Winchcombe - area guide

Steeped in history, surrounded by beautiful countryside and known for its friendly and approachable community, Winchcombe, also known as The Walking Capital of the Cotswolds, is a town with so much to offer. This ancient Saxon town is situated on the Cotswold Way, about 7 miles north east of Cheltenham. It nestles within a picturesque valley in an Area of Outstanding Beauty and the town centre is a Conservation Area with many listed buildings and historic features.

Shopping and clubs

A number of independent shops line the streets of Winchcombe from antiques to clothing, hardware to bookshop, interiors to florists…. it’s a great place to shop and find a one-off piece. 

Winchcombe boast a very active community with clubs for all tastes from tennis to crafts, WI to baby and toddler groups, and scouts to a gardening club.

Events

The town is always buzzing with activity and across the year there are a number of events to enjoy. These include a Walking Festival, Music and Arts Festival, Cotswold Beer Festival, a Christmas Fair, Wartime in the Cotswolds and popular summer Country Show.

Food and Drink

A foodies dream with a huge variety on offer from cafés and a deli to traditional pubs and the Michelin Star chef Marcus Ashenford at Restaurant 5 North Street.

Local producers are a plenty and their goods are available to purchase in the traditional butchers, bakers, greengrocers and deli. You can pick your own fruit at nearby Hayles Fruit Farm, who also have award winning apple juice and cider. There are two local breweries, Goff Brewery and Stanway Brewery.

Outdoor living

Winchcombe proudly promotes its ‘walkers are welcome’ status and boasts national, regional and local trails and paths for all abilities. Whether you simply want a stroll along the River Isbourne or to stretch your legs further along The Winchcombe Way, a figure-of-eight trail centred on Winchcombe, it really is a walkers’ paradise. The 1000 acre Cleeve Hill and Common is part of the Cotswold Hill Escarpment and is easily reached from Winchcombe being some 2.5miles away.

There are many avid cyclists who plan routes from Winchcombe due to its stunning countryside and its network of bridleways, lanes and B roads offering varied routes for differing fitness levels and abilities.

Open spaces

Winchcombe sits within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with mesmerising views and vistas from those higher points. It is surrounded by open fields, farmland, estate and common land with a never-ending network of footpaths and paths. 

With Belas Knap, an ancient buriel ground, at the top and Sudeley Castle and its multi award-winning gardens at the bottom, it’s an outdoor and historical enthusiasts dream!

Education

Winchcombe has all age groups catered for with a nursery and playgroup, a well-regarded primary school and a secondary school. Cheltenham offers a further range of state, public and grammar schools.

Employment

Many businesses have chosen to locate within Winchcombe due to its easy access, vibrant community, good connectivity and small town charm. There is a strong business network and also opportunities for seasonal or part time work with a vibrant tourism, retail and hospitality core to this market town.

Transport connections

Winchcombe has good road links to Cheltenham, Broadway, Stow on the Wold and beyond, as well as numerous bus connections. 

It is around 10 miles from junction 9 of the M5 and 7 miles from the A40 which links to the M40 at Oxford, about 40 miles away.

Train connections are available at Cheltenham Spa, 9 miles, and Evesham, 11 miles.

There is also a station on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway which is a volunteer operated heritage railway offering a round trip of 28 miles. It operates steam and heritage diesel trains between Cheltenham Racecourse and Broadway through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Cotswolds with views to the Malvern Hills and beyond.

Heritage

Winchcombe dates back to the Neolithic period when people settled in the hills and left behind a burial chamber – the Belas Knap long barrow.

In Saxon times Winchcombe became an important centre favoured by the kings of Mercia. It became rich from its Abbey which was one of the largest Benedictine Monasteries in England (now gone) and in the Middle Ages, it became a pilgrimage centre and thriving wool town. It became known as a producer of tobacco in the early seventeenth century and the Victorian era saw its expansion with a Town Hall, churches, a grammar school and more housing.

·       Sudeley Castle dates back 1000 years and remains the only private castle in England to have a queen buried within the grounds – Queen Katherine Parr, the last and surviving wife of King Henry VIII – who lived and died in the castle.

·       Towering St Peters Church, dates back to 1452 and is known for its gargoyles and sparkling guilded weathercock.

·       Winchcombe Pottery dates back 200 years. It has connections with the Finch family and some of the best-known craft potters.

You can wander around the town and see numerous black and white wall plaques giving brief details on the names, details and origins of some of the oldest streets and lanes. Winchcombe Museum is also a useful source of local history and is totally volunteer run.

Fun fact

Liz Hurley celebrated her marriage to Arun Nayar at Sudeley Castle in 2007….guests included Sir Elton John, Kate Moss and Donatella Versace, who also designed the brides dress.

Insiders tip

Try out the delicious cheese scones (and other delicious homemade cakes!) at Honey Bea’s Café on Hailes Street.