The Old School House in Lower Swell near Stow-On-The-Wold | Stunning Gloucestershire Group Cottage

About The Old School House

The Old School House is a stone-fronted holiday home in Lower Swell, Gloucestershire. This five-bedroom property sleeps 11 guests across multiple rooms. The location puts you in the heart of the Cotswolds, with off-road parking and an enclosed garden perfect for larger groups. A woodburning stove adds warmth to winter gatherings.

Lower Swell sits just 1.4 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold. The village offers quiet lanes and countryside walks. You'll find a pub 0.2 miles away and a supermarket 1.3 miles from the door.

The accommodation includes three double bedrooms, a second-floor double and a family room with one double and one single bed. Two bathrooms serve the group: one with a freestanding bath and walk-in shower, another with a walk-in shower. The kitchen/diner features an induction hob, microwave, dishwasher and coffee machine. A sitting room with Smart TV provides social space for everyone. The large secure lawned garden gives dogs room to run.

Bourton-on-the-Water sits 4 miles away (10 minutes). Stratford-upon-Avon is 15 miles distant (25 minutes). Visit Chedworth Roman Villa 8 miles away (18 minutes) or Chastleton House 9 miles away (20 minutes).

The Old School House works brilliantly for multi-generational breaks or friends wanting a countryside base. Book this for authentic Cotswolds living with space for everyone.

Check Prices & Availability »

At Sykes Cottages

Need To Know

✓Oil central heating
✓Electric oven, induction hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher and coffee machine
✓Smart tv and wifi
✓Fuel, power and starter for woodburning stove included in rent
✓Bed linen and towels included in rent
✓Two highchairs and a travel cot available on request and an iron and board
✓Parking available
✓Enclosed, side patio with furniture and large, secure, lawned garden
✓Two well-behaved dogs welcome
✓Sorry, no smoking
✓Shop 1.3 miles and pub 0.2 miles
✓Note: sorry, no stags, hens or similar
✓Note: no loud music after 10pm
✓Note: more dogs may be welcome on request
✓Note: the second-floor double room is accessed through the family room
✓Note: check-in 4pm and check-out 10am
✓Please note: this property does not accept working bookings, sorry

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What Guests Love

What do previous guests think about their group stay at The Old School House

Spacious Layout for Groups

The five bedrooms and two bathrooms accommodate 11 guests comfortably, with plenty of social space for everyone to gather together throughout the day.

Secure Garden for Dogs

The large enclosed lawned garden provides a safe space for two dogs to explore and play, making this an excellent choice for pet owners.

Perfect Cotswolds Location

Lower Swell offers peaceful village life just 1.4 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold, with countryside walks starting from the doorstep and attractions nearby.

Well-Equipped Kitchen

The kitchen/diner includes an induction hob, dishwasher, coffee machine and all essentials needed to prepare meals for larger groups without hassle.

Cosy Woodburning Stove

The sitting room features a woodburning stove that creates a warm focal point for winter evenings, perfect for gathering after countryside walks.

Excellent Facilities

Smart TV, washing machine, tumble dryer and WiFi ensure modern comfort, whilst the freestanding bath adds a touch of luxury after busy days.

Getting To The Old School House

Find your way to your perfect countryside retreat

By Car

To reach The Old School House by car, take the A153 and follow signs towards Lower Swell. The property is easily accessible with off-road parking available for your group upon arrival.

By Train

The nearest railway station is Moreton-in-Marsh, approximately 4 miles away. From there, a short taxi journey brings you to Lower Swell and your Cotswolds holiday home.

Off-road parking available

Moreton-in-Marsh station (4 miles)

Easily accessible from the A153

Group Attractions & More Nearby

Stuff for larger groups and families to try!

