Access Guidance
This is a guide only and make not reflect the most recent changes and improvements at the properties. Please contact us to confirm any aspect which may be of particular importance to you or impact your ability to enjoy your stay here.
Access to Mendham Mill from the public highway is via a private road. This road, along with the parking areas and paths in the grounds of the mill has a traditional gravel surface which is not the easiest surface for visitors using wheelchairs. North Meadow Cottage is the only cottage designed and assessed for wheelchair users..
The Lodge
Up to 2 cars may be parked on the gravel car parking area at the front of the Lodge. Additional parking is available for visitors’ cars elsewhere in the grounds of the Mill. There is single step up into the Lodge from the parking area through the front door. Although the accommodation in The Lodge is all on one floor, sloping wooden threshold adjusters cover small alterations in floor levels – for example between the hall and the kitchen and the kitchen and the bathroom. This layout makes the cottage unsuitable for wheelchair users. French windows from the living room have a step down to the terrace outside which in turn has two steps down onto one of the gravelled paths through The Lodge garden. The door from the kitchen to the terrace also has a step. The bathroom is a ‘wet room’ design; the shower area has a hinged glass door but no step between the shower area and the rest of the bathroom. There is no seat or ‘grab handles’ in the shower area. Although there are steps leading to the garden from The Lodge and steps also from one of the garden gates there are no steps through to the garden from the gate near the parking area and only one small step and a ramp through a third gate at the far end of the garden.
The Miller’s House
Up to 2 cars may be parked on the gravel car parking area to the side of The Miller’s House. Additional parking is available for visitors’ cars elsewhere in the grounds of the Mill. Two steps lead down from the gravel drive to a small standing area by the main entrance door and there is one small step up over the threshold. There are no further steps for access to the ground floor bedrooms although there are two steps up to the shower in the en-suite bathroom on the ground floor. Only a small threshold separates the ground floor of the house from the external courtyard, accessed through the back door of The Miller’s House although there is a small step from the courtyard to the Laundry room in the courtyard. There are several steps leading up to and down from the gate which secures the courtyard from the rest of The Miller’s House gardens. Inside the house, the staircase turns back on itself between the ground floor and the first floor. There are also turns between the first floor and the second floor. There is a handrail on one side of the stairs only. Less mobile guests should note that although there are two ground floor bedrooms the living room, dining and kitchen areas are on the first floor.
The Nest
Cars may be parked by the front entrance to The Nest temporarily for loading and unloading but longer-term parking is in a parking area some 30 metres from the front door. There are no steps between the drive, the entrance hall and the front door of The Nest. The living room / dining area, bedroom and bathroom are also on one level. However, there is a step from the living room to the kitchen and two steps from the kitchen through the back door down to the outside terrace. There are two steps down from the terrace to the wooden decking beyond the terrace which people wanting to fish from The Nest will need to access. There is a small step from the bathroom floor to the shower cubicle.
Mill Race Cottage
Visitor car parking for Mill Race Cottage is on the gravelled car parking area around 10m from the front door. There is a single step from the drive to the ground floor level of the cottage. The two bedrooms and bathroom are all on one level. A wooden staircase leads from the ground floor to the first floor kitchen / dining / living room. This has a handrail on one side only. The stair treads are wood and uncarpeted and the staircase turns 180 degrees as it rises. The garden is accessible via two steps leading down from a door leading from one of the ground floor bedrooms. It can also be accessed through a gate in the drive with only a small step from the path to the grass.
North Meadow Cottage
This cottage has been designed for ease of use by people in wheelchairs. The entrance, living area, outside terrace, master bedroom and its wet room have been designed to assist wheelchair users. Visitor car parking for North Meadow Cottage is on a gravelled car parking area either in front of or next to the cottage. There is a paved area in front of the porch to enable wheelchair users to exit their cars directly onto a paved area rather than gravel. The paving slopes gently upwards towards the front door providing step free access. There are level thresholds throughout. The front door has a minimum width of 34 inches as has the inner porch door and the door to the wet room. The double doors from the living room to the master bedroom are 5 feet wide and the wide bi-fold doors from the living room to the outside terrace also provide level threshold, step-free access to the terrace. The same terrace can also be accessed from the master bedroom through a second set of bi-fold doors although there is a small step on this access, should it be used. The wet room lavatory has a slightly raised seat height. The door from the living room to the corridor which contains the second and third bedrooms along with the bathroom has a minimum width of 31 inches, as is the bathroom door. The entrances to the second and third bedrooms have a minimum width of 28 inches when open.
Communal gardens
The gravelled drive gives access to some parts of the communal gardens. However, there are no set paths through most of the gardens and visitors will want to walk over grass to enjoy them.
Flooding
Mendham Mill is built over and beside a river and the valley is a natural flood plain. The river floods from time to time and when it does so some parts of the gardens may be inaccessible due to flooding. The cottages are not at risk from flood. The gauging station at Billingford, upstream from here, provides live water level data (below). If it shows water levels as high, with flooding possible, do bring Wellington boots because the ground is likely to be soggy.