THE OVAL DUNSTER - 3 Bedroom (Sleeps 6) Cottage in Dunster
Spacious historic cottage sleeping six, with character and modern comforts. Child and dog friendly, in a village location close to local amenities. Wood-burning stove, enclosed courtyard and reserved parking nearby.
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Owner/Property
Manager: Lucy
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Overview
Description
A charming medieval cottage that sleeps six. Features an antique four-poster bed in the main bedroom. Wood-burning stove. Two bathrooms. Enclosed courtyard. Reserved parking for two vehicles nearby. Rated Four Star Gold by VisitEngland.Set on West Street in the heart of the medieval village of Dunster, The Oval is a spacious, characterful historic cottage sleeping six, offering the rare combination of genuine history, comfort, and a truly central village location.
Dating back centuries, the cottage retains many original features—exposed beams, uneven walls, a wooden screen, and wonky floors — and a sense of age you simply don’t get in modern accommodation. At the same time, it is thoughtfully equipped for relaxed, contemporary living. Guests frequently comment on how welcoming, comfortable and immaculately clean the cottage feels from the moment they arrive. “Spotlessly clean, warm and welcoming — it felt like home straight away.”
Living space
The main living areas are generous and sociable, with comfortable seating, a wood-burning stove for cooler evenings and space to relax together after days exploring Exmoor and the coast. The cottage works equally well for families, friends or couples travelling together, with plenty of room to spread out. There's fast Wi-Fi, a large smart TV with Netflix and a DVD player. You'll find toys, games, puzzles, movies, and books for all ages. “Plenty of space for all of us, with everything we needed for relaxing evenings in.”
Bedrooms and bathrooms
The Oval has three bedrooms, including an antique four-poster bed, and two bathrooms (one en suite). Beds are consistently praised by guests for their comfort, and the layout makes the cottage practical for mixed groups and families alike. Guests staying in the twin bedroom share the en-suite with the main bedroom, a 'Jack and Jill' arrangement with lockable access from the hallway and the bedroom. In the second double bedroom there is a bath with shower over, plus a Sanilav WC. We have two travel cots – just ask us, and we'll put them up and take them down after you leave. You just need to bring your own bedding and linen for the cot. “The beds were extremely comfortable — we all slept brilliantly.”
Kitchen and dining
The kitchen is very well equipped and suitable for proper cooking rather than holiday “make do”. Many guests choose to dine in on several evenings each week, enjoying the cottage's space and atmosphere, while others take advantage of the excellent pubs, restaurants, and tearooms just steps from the front door. The kitchen has a large dual-fuel range cooker, microwave, toaster, kettle, Nespresso Essenza Mini coffee machine, cafetière, large fridge/freezer, slow cooker, dishwasher, and washing machine.
In the adjacent utility room, you'll find a tumble dryer, an iron and ironing board, a high chair, an airer, a second sink, and a Sanilav WC. “The kitchen was exceptionally well equipped — far better than most holiday cottages.”
Outdoor space
There is a well-enclosed courtyard at ground level, ideal for morning coffee or a quiet drink at the end of the day, as well as a sun deck accessible by steep slate steps — a lovely spot in the warmer months. The courtyard makes the cottage particularly practical for guests travelling with dogs.
Location
The Oval’s location is one of its greatest strengths. Situated right in the village centre, you can walk to:
• Pubs, cafés, tearooms and independent shops
• Dunster Castle, the watermill, tithe barn and church
• Dunster's award-winning playground, Gallox Bridge over the River Avill and open fields for dog walkers
• The West Somerset Railway
• Coastal paths, village walks and access points onto Exmoor
Guests regularly comment that once parked, the car is barely needed for the duration of their stay. “Once we arrived, we hardly used the car — everything was right on the doorstep.”
Parking
The cottage benefits from reserved parking for two vehicles nearby, which guests consistently describe as a real bonus in such a historic village setting. One space is in our own garage on West Street, with a second space in the Dunster Castle car park using our permit. “The parking arrangements were straightforward and a real help in such a busy village.”
