BOOK NOW TO SHARE A BREAK WITH FRIENDS, A COMMUNITY GROUP OR FOR A FAMILY CELEBRATION! This exceptional ten-bedroomed country hall lies in an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), just under a mile from the picturesque coastal village of Craster, on the coast of Northumberland. Parts of the existing pele tower may date from the 11th century, whilst the rest of the house was built in the early 14th and 18th centuries, with the 18th-century wing rebuilt in the early part of the 20th century. The pele tower was rebuilt around 1310 as a watchtower for the nearby Dunstanburgh Castle, which was then being constructed. The unusual crowstepped top floor of the tower was created in the 16th century, when the then owners were no longer worried about maintaining defensive strength, and it was converted into a pigeon loft. Some of the fireplaces and stonework come from the lost Tudor house of Gloster Hill. There are spectacular coastal views to the east towards Dunstanburgh Castle. The beautiful beach at Embleton Bay is a mile or so north along a pretty bridleway. An excellent holiday base to enjoy the marvellous beaches, dunes and walks along the Northumberland coast. There is a wealth of historical and recreational sites, including Alnwick Castle and Garden, Bamburgh, Holy Island, Farne Islands, Warkworth and the Cheviot Hills. Craster itself is world famous for its kippers. Golf available locally. Shops ¾ mile, pub 400 yards.
Entrance hall with 15th-century fireplace. Sitting room with cleaded walls, Jacobean carved wooden fireplace and attached wooden brattish (fireside settle). Drawing room with Queen Anne panelling throughout, grand piano. Dining room with 14ft long oak refectory table (seats 18), stone fireplace, Morris tapestries. Well-equipped farmhouse-style kitchen with large electric range. Breakfast room (seats 10) with 4-oven Aga. Tower, small sitting room with stone vaulted ceiling adjoining the main sitting room. Utility/toilet. Separate toilet. Tudor stone staircase and early 20th-century staircase to first floor: Large double bedroom with magnificent 18th-century panelling, window seats, cupboard leading to blocked door to lost second tower. Master double bedroom with window seats on two sides, 18th-century panelling, leading to tower twin bedroom. Double bedroom with ensuite shower room, looking west over the garden. Further twin bedroom with ensuite shower room, looking east to Dunstanburgh Castle. Bunk bedroom with panelling. Two single bedrooms, one with 2ft 6in bed. Two bathrooms, each with separate shower cubicle, one with bath. Further stand alone shower room (no toilet) Tudor stone staircase to second floor: 25ft long games room, TV. Twin bedroom, mullioned window facing west, leading to tower twin bedroom with window facing east to remains of a medieval garderobe.
Please note Dunstan Hall is a no smoking property and is adjacent to Stable Cottage (sleeps 4) and opposite Hemmel House (sleeps 6) Properties can be booked in combination for a larger group of guests and sleep 29 in total (please note there is one 2ft 6 bed in Dunstan Hall and one additional child's bed in Hemmel House in the study off the sitting room)
10 (3 x king size beds, 4 x twin, 1 x bunk, 1 x single, 1 x single with 2ft 6 bed for a child - (see above for configuration)
1 x bathroom (inc separate shower) 1 x large shower room, 2 x ensuite shower rooms, 1 x shower, 1 x utility/toilet, 1 x toilet.
non feather bedding provided
A cot and high chair provided
A welcome pack of essential items is provided
To ensure guests with allergies can be comfortable, there are no pets allowed (see terms and conditions)
Expansive lawned grounds and walled gardens to two sides of the property
Cars can be parked in configuration - there is parking for around 7 cars, depending on their size, but will require you to park up the side of the house and using the space next to the little outhouse and along the garden wall opposite the front door of Dunstan Hall. Consideration should be made for separate guests in the adjacent Stable Cottage.
Superfast WiFi, electric range cooker, large fridge/freezer, separate drinks fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, microwave, 4 oven Aga, TV in upstairs games room and SMART TV in the main sitting room, for you to watch your own subscription channels. There is also a small TV in the Tower sitting room.
Parts of Dunstan Hall date back to the 12th Century. As a consequence, there are a number of steps in addition to the staircases. One staircase is made of stone, which is uneven in nature. Some doorways are very low and there are lips at the doorways to certain rooms. The main staircases provide relatively straightforward access to the first floor. For specific detail on various areas that may accommodate a differently abled person, don't hesitate to get in touch.
Arrival and departure days are Friday or Monday
“Dunstan Hall offered ideal accommodation for our group of 11 adults, visiting Northumberland on a six day field trip. Jane at ‘Beach and Quiet’ was incredibly helpful throughout the booking process and our stay, responding very quickly to queries and offering us useful and considered recommendations. This included putting us in touch with Shaun Dowd, who provided the catering for much of our visit. Shaun developed a delicious and filling menu that accommodated a number of dietary requirements, covering the preparation, cooking, service and clear-away of evening meals and provision of packed lunches and snacks.
