Superb medieval townhouse in the old-world splendour of Rye

Rye, South East England  6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sleeps a maximum of 14

This is a lovely and surprisingly spacious old house, quietly famous, in one of Britain's most photographed streets and close to the world-renowned Mermaid Inn. This holiday rental home can easily and comfortably accommodate 14 guests. Nearby, yachts and pleasure craft lie moored alongside timbered warehouses full of bustling antique shops.

This delightful house has a marvellous range of beams, high ceilings and rooms full of character and surprise. The upper living room is especially light and sunny, contains a bar and projects into a secluded garden complete with a large mulberry tree set against a panorama of ancient rooftops. The lower living room with its inglenook fireplace looks out onto the famous cobble stone street and the magic of Rye. Within this medieval setting a fascinating variety of Asian artefacts has been imaginatively displayed ranging from an antique rickshaw to Chinese ancestral doors.

The house was the origin of the ballad There's an old-fashioned house in an old-fashioned street and formed the basis and front cover design of Beatrix Potter's Tale of the Faithful Dove. Mabel Lucy Atwell lived, wrote and illustrated here and one of the publisher-owner's many literary guests, E.F. Benson, the novelist famous for his creation of Mapp and Lucia, gave the house its name.

Situated 1.5 miles from the open sea and nature reserves, Rye is within easy reach of Brussels, Paris and Canterbury and is 1.5 hours from London by train. It is probably the most complete example of a medieval town in Britain and crowns a hill originally surrounded by the sea. Its 12th century church, fortified tower, Landgate and ancient wall are all within walking distance of the house and bear testimony to its history as a Cinque Port.

Three miles beyond Rye are Camber Sands, ideal for children, and Winchelsea, which is a lovely example of medieval town planning. Rye has good sporting and sailing facilities and boasts some excellent eating houses, splendid walks and excursions into the smugglers' paradise of Romney Marsh and the delights of rural Sussex and Kent. A wildlife bird sanctuary stretches from Rye Harbour to Fairlight.