Dog, child and walker friendly
The Oval is child- and dog-friendly, with thoughtful touches that make travelling with dogs easy and comfortable. Walkers appreciate the immediate access to village, woodland and moorland routes, as well as the ability to return to a warm, well-equipped base. We provide dog baskets, blankets, bowls, towels and a treat. “Our dog settled immediately — it’s one of the most dog-friendly places we’ve stayed.”
Quality and reassurance
The Oval is Four Star Gold rated by VisitEngland and forms part of Exmoor Character Cottages, known for exceptional cleanliness, attention to detail and personal care. In 2024 it was recognised with a Rose Award, a prestigious accolade from VisitEngland commending exceptional customer service.
The owner has welcomed guests to Exmoor for over 15 years, with a reputation for exceptional cleanliness, thoughtful hosting, and attention to detail.
A high proportion of guests return year after year, often describing the cottage as a “home from home”.
“We loved it so much we’re already planning our return visit.” Whether you’re visiting for walking, history, the coast, special occasions, or simply time to slow down, The Oval offers a rare opportunity to stay somewhere with genuine character, comfort, and an outstanding location.
All quotes are taken from our Guest Book and are from 2025.
Bedroom Details
Bedroom 1
1 x Double Bed
Large bedroom with original vaulted ceiling and antique four-poster bed
Bedroom 2
1 x Double Bed
En-suite room with Hypnos mattress and antique furnitre
Bedroom 3
2 x Single Beds
Twin bedroom which shares bathroom in Bedroom 1
40 Reviews
The cottage gave us a big hug to welcome us back
By Ian, Debs and Nora the dog on 23-Oct-2026“It happened again! As soon as we walked through the door, The Oval gave us a big hug to welcome us back. Home from home. Taking Lucy’s advice from the guest book, we decided to start our holiday by having takeaway fish and chips from the Stag’s Head opposite The Oval. Highly recommended. It was lovely to see Reeves restaurant open again. Sunday lunch was fab. Highly recommend a visit. We’ll be back soon. Take care, team. Thank you again. Love and hugs.”
Fabulous stay in such a beautiful property
By Sandra on 19-Sep-2026“Fabulous stay in such a beautiful property. So clean and comfortable, and the small touches are very much appreciated. Dunster is such a lovely village. We recommend the Stag’s Head and the Luttrell Arms for great food and staff. For places to visit, we recommend Dunster Castle and Watermill, the West Somerset Railway and, a bit further afield, Arlington Court and Carriage Museum. Thank you very much!”
What a stunning, beautiful house. We feel lucky to have stayed here. Thank
By Karen on 06-Sep-2026“What a stunning, beautiful house. We feel lucky to have stayed here. Thank you very much for accommodating us last minute when we were double-booked and needed somewhere to stay. The house is amazing and beautifully clean. A beautiful area. Sorry we missed you when you popped in, but my son told me about the special things in the house. To you and all your team, best wishes and thank you very much.”
We will definitely be back
By Sara and Karl on 29-Aug-2026“A beautiful place to stay. We've stayed in Dunster for many years on the trot! This property is great for a family of any generation. Everything you could need and more. We've been horse riding on Exmoor, visited the castle, seen a bird of prey display, and gone to the Dunster show. Amazing. We will definitely be back.”
There is a lot of love in this house – in every piece of furniture, picture and detail
By Jana, Valentina, Eugenia and Julian on 08-Aug-2026“Dear Lucy and team, what a fabulous place. For five days, it has truly become a home. Warm, cosy and comfortable. Thank you very much for making us feel this way. There is a lot of love in this house – in every piece of furniture, every picture and every detail. I've been to the UK many times to visit my family. This was the first time they had come here. It is thanks to this place that they fell in love with the country that I so much adore. We will be back. Take care and see you soon.”
This is our second visit to this lovely cottage
By Christine and John on 02-Aug-2026“Very relaxing. This is our second visit to this lovely cottage. We visited Dunster Castle, walked to Minehead and caught the steam train back, and also explored parts of Devon. Eating out at Hathaway's was excellent. The Stag's Head opposite is good, and Tess's Tea Room is great for breakfast or an evening meal. Thank you for everything.”