Bourton-on-the-Water

Distance: 4 miles

GL54 2BY

Chedworth Roman Villa

Distance: 8 miles

GL54 3LJ

Blenheim Palace

Distance: 12 miles

OX20 1PP

Greystones Farm Nature Reserve

Distance: 2 miles

GL54 1UH

Leckhampton Hill

Distance: 11 miles

GL53 9QL

Foxhole Reserve

Distance: 3 miles

GL54 2HN

Stow-on-the-Wold

Distance: 1.4 miles

GL54 1AB

Tesco Superstore

Distance: 1.3 miles

GL54 1DW

Bourton-on-the-Water Shops

Distance: 4 miles

GL54 2AR

The Golden Ball Inn

Distance: 0.2 miles

GL54 1LN

Moreton-in-Marsh Station

Distance: 4 miles

GL56 0AA

Chastleton House

Distance: 9 miles

GL56 0SU

Bourton-on-the-Water

Distance: 4 miles

GL54 2BY

Chedworth Roman Villa

Distance: 8 miles

GL54 3LJ

Blenheim Palace

Distance: 12 miles

OX20 1PP

Greystones Farm Nature Reserve

Distance: 2 miles

GL54 1UH

Leckhampton Hill

Distance: 11 miles

GL53 9QL

Foxhole Reserve

Distance: 3 miles

GL54 2HN

Stow-on-the-Wold

Distance: 1.4 miles

GL54 1AB

Tesco Superstore

Distance: 1.3 miles

GL54 1DW

Bourton-on-the-Water Shops

Distance: 4 miles

GL54 2AR

The Golden Ball Inn

Distance: 0.2 miles

GL54 1LN

Moreton-in-Marsh Station

Distance: 4 miles

GL56 0AA

Chastleton House

Distance: 9 miles

GL56 0SU

Is The Old School House Right For Your Group

Discover why this cottage is the one for your party or family reunion...

For Families

The Old School House provides excellent facilities for children with a cot and highchair available. The large secure lawned garden offers safe outdoor play space. Bourton-on-the-Water sits 4 miles away with the Model Village and Birdland Park. Characterful House for 11 in Tetbury Wildlife Park is 16 miles distant. Stratford-upon-Avon, 15 miles away, offers family-friendly theatre and riverside walks for all ages.

Groups Will Love...

The spacious layout makes The Old School House exceptional for groups. Five bedrooms sleep 11 guests across different floors, giving everyone personal space. The kitchen/diner accommodates group meals with an induction hob and dishwasher handling larger cooking sessions. The sitting room with woodburning stove creates a focal point for evening gatherings. Two bathrooms prevent morning queues, whilst the enclosed garden provides outdoor space for all.

Pet Friendly

The Old School House welcomes two well-behaved dogs and provides excellent facilities for them. The large enclosed lawned garden offers secure space for dogs to exercise and play safely. Lower Swell's location means countryside walks start from the doorstep. The property sits 0.2 miles from a dog-friendly pub. Additional dogs may be welcome upon request, making this ideal for multi-dog households.

Dining & Cafes

Taste the local flavours during your stay at The Old School House

The Golden Ball Inn

Located 0.2 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: GL54 1LN

The Old Butchers

Located 1.4 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: GL54 1BQ

The Porch House

Located 1.5 miles from your accommodation.

Postcode: GL54 1AB

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to our most common questions about The Old School House

Is The Old School House pet friendly?

Yes, this property welcomes two well-behaved dogs and features a large secure lawned garden where they can play safely. Additional dogs may be considered upon request to the property manager.

How many guests can sleep at The Old School House?

The property sleeps 11 guests across five bedrooms: three doubles, one second-floor double and one family room with a double and single bed. Two bathrooms with walk-in showers serve all guests.

What cooking facilities are available for groups?

The kitchen/diner includes an electric oven, induction hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher and coffee machine. A utility area houses the washing machine and tumble dryer for longer stays.

Is there parking available at the property?

Off-road parking is provided at The Old School House. The property is easily accessible from the A153, making arrival straightforward for multiple vehicles in your group.

What outdoor space does the property have?

An enclosed side patio with furniture offers immediate outdoor seating. The large secure lawned garden provides plenty of space for children to play and dogs to exercise safely.

How far is The Old School House from local shops?

A supermarket sits 1.3 miles away, approximately three minutes by car. The nearest pub is just 0.2 miles from the property, perfect for an evening meal without driving.

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Check-in begins at 4 PM and check-out is at 10 AM. This allows sufficient time for the property to be prepared to the highest standards between guest stays.

Are cots and highchairs provided for young children?

Yes, both a cot and highchair are available at The Old School House. These items make family breaks easier, particularly when travelling with babies and toddlers in your group.

Popular Stays Near This Cottage

The Old School House Reviews

Darren

We had a wonderful few days at The Old School House it was so clean & beautiful there and lots of space for our party of 10 people. We'd highly recommend for larger groups you need a car to get to shops etc as there are none in lower swell.

Rebecca

Wow! What an incredible place to stay. We celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary and The old school house was the perfect venue, we spent hours in the beautiful garden, enjoyed walks to the surrounding villages and enjoyed family time in the relaxing home away from home. It was a fantastic base to travel from with so many places a short drive away, the local pub was literally a few minutes walk away and the dogs thoroughly enjoyed their morning walk to Stow for pastries and coffee. I cant not mention the fabulous bath with its incredible views. None of us wanted to leave and were already planning our return visit, so many wonderful memories made in the beautiful old school house.

Beautiful property! An absolute wonderful stay with family! Located next to a little footpath that walks past beautiful cottages and leads you to a lovely pub!