The layout of the hall, with its five downstairs communal rooms plus kitchen, enabled us to split into smaller groups for evening work and planning, while the large dining room and main living room were also both spacious enough to accommodate the whole group collectively. The different bedroom layouts and ample bathrooms worked well, and gave trip organisers and attendees their own ‘wings’ of the house with conjoining door and a staircase to each. Aside from the practicalities, Dunstan Hall is a stunning historic property, comfortable and well-appointed, with modern kitchen and utilities, but retaining its original features. It is in a fantastic location within the Northumberland Coast AONB, with Dunstanburgh Castle in sight just along the coast and the fishing village of Craster a ten minute walk away.”
University Ecology Group, December 2021
Dear Jude and Jane
My apologies for just replying to you now, I'm not entirely sure where the time has gone..
We had a wonderful week at Dunstan Hall. It was a very welcome, and much needed, break in a fabulous house. The dining room was the hub for my family that week, what a great space.
Thank you for your kind hospitality and rapid responses to all our queries.
Many thanks once again, we had a fantastic week in Craster.
Best wishes
The McGregor Party, January 2022
Dunstan Hall is perfect for big group get together.
Easy to settle into; everything you need.
It is like a beautiful canvas to create your own type of holiday.
We found the decor calming and not over fussy.
The music room was a delight and window seats so lovely to use.
We brought fairy lights to give a candle like sparkle to the dining room table!
The house is s joy to rent and we all loved our stay.
The Johnston Party, February 2022
We are happy to give you the feedback on our stay at Dunstan Hall 18th-21st March 2022)
We had an absolutely lovey time, celebrating my 50th birthday party with 18 friends (and 4 in the adjacent Stable Cottage). The Hall is splendid and manages to be both grand and comfortable with all the amenities we could possibly need and superb grounds; every room has a distinctive character and that the whole party could gather around the huge dining table for dinner made the celebration complete. The letting agents couldn’t have been more helpful and we would love an excuse to return. I really couldn’t recommend the Hall too highly
The McArthur Party, March 2022
Thank you Jude and Jane. We had a wonderful time. The Hall is an incredible venue for a family occasion - huge dining room accommodated all 20 of us easily and we loved exploring the different rooms and the fabulous garden. The kitchen is brilliantly equipped and it was great to have use of games and frisbees. The place catered for the small children who loved the games room up in the tower and us oldies who greatly appreciated the history as well as the comfortable and generous rooms.
We will certainly recommend this to our friends.
The Fletcher Party (who booked both Dunstan Hall and Stable Cottage), April 2002
I just wanted to say on behalf of the group of friends we had an amazing stay and loved dunstan hall. The house was wonderful, had absolutely everything you could need. House was great hide and seek for the children, and the adults loved relaxing in the living rooms and messing in the garden.
Thanks again
The Singleton Party, December 2024
'We visited Dunstan Hall for a golfing weekend. The property was amazing, perfect for 16 guys to stay in comfortably. We couldn't fault the place or the service from Beach & Quiet. We would certainly recommend this property and look forward to visiting again in the future.
Many thanks.
The Dobney - Golfing Group, May 2022
We had a brilliant weekend. The house is beautiful and very comfortable and your service impeccable. With regard to Sean (your chef,) the meal was excellent and everyone was very impressed. Many thanks for recommending him.
Thanks again.
The Walker Family, July 2022
Hi Jane
Just a quick word to say we had a fantastic time in Northumberland, couldn’t have asked for better weather. We also thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the house …. The garden was amazing and very well used by all of us. I’m sure we’ll be back at some point.
The Thomas Family, August 2022
Sorry for the delay but I wanted to share the following feedback on your beautiful property following our stay in July:
What a fantastic place! We stayed as a group for a relaxed hen party and couldn't have asked for a better location. The property is fascinating and very exciting to explore, and with all its rich history it made the perfect base for our literary and Bridgerton themed hen party activities! There are great views of Dunstanburgh Castle from the upstairs windows, which we loved. The gardens are also beautiful, and with Embleton Bay within easy walking distance there's really no need to venture much further, especially if the weather is as good as when we stayed. Jane was incredibly helpful with suggestions for things to do in the local area, including putting us in touch with chef Shaun for the Saturday evening, who was excellent and we would highly recommend. Thanks again for a very special weekend, we'd love to come back!
"Bridgerton" themed hen party!, September 2022
We really enjoyed our stay with the family in Dunstan Hall to celebrate our Golden Wedding and felt everyone had done everything possible to make our stay enjoyable.
