The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub.
We have four converted barns available to rent individually or in any combination, depending on the number of guests you need to accommodate. Originally a working arable farm called Jepcrack's, we have converted the barns into four unique, self contained properties.
Collectively known as Jepcrack's Barn Self Catering, we have a one bedroom barn, 2 three bedroom barns and a four bedroom barn, all with en-suite or separate bathrooms.
They be rented separately or collectively for up to 31 guests. Perfect for romantic getaways, family gatherings and walking holidays, Hen Parties and Weddings. See us on We Accept Pets.
ARTIVAL TIMES: We can offer 3 long days and 2 nights or 3 nights. Arrival from 11am on day 1 to 4pm on day 3. é.g. Arrival Friday at 11am up to 4pm Sunday. The previous day will be booked out to prepare the accommodation, so an earlier arrival can be requested. Or Arrival Friday from 3pm to 10.30am on Monday.
HEN PARTY We can help to plan your Hen party! From a quiet relaxing break or a mixture of quiet times and fun activities, we have a plan to suit you! Choose from a range of beauty treatments from professional therapists, Burlesque (or other types) of dancing lessons, an Italian meal with wine tasting and pasta making or a limo to a club in nearby Chelmsford or Brentwood.
WEDDINGS We are conveniently situated near the wedding venues of Captains Wood Barns,. Forrester Park, Faulty Manor, Braxted Park, Layer Marney Tower and Five Lakes.
PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION.
THE CART LODGE The Cart Lodge is a gorgeous one bedroom barn with en-suite. It has antique furniture, king size bed and bath with shower above. There is a high end fitted kitchen with oven, hob, microwave, fridge freezer, dishwasher, and washing machine. There is an extendable dining table and 4 chairs. The lounge has a sofa that converts to a sofa bed plus an arm chair. Outside is a patio area with BBQ, table and chairs. Fancy having a HOT TUB? Please enquire. Available to rent separately.
A quiet location where you can hear birdsong rather than traffic notice, but just a 10 minute walk to pubs, restaurant and village shop. Maldon town less than 10 minutes drive.
Well behaved pets welcome. £8 per night. Please enquire and add this on your booking.
Free off street parking.
Our converted barns are situated in glorious, rural isolation but with easy access directly off the A12 in Essex. Located on the edge of the village of Great Totham, the Shire Stables offers beautiful views over arable farmland and an abundance of animal and bird life.
Each barn is individually designed and has its own unique character with beams, log burning stoves and very comfortable beds.
There is a wonderful outside space to enjoy the views and watch the birds, rabbits and possibly deer, maybe with a glass of something nice in hand.
There is also provision to hire additional barns, ideal if you have a big group that and want to stay together.
High spec but retaining its rustic charm, the Cart Lodge, Shire Stables, Hay Barn and Barley Barn can be used for a wide variety of things and their location means Colchester, Suffolk, Chelmsford, Brentwood and London are all within easy reach.
Rental available from 3 nights. Special rates available for 6 night stays during peak season. Please enquire.
The HAY Barn and BARLEY Barn are next to the Cart Lodge and opposite the SHIRE STABLES. Each barn has a separate patio area with coal BBQ and there is a large shared front lawn. There is off road parking and additional hard standing parking available.
ROMANTIC BREAKS - spoil your loved ones with a special romantic stay. We can help you to organise it. If you are planning to propose, are celebrating an anniversary, Valentine surprise or showing someone how special they are/ Options are - Arrive to chilled Champagne Special chocolates for your loved one Rose petals on your pillows Welcome basket Vase of seasonal flowers Invite your loved one and be romanced away!!
Check in is flexible from Monday to Friday. Please enquire for late availability and Saturday check in. Sorry it is not usually possible to accommodate bookings starting from Sunday.
The nearest railways station in Witham is approximately 6 miles away. Trains run regularly to London Liverpool Street with a journey of of 40 to 45 minutes. The shopping centre at Stratford is accessed on the same train journey.
