Once referred to as a '...fanciful
Anglo-Swiss Cottage...' by a Victorian travel writer, The Florence stands
as a distinctive welcoming landmark on this alpine-like landscape. With
Edwardian terraced grounds, the hotel sits amidst a haven of floral and
faunal diversity.
Proprietor, Kathy Redwood and her husband
Dennis, acquired The Florence in July 2003 and offer quality accommodation and a friendly relaxed atmosphere. We have ample parking spaces
available and operate a strict non-smoking and no pets policy.
Situated adjacent to the
A466 overlooking the lovely River Wye at Bigsweir on the
English/Welsh border (one of the two points between Monmouth and
Chepstow where the river may be crossed by road-bridge), we are
surrounded by five acres of woodland and shrub gardens.
We have eight centrally heated
bedrooms, all individually furnished and equipped to a high standard. All
have fully tiled en-suite facilities with bath or shower, shaver points,
tea and coffee making facilities, TV's, DVD's and hairdryers.
Four rooms are located in the main house
and the other four rooms are in the Cottage,
the former estate gardener's dwelling. Most of our rooms have superb views
of the River Wye and Valley.
In Winter, our lounge, with real log fire, is an ideal place to forget your cares and relax. In Summer, you can relax in our gardens and watch the river go by.
The Florence name derives from St. Florent Abbey of Saumer, France, which had a claim to St.Briavel's church in the 12th Century. The first recorded report of a house at the site on the northern boundary of the parish, was in 1588. In the hands of the famous Gloucestershire landowner Lord Sherborne, the property was included as part of the Wyeseal Estate during the 17th & 18th Centuries. In the reign of George IV, The Florence was the first licensed premises in the Lower Wye Valley. As a Cider Inn it catered for the 'Bargees' who towed the iron-ore laden trows down the river to the Severn Estuary.
Beloved by artists such as JMW Turner and poets including William Wordsworth, the River Wye carves a 'mazey' course past the castles of Monmouth and Chepstow and the famous abbey ruins of Tintern. Spanned downstream from The Florence by the impressive iron Bigsweir Bridge, the River Wye rushes passed by the hotel and west-facing rooms. Notorious for its unique tidal back-flow and cascading currents, the Wye is popular with anglers seeking salmon.
Wildlife thrives in rich abundance in The Florence’s gardens and woodland walks. The lofty valley sides above The Florence are host to setts for the shy nocturnal badger, cover for the inquisitive fallow deer and roosts for the rare greater horseshoe bat. Within dense undergrowth below beeches, pollarded limes, pendunculate oaks, wych elms and many conifers, mini-beasts, dormice and rabbits happily co-habit the lush environment. Higher up in the trees, birds including spotted and pied flycatchers, redstarts, tawny owls and thermal-catching buzzards, nest among the canopy.
On the forest floor rare plants grow alongside more common varieties. Wood fescue, spreading bellflower, wood barley and narrow leaved bitter-cress hide amongst carpets of wild garlic, bluebells, fern and evening primrose.
Blossoming magnolias of whites and reds and robust rhododendrons in shades of pink create a colourful show after the springtime illuminations of primrose, daffodils, snowdrops and bluebells are over.
Contact can be made with Kathy
by telephone, letter or email.
Once a booking is made and your requirements are known, please complete
our Booking Form.