Hi we had a great stay at the old school house. It was in a great location and homely. There was plenty of seating inside and out for our party of 10. Also well equipped with plenty of crockery etc. The information pack was very useful. The welcome box was appreciated. When we arrived we noticed the fridge had 2 broken shelves and not particularly clean. The landscaping didnt reflect the beauty of the area and the house, simply cutting the grass would of been helpful. We would definitely stay again and also recommend.

Stephen

Everyone in our multigenerational family enjoyed the 3night stay, from the grandparents to the young grandchildren. The accommodation was very comfortable and suited us very well, especially the provision of stair gates. It was great to have good onsite parking for our 3 cars too. The only thing which could have been better at the time of our stay relates to the garden. The lawn was in need of mowing and there were quite a few stinging nettles along the patio wall, which were a hazard for our young children. However, we would recommend this property as a great base to explore the Cotswolds, being especially convenient for StowontheWold, BourtonontheWater and Cotswold Farm Park.

We had a fabulous family week away at The Old School House in late April 2026, 8 adults and our dogs ! The house is perfect, very well equipped, very clean and a great size. The beds were very comfortable ! It's in a great location and we were able to explore the Cotswolds easily and come home to a peaceful and relaxing home ! We'd 100 recommend The Old School House !

Richard

Lovely property in a great location. The house itself is stunning and has everything you need for a get away with familyfriends. The pub around the corner has a good range of food and beers, with fewer tourists than more popular villages.

Louise

Amazing accommodation, ideal for the 10 of us celebrating an early Christmas get together. It was so lovely to arrive and find the cottage already beautifully decorated for Christmas it made the whole weekend feel extra special. The cottage was clean, tidy, and very welcoming. The log fireplace was a perfect touch, creating a warm and cosy atmosphere for our group. We couldnt have asked for a better place to stay!

Family of 11 came to stay for the weekend we were all very happy with the property, the kitchen had everything we needed to make a meal for everyone,great to have plenty of games for us to use as many places lack these little touches that really make a difference when the weather isn't great. Beautifully decorated for Christmas which was a lovely surprise and certainly got us in the festive mood, would definitely return a beautiful house in a stunning location.

Lovely house, well equipped kitchen, very clean and in a beautiful location. We had a fabulous time with extended family celebrating a significant birthday. Thank you.

Beautiful, clean, well maintained property with everything you could need in a lovely location. Thank you for a wonderful holiday.

Lauran

Een erg mooi en functioneel huis. Ziet er uit zoals op de fotos. Mooie tuin. Ruime opzet voor grotere gezeldschapen. Heerlijke rustige ligging maar toch perfect in het hart van de cotswolds. Alle hotspots binnen een half uur aan te rijden. Grote supermarkt op 3 minuten afstand

All good maybe a bigger bin in the kitchen and we never had enough hot water to shower 8 of us! I longed to use the bath but would for fear of the water situation, also a very noisy hot tap in old part of house. Despite this we would stay again it was big and roomy enough for all to enjoy. Ideally a downstairs toilet but nowheres perfect, we had a lovely few days even enquired to stay on!!

Vanessa

Loved the house Was fantastic for dogs and perfect location for visiting Cotswolds. Hope to return. Thank you

A lovely property with great facilities. Superb for all our family and ideally situated in the Cotswolds. We will be rebooking in the future Thank you

The house is really a great place for adults and children. Everything you can think of ,is available. Great to see so many couches Because of the space in the house everyone can find a place to relax and do their things. The bedrooms are good and comfortable . Just a tip an inner broom and sweeper and dustpan . With little children around necessarily. The enclosed garden is a lovely place to sit down and where children can play. Close by is Stow on the Wold where you can find everything you need . Lovely hikes and pubs around . Really like to recommend the lovely house. And we will definitely come back.

Matthew

We booked the Old School House for my wifes 50th Birthday and 11 of us stayed 9adults and 2kids. It accommodated us all easily. The house was beautiful with a large kitchendining area for us all to socialise. The lounge area was lovely and we made use of the log burner which was great. We were lucky with the weather and were able to use the gardens which were ideal for the kids to play and secure for the dogs. All in all it was a great weekend and the house was perfect in every way. If you want to stay in a quaint cotswold cottage in a tiny beautiful village then book this one.

Great house for our Group. Only issue was the person staying in the top bedroom having to walk through the twin room. Other than that great facilities.