Suffolk, Kent, Oxford and Cambridge are accessed easily by motorway. Essex is a largely rural county dotted with pretty villages and beautiful farmland. Essex is steeped in history and there are a great variety of historical sites to visit in the county including Anglo Saxon, Medieval, Roman and Tudor architecture. Essex has one of the longest coastlines of any county in England. Its network of coastal footpaths, rivers and estuaries attract walkers, cyclists and birdwatchers every year.
Getting married at St.Peter's Church in Great Totham? Located just a few hundred yards away, this is an ideal location for guests to stay. Also ideal for guests attending weddings at Braxted Park, Layer Marney Tower, Vaulty Manor. and Prested Hall.
Babies under 1.5 years using a travel cot are not included in the guest numbers.
Bank holiday Mondays are weekend rates. Prices include linen, bedding and towels. Heating is electric central heating and wood burning stove. We provide an initial supply of logs, kindling and fire lighters. Additional large bags of logs and kindling available.
We take a refundable deposit for Hay, Barley and Cart Lodge of £100 on arrival for stays of up to 2 weeks and £200 for stays over 2 weeks to cover breakages or excessive cleaning costs. Bedding, linen, towels, bath mats and tea towels are included in the cost. Damage deposit for The Shire Stables is £500. This will be itemised on your booking.
We are flexible on check in days during the week, depending on existing bookings. For Saturday and Sunday check arrivals please enquire.
Please enquire for rentals for longer than two weeks and for what is included in the rental rate.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the remote location, there may be very occasional internet disruption.
Arrival 3pm Departure 10.30am to allow us to clean for the next guests. We can be a little flexible on this times if there is no occupancy prior to, or after your stay. We kindly ask guests to keep the property and all furniture, fittings and effects, in or on the property, in the same state of repair and condition as the commencement of the period, and to leave the property in the same state of cleanliness and general order in which it was found. We will, where possible, accommodate any guest's requests regarding minor accommodation amendments but we cannot guarantee acceptance.
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Only guests included in the booking are permitted without prior consent.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 10000032
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
About the area
Maldon
Located in Maldon, this holiday home is in a rural area. Layer Marney Tower and Paycockes are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Forrester Park Golf Club and Benton Hall Golf and Country Club. Travelling with kids? Consider Witham Leisure Centre and Blackwater Leisure Centre. Sailing and fishing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and cycling nearby.
The Bull at Great Totham and Willow Room - 2 min drive
Le Bouchon - 5 min drive
The Sunny Sailor - 6 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub. pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub.?
As of 28 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub. on 30 Oct 2024 start from AU$351, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub.?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub.?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub.?
Checkout is at 10:30 AM.
Where is The Cart Lodge. Pet friendly, beams, log burner & optional private hot tub. located?
This family-friendly Maldon holiday home is located in a rural location, within 3 mi (5 km) of Forrester Park Golf Club and Mill Beach. Witham Leisure Centre and Blackwater Leisure Centre are also within 6 miles (10 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Good facilities with one or two maintenace issues but we had a very comfortable stay
We had two of the Barns for a family weekend which worked well for us. The location is beautiful and very quiet yet not far from town and main roads. The accommodation was well appointed and we had a comfortable stay.
We didn't actually stay in Cart lodge. Carmel gave us a bigger bafn...Hay Barn which was amazing
Sue D.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Fiona C.
9 Oct 2015
Beautiful countryside property
We had such a lovely time staying in the Hay Barn cottage. It was even more beautiful than the pictures & Carmel was extremely helpful & hospitable. The gardens & views are wonderful & the children's play area tucked away behind the barns proved very useful. It is remote enough to feel as though you are deep in the Essex countryside, but you do not feel cut off. The property is spacious & very comfortable with all you need to make you feel at home. Our friends were all very impressed & we do hope to be back. We certainly recommend it!
Fiona C.
Response from VrboOwner on 31 Mar 2020
Thank you, we're glad you enjoyed your stay. We plan to upgrade the play area next year so children will find it even more enjoyable.
We had a really comfortable stay, Cart Lodge is really well appointed, with quality fixtures and fittings and spotlessly clean. It’s in a wonderful country setting, and an ideal place to relax and unwind, and explore the Essex countryside. Carmel is easily contactable and a gracious host. I’d highly recommend Cart Lodge and we’ll definitely be staying again
Trish H.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Jo anne A.
