cottages4you blog: inspiration for your cottage or villa holiday in UK, Ireland and Europe

Those staying in Norfolk holiday cottages this weekend will be able to check out a piece of British history before it goes under the hammer at an auctioneer in the county.

A cigar half-smoked by Sir Winston Churchill is currently on display at Keys in Aylsham and is expected to fetch as much as £350 when it goes up for grabs, the BBC reports.

The item was picked from an ashtray by Nellie Goble, a member of the staff at 10 Downing Street, after it was discarded by the then-prime minister 69 years ago as he rushed to a cabinet meeting.

It was passed down through the generations to an anonymous woman, who has now decided to put the cigar up for sale.

Measuring 9.5cm in length, it is embossed with Sir Winston”s initials and Andrew Bullock of Keys told the news source that the item will attract a lot of attention.

"It is a collector”s dream to own something that is so very, very scarce, or even unique," he stated.

Sir Winston was famed for his love of cigars and was rarely seen without such an item whether the country was at war or peace.

Posted by Toby Lawrence

Tourists flocked to west Norfolk during 2009, according to new figures.

Statistics produced by West Norfolk Council showed that there was a year-on-year increase of almost 16 per cent during 2009, Lynn News reports.

Visitor numbers – which came in at just under 154,000 for the year – were boosted by the number of people opting to enjoy staycations, rather than jetting off abroad in the recession.

Demand for Norfolk holiday cottages may well be high over the coming months, as councillor Jason Law said in a report submitted to the council that people who have visited Hunstanton "want to come back next year".

"Hardly a week goes by when you don”t see Norfolk in the media. It”s selling itself quite well," he added.

Norfolk could be set to get a further tourism boost in the coming months, as it was recently announced that the iconic St Benet”s Abbey in Horning is to receive £51,000 in Heritage Lottery Fund money to make it more accessible to visitors.

Posted by Toby Lawrence

The late Hollywood actress Jean Simmons was a fan of the picturesque landscape of Norfolk, it has emerged.

According to the Eastern Daily Press, the British star, who passed away earlier this month, fell in love with the area while filming Shadows In The Sun two years ago.

Visitors staying in Norfolk holiday cottages will be able to see the film – which turned out to be her last – in March, as the Regal Experience is organising a special one-off screening on the 28th of the month.

The group contacted Ms Simmons when they heard she was to be filming on Norfolk and she even invited them to come to the US for tea in her Santa Monica home.

Commenting on her death, chairman Michael Armstrong told the news source that it was "like losing a member of the family".

In an interview about the film, Ms Simmons – famed for her role in Guys and Dolls – described Norfolk as "the most beautiful place", adding that the country and sea air made it a healthy place to be.

Posted by Ben Webster

If you”re planning on getting married and are looking for some inspiration to make the big day as special as possible, booking a Norfolk holiday cottage may be the first step to an unforgettable wedding.

This is because the Wedding Show is heading to Norwich next month, taking over the Norfolk Showground for two days, the Norwich Evening News reports.

The event is being organised by the newspaper”s sister publication the Eastern Daily Press and will be held on February 20th and 21st.

Each day will feature three 45-minute fashion shows exhibiting the latest bridal trends, as well as dedicated hair and makeup sessions.

Diana Sims, display sales manager, told the news source that the event "will showcase everything about weddings under one roof and promises to give couples a fun day out".

However, if marriage isn”t on the agenda just yet, or if you”re already happily settled down, Norfolk Showground will be hosting a number of other events over the coming months, including an antiques exhibition and the East Anglian Game & Country Fair, which both take place in April.

Posted by Matt Smith