Overview

The Crosskeys Riverside House is a small country 4 Star Bed & Breakfast, set in its own grounds besides the tranquil River Wissey.

Formerly a coaching inn and farm complex once serving the ford to the village of Hilgay. Renovations have retained the original character of the diminishing Olde England.

The breakfast room has oak beams and inglenook fireplace is an ideal setting for one of our famous country breakfasts.

Spacious bedrooms all with river views have had new en-suite bathrooms fitted, all have a colour TV, with Freeview and DVD player, coffee and tea making facilities. The two upstairs bedrooms have four poster beds and corner baths. The ground floor has one double with a small sitting room and the other has twin bed; ideal if you bring your pets.

The large riverside garden offers a location to simply relax, or for the more energetic, row boating or fishing. A rowing boat is available free of charge by prior arrangement. The large river frontage is ideal for the coarse fishing enthusiast or even for mooring your boat whilst you sample the hospitality of the house. Garden chairs are placed beside the river so you can just watch the world and boats go by.

An abundance of bird watching locations, country walks and cycle routes are available in the surrounding countryside. The Welney Wildlife Trust is about five miles away. Footpaths and bridle ways are adjacent to the house.

We are lucky to have many local pubs and restaurants nearby for evening meals, with the nearest only 150 yards away. We have a number of good take-aways that will deliver for your convenience. We also have a large gas barbecue in the garden which is available for guests to use.

 

Accommodation Details

Our spacious, comfortable bedrooms all have river views. All rooms are en-suite, with a bath, shower, or both. All rooms have a colour TV, with Freeview and DVD player, coffee and tea making facilities. Electric blankets for those very cold nights.The two upstairs bedrooms have four poster beds and corner baths. The ground floor has one double with a small sitting room and the other has twin bed; ideal if you bring your pets.

 

Room Rate Guide:

From �65 Double en-suite
From �45 single in double room en-suite

We have 2 x Four Poster rooms en-suite
1 double Ground floor with a small lounge and extra TV en-suite
1 twin en-suite ground floor

 

General Details

Bob & Mary Flint, are very proud of Crosskeys Riverside House and enjoy meeting new people and this is the ideal way to meet many new and old friends, we invite you to be guests in our home. We take pride in looking after you, whether it is for one night or several nights., Famous for our Breakfasts.
After cooking you breakfast Bob likes to sit and chat with you if you have time, or we can be very efficient and have you well feed and on your way quickly if you are in a hurry; ideal if you are one of our guests that are in the area working.

Bob & Mary have appeared on TV for a programme titled Britain's Best B&Bs which was screened on the satellite station Blighty.

They were also involved in a programme called My Fake Baby on Channel 4, which was about Mary's and others collection of dolls. Mary was then a guest on the Richard & Judy show when the programme was first aired on Channel 4, she was also asked to appear on Norfolk radio to talk about the show.

Bob has also appeared on Norfolk radio as a guest to give his views on the taxi trade in Norfolk, after he designed a �Get-You-Home� pay card to use on taxi�s after a number of young people lost their lives after a night out, whilst on their way home and about the unlicensed limousines operating in East Anglia.

Before moving to Norfolk Bob was a director of a large bakery in Croydon, and up to a few years ago show jumped around the south of England up to Foxhunter classes.

Although Bob does not ride anymore we have 3 horses on site, one old boy Carlton who is now 25 years old which we bred and was quite successful in both Dressage and show jumping he also won a few show hunter classes.

 

Other Information

Out & About around Norfolk
Downham Market - 2.5 miles - railway station

Kings Lynn - 14 m

Ely - 15m - railway station

Wisbech - 15m

Swaffhan - 16m

Fakenham - 23m

Thetford - 25m

Newmarket - 25m

Hunstanton - 26m

Cambridge - 30m - railway station

Peterborough � 35m - railway station

Norwich - 40m - railway station

Stanstead Airport - 60m

Norwich Airport - 40m

Hilgay

Part of England's Heritage
In 1852 Higay Parish had just over 1700 inhabitants in 395 houses. Mr WL Jones and Mrs Peel were owners of the 7,583 acres of land on which Hilgay stood, half of which was fen. The 200 allotments covering 102 acres are supposed to have been awarded in the reign of Charles II for use by the poor.

Many trades were present then including doctor, baker and blacksmith and farrier. Six pubs and four beer houses gave a focus for village life. George Whittome's millwright business was started during the late 1800's; his family also owned one of the two windmills in Hilgay which blew down during a gale in the 1920's.

When King Charles was on the run from the Roundheads in 1646 a change of horse and clothing was provided in Hilgay.

The River Wissey, which runs beside the Hotel, has always helped with the draining of the Fenlands. It was used mainly in the 20th Century to transport sugar beet upstream to a sugar processing factory at Wissington. This trade ceased in 1950. Now used for pleasure boating and canoeing, moorings are available alongside the Hotel.

Around 1911 Bridge Street was nothing but a dirt track and the hotel, then a farmhouse. It became the Cross Keys Hotel in around 1982.