
Our experience has been very positive from day oneA L(Granddaughter of Resident/Service User)

Staff, food, activities and safety are amazing.Patrick G(Husband of Resident/Service User)

I thoroughly enjoy coming here. The staff are kind and helpful. The food is goodKathleen G(Day Care Service User)

Our experience has been very positive from day oneA L(Granddaughter of Resident/Service User)

Staff, food, activities and safety are amazing.Patrick G(Husband of Resident/Service User)

I thoroughly enjoy coming here. The staff are kind and helpful. The food is goodKathleen G(Day Care Service User)

Athelstan House is an eighty capacity care home located in Malmesbury, dedicated to person-centred methods and offering quality care for adults diagnosed with health-related needs.
The home also cares for residents with nursing needs who will be looked after by a team of registered nurses.
A team of professional care workers offer personalised care to suit the needs of each resident and to maximise well-being and are on-hand to offer round-the-clock...
Care Provided by Athelstan House
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 80 Service Users
Dementia Care TypesMild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
- Mild Dementia
- Moderate Dementia
- Advanced/Complex Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- COPD/Pulmonary Disease
- Bariatric Care/Obesity
- Convalescent Care
- Day Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Minibus or other transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
These services are: Personal care, accommodation,
utilities, use of communal areas, meals, drinks and
snacks, laundry (excluding dry cleaning),
housekeeping, maintenance and activities run by the
home.
physiotherapy, occupational therapy, opticians, hairdressing,
medications, toiletries, clothing, newspapers/magazines.
During your stay, you may need to purchase additional goods
and services. If they are able to provide such goods and
services, they will tell you how much these goods and services
will cost and they expect that you will pay for these goods and
services at the time you request them.
They can accompany loved ones to private appointments,
however the fee attached to this is £21 per hour. Where private taxi
services are used for transportation to appointments the cost should
be paid for by yourself.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Athelstan House for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Athelstan House to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:
Funding Types Accepted
- Self-Funding (Private)
- Local Authority with Top-up
- Local Authority
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Support you may be entitled to
- If you chose a care home based in England, you may be eligible for NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC), which helps cover the cost of nursing. This is worth £267.68 per week and is usually paid directly to the care home.
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- The Orders of St John Care Trust
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Dean Palfrey(Home Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 2008
- Last Refurbishment: -1
Room Information
- Single Rooms (80)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (80)
Parking
- Free parking on site.
Athelstan House Reviews (87)
Athelstan House has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.784) out of 10, based on 20 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Athelstan House has 87 reviews.
The care is excellent, he is bed bound, but thanks to the excellent care he has not had any problems with pressure sores. He is repositioned regularly during the day.
He has no complaints over the food or his care.
The home is fully PPE compliant, there are gloves, masks and aprons provided for visitors.
The staff are friendly and are always willing to answer any questions I may have.
His room is light and airy with a view over the garden.
My father stayed here after being discharged from the hospital. When Dad first arrived at Athelstan House he was unable to mobilize, but after a fortnight Dad had managed to put weight on and then able to mobilize with the aid of a zimmer frame. The care that he received was absolutely fantastic. I watched how ell he came on in such a short time. All staff made family very welcome under such hard times. Nothing was too much for any of them.
Friendly, caring staff who genuinely care. Well presented home that is lovely and clean.
My husband was taken to Athelstan House after being in hospital with covid 19. He was there for almost 3 weeks. He is 92 years of age and with the excellent care he received, he recovered really well. He is now back in his original care home in good health.
During the Covid 19 lockdown I, like everyone else, was unable to visit my relative in Athelstan House. However, I am pleased to say I received regular telephone updates on my mother-in-law from the care leaders which was greatly appreciated. I was in regular telephone contact with my mother-in-law but I was also advised by Athelstan House that they could facilitate face time calls and subsequently had several of these calls for which I am very grateful to the staff involved. All in all, this made me very confident my mother-in-law was receiving a good standard of care and attention. So a big thank you to all the Athelstan House staff for their dedication during these difficult times.
The staff are very friendly, helpful and caring. They should be paid more for the work that they do.
This is the fourth care home our father in law has been in and is the best yet. There is one way it could be improved and that is with better communications and updates, which have been especially lacklustre in these strange times. When we do get through though, generally the response has been professional and fast. It’s just less than proactive and we only get notified when things are a little late. All that said, I’d recommend this home highly.
All members of staff extremely professional, friendly and kind and very caring.
As soon as I was introduced to the staff at Athelstan House I was looked after. They were very kind and attentive and very aware of my needs. I soon settled when I realised how well I was treated and how comfortable I was. The kitchen staff were long-suffering I think they fed me well! The other residents were difficult to understand but very nice when I got to know them, moaned about no place like home but I am home now.
I am hugely grateful to the whole staff team for the exceptional care they provided for my father and all the lovely residents for being his friends. Together, they ensured the last precious months of his life were truly enjoyable.
Due to failing health, my father moved to Athelstan House in February and was very quickly made to feel welcome and loved. The decision to move to residential care is not an easy one for someone who is used to living independently but we need not have worried because he settled into home life very quickly and whilst well enough, took part and thoroughly enjoyed the activities, trips and entertainment on offer and established friendships very easily. The whole family have been impressed by the dedication, compassionate care and professionalism that we have seen by the whole team, from housekeeping to care and the management team. As my father's health worsened, the love and care I saw every day was outstanding and I could not have provided better for him myself. Thank you so, so much for the positive impact that you are having on peoples lives. I salute you all.
I find the day and night staff kind, helpful and thoughtful. As my son lives in Malmesbury, it was so good I was able to be near my very loving, kind family. It was also good for me it is a Christian home as I am able to attend the church services. I say to my family I could not wish for more. As I am an 87 year old in good health. I think not many people do, but I thank in my prayers each and every day for coming to this home.
My mother has been at Athelstan for four weeks and has settled in extremely well. She enjoys the activities and mixing with other residents. The staff are very friendly and her room is like home to her.
Management were very accommodating in challenging circumstances commenting that their focus is on the care needed, first and foremost. I would highly recommend it.
I visit regularly to see an elderly friend who is very happy in Athelstan House the care she is given is with kindness and compassion and very professional.
My mother has been at Athelstan House for 2.5 years. I feel she has been cared for extremely well. The staff are always friendly. They always make family and friends feel welcome. Mum has been made to feel this is her home she is always treated with kindness and dignity. Management and staff are always ready to help with any queries and are very approachable.
Fantastic. Very welcoming and hel;helpful staff.
Athelstan House is a lovely place and I really enjoy my position as a volunteer. The residents appear happy and looked after.
They always have their needs at the forefront, even when they are short staffed. They are cheerful and attend to my parent's needs for as long as required.
The management staff have been very supportive and work tirelessly for the home to run smoothly and efficiently.
Althelstan House Care home is a very caring home that really strives to be a home from home for the residents. This has meant a lot to my grandparents, and also to me as we are always very welcome. The care is really good, and the staff are friendly. My Nan also enjoys the clubs and being able to go to church. Thank you to all.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 27 June 2025Good
- CaringGood
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveGood
- SafeGood
- Well-ledGood
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (0) & Events (0)
There are no news items for Athelstan House.
There are no upcoming events for Athelstan House.
Awards / Recognitions (9)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: The Orders of St John Care Trust
- 31 Jan 2024Recipient: The Orders of St John Care Trust
- 28 Feb 2023Recipient: The Orders of St John Care Trust
Meet the Team (12)