Those parts which could be modernised had been modernised to a high standard with quality fixtures and fittings throughout and everything we could possibly need had been provided. The welcome pack was comprehensive and much appreciated.
The older parts provided a charm and unique experience for the younger generation and will be something they will remember in years to come.
We would recommend Dunstan Hall and will certainly consider coming back for future family celebrations.
The 'Golden Couple', September 2022
Dunstan Hall was awe inspiring from the moment we first opened the door. It is a lovely building which easily accommodated our family of 15 with ages ranging from 4 to 79. It was well equipped with plenty of space for the children to run around - both inside and out. At the same time it felt "homely" and we didn't have to worry about the children causing any damage. The music room, the wide window seats and the playroom in the tower were particularly enjoyed by the children. The surrounding area is lovely with Dunstanburgh Castle, Craster and the beach at Embleton all within walking distance as well as the Cottage Inn round the corner where we were all able to eat at one large table. We had a lovely time and hope to return.
Best wishes,
The Borthwick Family, October 2022
Dear Jude and Jane
I thought I would provide a few words of feedback following my family and friends recent weekend stay at Dunstan Hall.
The universal view among the group (there were 11 of us over three family units) was overwhelmingly positive. DH is a well appointed, well equipped and extremely spacious property in a brilliant location. It is difficult to find fault. It was a major contribution to a fabulous fun weekend. Sean (the chef) and his assistant Andrea provided us with a lovely dinner on the Saturday evening of our three night stay. I am also bound to say that I found the service from Beach and Quite to be top drawer: highly responsive and helpful. Thanks for that.
In other correspondence with you I note that if DH is too big for our needs there is the cottage in the grounds and the property opposite. That may be of interest in future.
The McCabe Party, November 2022
We had a really great time. The facilities and accommodation suited our purposes perfectly. We loved the area and will certainly be back. If we came in a smaller group, we would definitely be interested in your 2 smaller properties too.
The Orr party, September 2023
Good morning, Jude and Jane,
We had a lovely stay at Dunstan Hall. The little ones loved the quirky house and big garden.
It is in a very good location with lots to do within easy distance, so something for all age groups.
The Aga was a godsend as we used it to keep barbeque food warm and also cooked 18 jacket potatoes.
Just a mention about the local pub. It is very welcoming and was very well organised for a meal for 16 of us on our last evening.
Many thanks
The Clayton Party, September 2023
Thanks for a lovely stay. Everyone was really comfortable and the place is well located and kitted out. Thanks very much for also being so great with your communication.
All the best
The Webster party, September 2023
Our second visit to Dunstan Hall and every bit as good as the first - including the weather! House is well equipped; plenty of space for kids to run around and adults to have peace and quiet. Beautiful area with lots to do. Thoroughly recommend for an inter-generational holiday.
Borthwick Family
The Borthwick Family, October 2023
Hi Both,
First of all apologies for not responding to you before now.
We had a wonderful family holiday at Dunstan Hall. The accommodation was fantastic & suited our 4 families coming together for a great holiday!
Thank you also for the welcome pack which was very welcome when we arrived!
We will definitely be back in the future & have recommended you to our friends & extended family.
Thanks so much again.
New Year Guests, February 2024
REVIEW
We have just returned from a long Easter weekend at this fabulous property and what an amazing time we had from start to finish.
Dunstan Hall is set in the most beautiful grounds with amazing views. Its location is ideal for all the coastal walks there are to offer! In the grounds itself, right off the dining room there is a large patio with lots of outdoor furniture. We were lucky enough to be-able to use them due to the weather been kind to us.
The Hall itself is so charming and quirky with lots of comfy rooms to relax in. It is so clean and well maintained. It was everything we could have asked for. We particularly enjoyed the 18-seater dining table which we spent a lot of time at.
The kitchens are so well equipped and had absolutely everything we needed! There was a thoughtful ‘welcome basket’ of various ‘must haves’ for example, tea, fresh coffee, fresh bread, milk, jam, marmalade to name but a few! It was a lovely touch! It was a pleasure preparing the breakfast in the kitchen whilst enjoying the lovely views. And we loved sitting in the breakfast room on a morning beside the lovely warm aga!
There were 13 adults and 5 children and the configuration of the bedrooms suited us perfectly. The bedrooms were beautiful and the beds were so comfortable with the bedding and towels beautifully laundered. It was a pleasure getting into bed on an evening. The attic room was great for the kids. They loved the games room.
The bathrooms were all immaculate with a lovely large bath and powerful showers.
The village in Dunstan is so quaint and it has a lovely pub called the Cottage inn. Prior to our trip I contact the Cottage inn, who were able to provide us with take away fish and chips & scampi & chips on the Good Friday. The pub is only 3 minutes’ walk, so we didn’t have far to go to collect them. They were delicious, so I can recommend a visit! Their Sunday lunch was also excellent with great service and very reasonably priced.
