Hi there - we are Peter & Sarah, owners of Shropham House in the county of Norfolk in the East of England.

Shropham House, formerly known as Shropham Villa, was built in 1780 by Sarah Leathes. It is late Georgian, with a wing which was added in 1856. It remained in the same family and was owned by Canon Edward and Lady Caroline Garnier during the 1930's.

Our house is situated in the quiet Norfolk village of Shropham, overlooking fields within private gardens of 1.5 acres and accessed by a private driveway with parking for several vehicles. Shropham is within easy reach of the historic city of Norwich and easy drive to the coast or the Norfolk broads.

A typical Georgian rectory style building, it has very high ceilings (13ft), open fires (which make for cosy winter evenings) and many period features. We have been restoring the property since we purchased it in 2005 and are decorating to a high standard.

The extensive garden and grounds are very private (not overlooked at all) and Shropham House is at it's best in the Spring & Summer. However, cosy nights by the fires (we have plenty of logs/coal) and the majestic trees in the grounds make Autumn and Winter a delight as well. Views across the gardens to the fields beyond are a lovely sight to wake-up to. The garden includes an outside dining area and a large Weber gas grill for cookouts/BBQ's. The garden has a large trampoline for burning off any excess energy. We also keep our own chickens (which provide a regular supply of eggs) - although we can make arrangments for these to be cared for during a swap if chickens are not your thing. We also have a 15ft pool for dips if the weather is warm (a large inflatable pool, not a permanent one)

It is in easy reach of London, Cambridge and the coast and recent exchangees have spent several days visiting London (we helped arrange tickets to sporting events, train tickets etc.) One family spent a weekend visiting Bath and Stonehenge, which are a longer (but manageable) drive.

The North Norfolk coast is an easy drive and with some of Englands finest beaches (particularly Holkham beach) makes for an ideal day at the coast. Only 15mins drive away is Thetford Forest which boasts picturesque walks, childrens adventure playgrounds, cycle tracks and on a fairly regular basis hosts open-air music concerts.

On a rainy day, or for a diversion, the cities of Norwich and Bury St Edmunds are both 30mins away, with shopping, a castle, cinemas and a football team. Our neighbours are lovely and very welcoming, as is everyone you meet in the area. There is a local airport in Norwich, but the nearest international airport is London Stansted, to the north of London, a two hour drive away.

Our home is fully equipped for a family of 4-11 or up to five couples. We have 5 double bedrooms and 1 single bedroom suitable for a young child. Shropham House has 4 bathrooms (two with magnificent rolltop baths) and a further 2 toilets. We have recently completed the refit of an ensuite to the master bedroom, complete with Jacuzzi shower/steam cabin. It has the benefit of 2 very large reception rooms (enabling adults and children to do their own thing if required). There is a new kitchen, with large island unit, range cooker, pantry and large table with room to seat 8. There is also separate dining room which has been recently redecorated and seats 10 for formal dining. For the more energetic, Shropham House includes a cross trainer and a separate barn with a full size table-tennis table. We have lots of maps and books about the local area to help you explore, games, cards and books for evenings at home.

For the electronically minded, the property includes wireless broadband and the use of a PC if required. There is also a Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 with 50" plasma screen for either gaming or DVD/Blu Ray nights.

We have been renovating the property since we purchased it and all the bedrooms and bathrooms have been newly decorated and furnished to a high standard. One downstairs drawing room awaits redecoration, but is perfectly usable. There is a formal dining room which seats 10-12 comfortably and there is a large kitchen/breakfast room which seats 10 as well as a breakfast bar.

We have a regular gardener and cleaner and will arrange for them to either continue to visit during the exchange or leave you alone if preferred. We also have two vehicles which may be available upon arrangment (Lincoln Navigator seats 8 and Ford S-Max seats 7) although we have experienced problems in getting non-EU drivers insured.

Shropham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of 11.12 km2 (4.29 sq mi) and had a population of 351 in 155 households as of the 2001 census. Its main attraction is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, built in flint in the Perpendicular style. The village is listed in the Doomsday Book under the name Scerpham

Shropham is situated just 2 miles from the centre of the small but pleasant market town of Attleborough and a 15 min drive from the historic city of Norwich with it`s castle and wonderful cathedral and assorted shops.

A well stocked supermarket is also two miles away. Our main city Norwich with a marvellous array of shops, restaurants, bars, two wonderful cathedrals & numerous museums, is a short car trip away. The fast relaxing train from Norwich will get you into the centre of London in only 90 minutes. If you prefer to drive our nearest London Underground Station is just two & a half hours away. The University city of Cambridge is no more than a 45min drive away.

Our county hosts many attractions for the visitor including extensive waterways called The Broads. Here you can enjoy sailing, boating & fishing. The Queen’s country residence is also situated in Norfolk at Sandringham.

The historic market town of Thetford is also very close by (15 mins) and is well known for the extensive Thetford Forest and it's lovely walks & bike rides (bikes available for hire at the forest). Elveden Forest (20mins) also boasts a Centre Parcs resort (a holiday village in the centre of the forest) which allows day visitors (for a fee) to its golf course, luxurious spa and leisure facilities and pool/slides.

The Norfolk coastline boasts some of the best beaches in England, with Holkham beach a particular highlight. At Great Yarmouth you will find long promenades, a pier, amusement arcades and assorted entertainments.

We have customised this Google Map with details of some local attractions. Will continue to add to this. NB - You can zoom in for a street view of our house and village

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=117908877087552885871.00048300c31975743c988&z=9

We are seeking an exchange for 2013 and open to offers. Ideally the months of July/August, but we are flexible.

Open to any dates

We are open to offers from anywhere.

Especially keen on school holiday exchanges in the UK (Autumn half term?)

We have completed five exchanges - please see the feedback.

Completely open to proposals from any destinations - but ideally 4 bedrooms and a pool would be great. Please contact us with your proposals/ questions.

View Feedback About My Exchanges

Peter & Sarah (39 & 46) have three children. Gregory (14), Ewan (12) and Liberty (5).

We don't have any pets, but we do have some chickens and from time to time we also keep lambs (depending on the time of year). We can arrange feeding of these if required.

Peter is a Managing Director at Cisco Systems and travels a lot - when not travelling, Peter does various work on renovating the house. Sarah is a keen gardener and has been responsible for the interior design work in the house.

Our children are well behaved and will be respectful of your home and they are happy to share their books/toys/games with visiting children.

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