Dean started his career with The Orders of St John Care Trust in 2012.
Whilst working for the Trust, Dean has undertaken a variety of roles starting as a Kitchen Assistant before progressing through to a Carer, Care Leader, Head of Care and now a Home Manager.
Dean became Home Manager at Athelstan House in early 2022 and prior to that was Home Manager at Ridgeway House in Royal Wootton Bassett.
Before that, Dean worked at The Cedars in Purton as the Head of Care. Whilst there, he worked with the team to improve care standards and lead the team to achieve a 'Good' rating with the Care Quality Commission.
During his time with the Trust, Dean has worked at several of the Trust homes supporting and indeed achieving an 'Outstanding' CQC rating at one of these homes in February 2017.
In November 2019, Dean was awarded a Chairman’s Commendation Award for meritorious service.He has completed a QCF Level 5 in Leadership and Management, including Levels 2 & 3 in Health and Social Care, complemented by the Level 3 QCF Dementia Award.
Dean is continually looking to enhance his knowledge and skills which he can then pass on to his team.
His ethos and vision are to ensure that residents living at Athelstan House experience a positive environment, with a team who are happy to develop opportunities and good relationships with the local community.

Lucy has worked in the care sector since the age of 18, starting her career as a Care Assistant. From this position, Lucy developed a real passion for the care of the elderly, gaining specific qualifications and experience in residential, nursing and dementia care.
Lucy has worked for OSJCT for 14 years, progressing into a Care Leader role, then Head of Care and is now one of two Deputy Managers at Athelstan House, taking a hands-on approach and being motivated by the happiness of the residents and the team.
Lucy strives to ensure each resident is able to live their life as they choose, having the support and care that they require. Within her role as Head of Care, Lucy supports and supervises the team to continually promote a person-centred approach.When not working, Lucy enjoys practising her photography, baking celebration cakes and spending time with her young nieces.