And lastly, the hosts Jude and Jane were great communicators from the day I booked and answered all my questions and queries promptly prior to the break. They were a wealth of information.
The Simpson Party, April 2024
This is our second visit to Dunstan Hall. We last stayed in 2015.
Now a few years older and a few more grandchildren, it exceeded our expectations!
We are a 3 generation family group aged 5 to 66.
An absolutely amazing house, which appealed to everyone.
Lots of bedrooms and bathrooms which suited us perfectly.
Large extremely well equipped kitchen with more than adequate crockery, glassware etc.
additional breakfast room with Aga which we used to keep food warm.
Huge dining table we used at every meal.
The weather was beautiful so we used the garden quite a bit.
Lots to see and do in the area, way too much for one weekend.
We ate at the Jolly Fisherman in Craster, Bamburgh Castle Inn in Seahouses and The Middle Inn in Bamburgh. All highly recommended and enjoyed by us all.
Already booked for next year and planning already what we will see and do.
Thanks for an amazing house, which was spotlessly clean, lovely bedding etc.
Regards
The Hobson Party, April 2024
Many thanks for the most enjoyable holiday. The hall was tremendous & appreciated by all ages of the group. All bedrooms were ideal with great showers, soft towels & quality bedding plus an abundance of loo rolls! Bedrooms were used by each family group with ease, including the attic hideaway. Gardens enchanting & well used.
The dining hall was a popular feature used everyday for family meals prepared with minimum hassle as a result of ample provisions in the kitchen for cooking & service.The drying room was invaluable as the rainy weather continued all week & wet clothes & shoes were always ready for the next outing.
Location was ideal within walking distance of Craster & driving distance of a range of beaches , excellent restaurants &pubs .Information prior to visit was invaluable to our planning. Thanking you for adding to our memories.
The Sherrington Party, June 2024
Dunstan Hall was the perfect location for a fantastic week of hiking in Northumberland. We were a group of 20 mums from the USA, UK, Switzerland, Dubai, and Australia that met up and we could not have asked for a better home for the week. Jude and Jane were extremely responsive and made our stay extra special, helping with many of the logistics--recommendations for catering companies, restaurants, day trips, transport companies, and even local guides when ours broke her wrist. I can not thank them enough. We especially enjoyed a number of meals provided by Turnbull's in Alnwick.
The 3 houses together gave us plenty of sleeping space for 20 ladies. Never an issue with enough hot water. Some of our hikes left right from the house, going north and south along the coast. The town of Craster is charming and offers a delicious restaurant (The Jolly Fisherman) and local music. The 3 properties each had their own charm--it was lovely to sit outside late afternoons at Dunstan for "Happy Hour." We enjoyed many meals around the huge dining room, and cooked breakfasts on the Aga stove. The Stables provided a quiet retreat, and Hemmel House was perfect for star gazing across the beautiful meadows.
Thanks for a fantastic week.
Amy +19 June 2024
Amy's Party, who booked all 3 Dunstan Properties, June 2024
Hi Jude & Jane
We had a great time in Northumberland and staying in your beautiful Dunstan Hall.
Having been to the area before it was no surprise how beautiful the area is and what a lot there is to do .
The house was a great location for our outings, it is a beautiful house with lots and quirks, nooks, and crannies. The piano room became very popular, with one of our party rediscovering his playing skills. The sleeping arrangements suited us well, the house was clean and welcoming, and we enjoyed it very much.
We would happily stay there again and recommend it without hesitation.
Kind regards
The Watson Party, August 2024
Hello,
thanks for your email.
We all really enjoyed our holiday at Dunstan. The house filled all our needs and the area is beautiful
Best wishes
The Speight Party, August 2024
A great place to stay. Good location. Comfortable, clean and tidy and easily catered for our numbers! I’d highly recommend it to anyone!
The Roulson Party, September 2024
A Memorable Anniversary Stay at Dunston Hall
We recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a family stay at Dunston Hall, and it was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The entire process, from booking to the personalized advice on activities and local attractions, was seamless and stress-free.
The grandeur of Dunston Hall is truly remarkable, steeped in history, and this atmosphere was felt in every corner of the venue. The beautiful, well-maintained gardens added to the charm, providing the perfect setting for leisurely walks without the need for everyone to jump into cars.
The facilities were top-notch, and we found everything we needed to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable. We had friends joins us from all over the place and they all said it was one of the best weekends they have had.
We were so impressed by the place, the service, and the attention to detail that we’ve already rebooked for next year! We highly recommend Dunston Hall to anyone looking for a place that offers both history and relaxed luxury in a stunning setting.
The Kerr Family, September 2024