Stuart

Lots of plus points. The location is great and very scenic. Useful info packs, reading books and other quirky touches. Beds are good, the showers produce lots of hot water. The kitchen is well equipped and the dining space big enough for 10. The lounge is also big enough for 10 comfortably, however.. The previously reported problem in the comments of people getting stuck in the old side bathroom was still present. The shower is also flooding out which is asking for trouble. We had people in the garden when my sister was stuck luckily. After that no one closed the door The phone signal sucks so we didnt bother to call this in The Wifi works well, but the Nest thermostat is disconnected at set times deliberately and its an old house and is on cool side. The sofas have seen better days but are comfortable enough. Theres a nice trip hazard rug you have to roll up as well. The new side bathroom sucks if you are over 5.11 you can only stand in the shower or doorway and have to bend double to get to the shower or loo. Generally, we felt the pictures on the site were better than the reality of what is a near 1m property. In hotel speak, the property is tired, and we left feeling like wed been overcharged.

Michelle

Beautiful house with everything we needed. It was great to sit everyone around the large table and the very comfortable lounge. Lovely hot shower and warm house. Only problem was likely due to the age of the property hence difficulty in fitting doors, but twice we got stuck in the toilets, handle did not turn on bathroom with slipper bath and the lock on the other door very stiff.

This is a great property . Could have been a little cleaner . Proprty would benefit from a downstairs loo . Overall a great family location with dis accepted

Superb property in an ideal location.

Eleanor

Everything we needed for a lovely stay. Thank you.

Victoria

We had a wonderful time at the old school house it was a perfect retreat for our group of 6 ladies wanting an escape from the madness of everyday life for a few days! We loved the well equipped kitchen and the beautiful living room with comfy sofas and woodburner. We had an enjoyable meal at the Golden Ball and also a lovely lunch at the Porch House in Stowonthe Wold which wed thoroughly recommend. Many thanks for a wonderful relaxing stay

Suzanne

We had a wonderful stay. It was all very comfortable. We had everything there that we needed. The kitchen was well stocked with equipment. The beds were very comfortable. Everything was very clean. A beautiful house. Our only criticism which is minor would be the lounge needing some warmth through lighting possibly. It's all very blue which makes it feel and look a little cold.

Amanda

Fabulous cottage and very comfortable for 9 adults. Living room spacious with plenty of seating. We all slept well and plenty of hot water for showers. To make the cottage perfect a larger oven and vegetable steamers.

Christopher

Overall, this is an excellent, spacious and well located property. It was clean and well maintained. The following are intended as constructive or helpful comments it was difficult to keep the bedrooms in the old part warm the shower screen in the small bathroom was dangerous as not obvious on entry a downstairs toilet would be very useful for elderly guests or when a large number of guests. Again these are comments not complaints. Overall this was an excellent place to stay.

The property was well maintained and very comfortable, one or two issues that should be addressed,1 Carpet in the lounge needs to be cleaned as there were stains on the carpet,2 bathroom shower needs a shower dish to place shower gels and soap in while showering,3 for reference a toilet would have been appropriate down stairs for easy access for people with mobility issues, we found it difficult locating the property with the road diversions apart from that we had great time and was great value considering seven people were holidaying there.

Michelle

We had a lovely, comfortable family stay at the house. Would have been a nice addition to have a bbq provided, to max the outdoors. Plus theres no downstairs toilet, something to bear in mind for elderly or less able guests.

We were only 2 couples staying at the this lovely house. It was spacious, quiet and very relaxing. The house is very comfortable, well equipped and in a great location very convenient to drive or 25 min walk to Stow, supermarkets, fantastic pubs, shops and all lovely surrounding villages and attractions. The only disappointment I would like to point out no shop or supermarket sells the particular type of pods for the coffee machine. I called in advance to find out about the type of coffee pods and was told they are the common pods, which unfortunately wasnt the case. Luckily there are a few great coffee places in Stow. And 2 recommendations perhaps a few sun lounges would have been nice and definitely some better pillows on the beds. Apart from that we had a fantastic stay! Thank you! We will hopefully be back in future.

We had a really lovely stay at the old school house. The house itself and the setting was beautiful and perfect for our family getaway for a birthday. We would definitely come back again. Only other feedback would be to leave a bit more loo roll. We were easily able to pop into Stow for some but there wasn't enough for the size of the house. Also the hot water settings could do with increasing as it didn't come on in the afternoon at all meaning we quickly ran out for a house of 10 again. We were able to boost this but couldn't find the instructions in the booklet. Thanks for a great stay.

Leave a Review

The Old School House, Lower Swell

About The Old School House

Need To Know

More Group Cottages You May Like

What Guests Love

Spacious Layout for Groups

Secure Garden for Dogs

Perfect Cotswolds Location

Well-Equipped Kitchen

Cosy Woodburning Stove

Excellent Facilities

Getting To The Old School House

By Car

By Train

Group Attractions & More Nearby

Is The Old School House Right For Your Group

For Families

Groups Will Love...

Pet Friendly

Dining & Cafes

The Golden Ball Inn

The Old Butchers

The Porch House

Frequently Asked Questions

Location Name

Popular Stays Near This Cottage

The Old School House Reviews