Louise previously enjoyed a career in retail before moving into care.
She was the manager at H J Knee department store in Malmesbury before moving briefly to Gloucester and then returning to Malmesbury to begin her career in care.She started out at another care home and after just one year became Shift Leader where she stayed another 18 months before moving to Athelstan House as Care Leader.
It was early in 2022 that she became Deputy Manager and aside from her care responsibilities in the residential households, Louise also enjoys managing the Athelstan House activities, team.
Louise enjoys finding solutions to any challenges and she loves helping residents and their families.Outside of work, Louise has four children and in her spare time, enjoys outdoor activities and day trips with the family.

She is passionate about providing quality palliative care and enjoys the challenges of wound care and pressure area prevention. She enjoys building relationships with residents, their families/friends and work colleagues to provide quality resident focussed care.
Her previous nursing experience was gained in Vancouver, Canada where she lived for 18 years and has brought with her important, extensive and valuable experience.
Family life is very important, she loves spending time outside walking, hiking, mountain biking when time and the weather permits.

Before starting at Athelstan House, Gail worked with children who had special needs but when the care home opened, she decided on a career change to expand her experience in a different area of care.
She enjoys running activities that make the residents happy and helping to make them smile. There are simply not enough hours in the day!

He trained for four years at catering school in Poland and following this, he became Chef to the Major General of the Polish Army in Warsaw, planning and preparing parties and banquets for the General’s guests.
In 2007 he moved to the UK to work for the Compass Group as a chef at RAF Cranwell where he was responsible for all meals prepared in the kitchen, cooking for 100-300 customers. He managed menu planning, stock control and general supervision of the kitchen team.
More recently, he was Chef for Richmond Villages retirement communities.
In his spare time, Rafa enjoys playing tennis, gardening, music and of course cooking!

Tracy has 30 years' experience working in the warehousing sector, from meat to furniture. She is relatively new to the area and also decided that a different career direction was in order too.

Donna’s career in care started 20 years ago, beginning as a Care Assistant and then progressing to a Care Leader when she began working for OSJCT Athelstan House in 2019. Donna has gained NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care in 2006 and Level 3 in 2015. Donna is extremely passionate about her own professional development and sharing what she has learnt with others to ensure high standards of care to all our residents. Donna is currently undertaking a Level 4 Apprenticeship. In her role as Care Leader, Donna works in partnership with our residents, families, colleagues and healthcare professionals to ensure the residents are our main focus and that their diverse and complex needs are met daily.

Left to right; Lynn, Louisa, Karen, Caroline, Gail (Activities Co-ordinator), Jean and Issy.
Our volunteers play an essential role in supporting our residents and team on a regular basis.

Blessword started his career with The Orders of St John Care Trust in 2023. He is enthusiastic, and confident working as part of a team. Blessword started as a Carer and soon progressed to being a Care Leader. He is also a trainer for People Moving and Handling at Athelstan House, Malmesbury.
Before joining the Trust, Blessword worked as a Nursing Care Assistant for Highway Polyclinic and part-time Hospital Administrator at Multichoice Hospital in the Midlands of Zimbabwe for two and half years. He also worked as a part-time Ambulance Technician, Healthcare Assistant for NectaCare Family Private Clinics and for NSSA Workers Compensation Rehabilitation Centre which specialised in comprehensive clinical treatment, including therapeutic and skills training for injured workers to enable speedy re-integration into communities and work situations In Zimbabwe.
Blessword has been commended for his excellent interpersonal and communication skills. He holds a certificate in Systemic Counselling from the National University of Science & Technology Zimbabwe, trained by the Medical Laboratory Clinical & Scientist Council of Zimbabwe for HIV Testing & Counselling, holds a certificate in Emergency Medical Training & is registered with the Allied Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe as an Ambulance Technician.
With his passion and keen interest in learning, Blessword is currently studying for a Diploma in Social Adult Care to enhance his knowledge and Skills in the UK. He is also supporting other Trust homes across Wiltshire with training new members of staff and offering refresher training.

the catering, the housekeeping and the maintenance. He loves the friendly atmosphere in the home and that the team create a new phase of life for each of the residents, and new experiences for them.
Peter retired from the Army after 37 years of service and now loves to spend his spare time with his grandchildren, or fly-fishing.

Peter has been with the Trust since 2019 and he looks after the non-care side of Hayward Care Centre e.g. the catering, the housekeeping and the maintenance. He loves the friendly atmosphere in the home and that the team create a new phase of life for each of the residents, and new experiences for them.
Peter retired from the Army after 37 years of service and now loves to spend his spare time with his grandchildren, or fly-fishing.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of carehome.co.uk. Please contact Athelstan House to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Athelstan House has an Enhanced Service -more info.