Coming A Distance?

"My husband got very worried when I said that I was ‘collecting shops' but of all the ones I have
tried Midsomer Quilting - sadly three and a half hours away - is my very favourite.  MQ is less a
shop, more the home of friends with fabric for sale. They open from Friday to Monday but have
their personal phone numbers on the door, so if you were just passing you can call, and, if they
are free, they come and open up just for you."                                                  Helen Conway
                                               

Are you in the area for a while and looking for recommended accommodation?
Green Lane Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast (01761452833 www.greenlanefarmbandb.co.uk) is twelve minutes drive from MQ and described by two of our visitors as Probably the best B&B we’ve stayed at(and they’ve stayed at many!). It’s in Hallatrow, and just two minutes walk from the Book Barn mentioned below.

A party of eight quilters have happily stayed in a converted church** in Chilcompton - Airbnb www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/2589097

Others have stayed at the Centurion Hotel (Best Western) ** www.centurionhotel.co.uk

The Old Down Inn** at the other end of the village 01761 232398

And also in the village there is the greatly refurbished Redan Inn www.theredaninn.co.uk

**The three asterisked above have space where groups can work together in the evening.

Other attractions in the area
You can read all about the shop on the other pages but this one is to let you know that there are bags of other things to do after you call on us (though you should be advised that the record stay at the shop is currently held by two ladies who brought sandwiches - and cake - and stayed at MQ for five hours and forty minutes).

The closest is the village of Kilmersdon.  A long time ago I was invited to talk to the children of Kilmersdon’s Primary School about Jack and Jill, and prepared a hand-out for them. What I wrote was picked up by dozens of radio stations; newspapers and magazines around the world! (One of them was the American People magazine, with a “readership of 45 million”).  My theories have since been quoted (and, frequently misquoted) many times!   

 

Three miles from MQ in Radstock, on the road to Bath, you'll find the prize-winning local history museum www.radstockmuseum.co.uk   (But do check their website for opening times)

 

In Farrington Gurney - four miles away, on the A37 to Bristol – there is an excellent Farm Shop  www.farringtons.co.uk - which has got to be one of the best of its kind, and has a very good reputation for its lunches, made from local produce.

 

The Book Barn - www.bookbarninternational.com - is in Hallatrow, a mile on from Farrington towards Bristol. It's an astonishing place. Goodness knows now many second-hand books they stock (I just looked it up - there are five million) ranging from comic books and novels to rare editions of great value. It also has very good and somewhat quirky teashop.

 

 

Within a fifteen mile drive there are many other outstanding attractions, including

 

The American Museum in Bath - www.americanmuseum.org - with its fascinating exhibitions of quilts.

 

The beautiful city of Bath, itself www.visitbath.co.uk

 

The equally beautiful Wells - www.wells-uk.com - the smallest city in England,

 

Clarks Village - www.clarksvillage.co.uk - in Street, the outlet shopping centre with more than 90 shops that offer up to 60% discounts!

 

Cheddar Gorge and caves - www.cheddarvillage.co.uk

 

Longleat House and Safari Park - www.longleat.co.uk

 

 

Glastonbury, the town, not the festival! - www.glastonbury.co.uk - especially the abbey

 

The East Somerset Railway - www.eastsomersetrailway.com

 

The Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust in Midsomer Norton –  But, once again, do check their opening hours - www.sdjr.co.uk

 

There are plenty more things to visit - all still within fifteen mile radius.

 

And then there’s Bristol . . .