20 Sept 2017
So good to be back home!
Let me just say that Carmel and Jason are amazing hosts, extremely accomodating, friendly and genuinely nice people. The barn was great with comfortable bed, fully equipped kitchen, soft towels, all the comforts of home. Pair that with the peace and quiet of the English countryside it's a stay that can't be beat. The resident chickens laid eggs which you were free to help yourself. The surrouding area was full of rabbits, pheasants and other wildife, quiet lanes and public footpaths for lovely evening strolls. I would definitely recommend, it's a shame that we could not stay longer. Thank you so much.
Jo anne A.
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2017
Archival
10/10 Excellent
Juanna C.
13 Aug 2014
Two weeks at the Cart Lodge in July
What a wonderful place to stay! EVERYTHING on the website was more than we expected! The lodge was beautifully appointed with everything one could possibly want. The cleaners did a wonderful job before and during our stay. We cannot thank Carmel & Jason enough as they were so attentive and understanding of our requests....... we misplaced the house keys and Jason immediately came to our rescue! We will definitely return and highly recommend anyone else who is looking for a wonderful luxury country experience. We are very lucky that our best friends live only a mile away so they fed and entertained us but I don't think they would be that generous to others so we cannot recommend any where other than their home! We are very sad to be going home to San Francisco and will think about Lulu and Bonnie often as they greeted us each morning with clucks and gurgles...they are the resident chickens!
Juanna C.
Response from VrboOwner on 31 Mar 2020
Thank you Juanna. We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay.
About the host
Hosted by Carmel Tate
We live locally and often went past the barns when walking our dog. We bought them when they were in a poor state and Jason spent five years working most weekends on them, renovating them and saving all of the materials and features that he could to keep the character of the barns. I was responsible for tea making, supply of lunch, cleaning, fetching and carrying....! In fact, it is a real family business with our children helping with the chickens, gardens and occasional cleaning duty.
Why they chose this property
After spending many happy holidays on farms and beautiful houses in France, Ireland and Wales, we wanted to offer high quality accommodation to people who wanted to get away from it all or bring their beloved pets with them to share their holiday, just as we wanted to.
We renovated Jepcrack's over a number of years, working with each barn's unique character and adding luxurious touches to make our guests' stay special.
We opened The Hay Barn to our first guests in 2011, closely followed by the adjoining Barley Barn in December 2011.
The Cart Lodge followed shortly after. Our newest and largest property is The Shire Stables and we are looking forward to welcoming guests.
What makes this property unique
The barns can be rented separately, for 2 people upwards, or you can rent more for a group booking.
Each property has its own character and as the buildings emerged we worked with each one to bring out their unique features and to add special touches to make them interesting, comfortable and homely.
THE SHIRE STABLES is our detached barn. It is the largest and most most luxurious comprising of a hot tub, jacuzzi bath and antique furniture. It has a large open plan downstairs. One of the upstairs bedrooms has a balcony overlooking fields. The second bedroom is large and has a further bedroom off it with twin beds. Ideal for a family or group of friend. The downstairs bedroom can be set up as a twin or king size. 8 - 10 guests.
THE HAY BARN has a great downstairs area with breakfast bar, ideal for a get together. With a king sized bedroom and two further double bedrooms, all en-suite, it is great for friends or families. 6 to 8 guests.
The BARLEY BARN is very much a home from home, with an open plan lounge, kitchen and dining area. The master bedroom is downstairs and has a king sized bed and sofa bed, making it ideal as a family room. The antique French wardrobe and jacuzzi bath en-suite give that touch of luxury. There is another kind sized bedroom upstairs which is spacious and also has an en-suite with bath and shower above. The third bedroom offers flexibility of either a single, twin or king sized bed and also has a bathroom opposite. 6 to 8 guests.
THE CART LODGE is a delight. With vaulted ceilings throughout and walnut and marble floors, it has a French, antique theme. There is an antique king sized bed and a sofa bed for two additional guests. Nothing shabby about this; just pure chic. The ideal romantic retreat. 2 to 4 guests.