Grey Gables

Old Quarrington sits quietly near Durham, and Grey Gables—a substantial Victorian vicarage from the 1870s—anchors this hamlet with the kind of scale that accommodates extended families and groups without feeling cramped. The property sprawls across three floors with six bedrooms and two bathrooms, sleeping up to 13. A gravel drive leads to private parking for six cars, and beyond the building a back garden contains a hot tub for six people.

The ground floor holds a living room with smart TV and electric fire, a kitchen and separate dining room where you can prepare and serve meals for a crowd, a games room with pool table and sound system, and a utility room with washing and tumble-drying facilities. Upstairs, three bedrooms occupy the first floor; a further three bedrooms, another living space with Xbox, and a second bathroom sit on the second floor. Bed linen, towels, Wi-Fi and electricity are covered, heating comes from biomass central heating, and the kitchen contains electric hob and oven, air fryer, dishwasher and coffee machine. There is bike storage on site and stabling for horses by prior arrangement. Smoking is not permitted.

Durham's cathedral and city centre are within reach, making the location workable both for groups wanting a base to explore and for those gathering simply to spend time together.