Historic Shropshire gatehouse gets five-star rating for its accommodation

But now, The Gatehouse, at Upton Cressett, has added another significant accolade to its roll of honour, being awarded the maximum five stars for its accommodation by Shropshire Tourism.

The five star rating follows it being named 'runner-up' to Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire as the Best Heritage Accommodation in the entire UK at the Hudson's Heritage Awards 2015.

The Gatehouse, owned by William Cash and his wife Lady Laura Cash, has recently had a £10,000 refurbishment, including the addition of a four poster bed and is now available as luxury bed and breakfast accommodation.

Lady Laura Cash said that while the self-catering option remains available, there was demand for a more pampered guest experience at Upton Cressett.

She said: "We are delighted to be opening up The Gatehouse on a B&B basis, with full Shropshire breakfast served in the hunting lodge dining room of the Gatehouse. Many local people have said they would love to stay in one of our romantic and historic suites, but don't want the expense of taking the entire Gatehouse, which has separate bedrooms on different floors."

Guests staying at The Gatehouse have the choice of two luxurious suites, The Prince Rupert Suite or The Thatcher Suite. The Prince Rupert suite, said to be ideal for honeymoons or romantic stays, has a fabulous brand new four poster bed and a claw roll top bath. That historic room is where Prince Rupert stayed in 1646, arriving at Upton Cressett with a troop of 60 royal horsemen whilst escaping from Parliamentary forces around the Battle of Bridgnorth, during the English Civil War. Elizabeth Hurley, who was the first guest to stay in the newly refurbished Prince Rupert Suite, at her goddaughter's christening last month, called The Gatehouse "the most romantic place to stay in Shropshire - luxurious, intimate and steeped in history".

Guests also have the option of taking The Thatcher Suite where Lady Thatcher and Sir Denis stayed for two nights as guests of Sir Bill Cash after she stepped down as Prime Minister.

The suite has been luxuriously re-furbished to the Shropshire Tourism five star standard but still includes the same bed that Lady Thatcher slept in back in the 1990s.

The Thatcher Suite also includes a private sitting room next door with 16th century ornamental plasterwork. This is called the 'Whiskey Suite' as Lady Thatcher drank her way through a decanter and half of Macallan aged malt whisky during her two-night stay.

The Gatehouse is also used as a writers' retreat, attracting literary figures such as Sir John Betjeman and Sebastian Faulks

More details and can be found on the updated website at www.uptoncressetthall.co.uk