gardens, a 15 minute walk from the house while for keen golfers, Rushmore Golf Club, an excellent 18 hole parkland course, is a few minutes’ drive. In Tollard Royal itself, The King John Inn serves mouth-watering food, a good selection of ales and fine wines. Further afield, the Saxon hilltop town of Shaftesbury, the cathedral city of Salisbury and the New Forest National Park are all easy destinations for a day’s exploring. The beautiful Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site, is an hour’s drive and richly rewards a visit.