There’s something special about the Cotswolds, a mountainous terrain that unfurls for 800 miles in south-west England. Its sheer magnitude alone is humbling, covering the counties of Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, North Somerset, and Worcestershire. Further, the region’s quintessential honey-hued cottages, ancient chapels, and meandering roads are redolent of gilded towns in fairy tales – it’s not just another English countryside, but a rustic escape with the welcoming embrace of a bucolic wonderland. Read on to discover the best towns in the Cotswolds’ hills.
1. Burford
Burford, a town ensconced on the banks of the River Windrush in Oxfordshire County, is known as the “gateway to the Cotswolds.”.
Burford began as a settlement during the Middle Saxon period (which is between the 5th and the 11th centuries). It developed into the town we know today after the Norman conquest. Besides some architectural additions in the mediaeval period, not much has changed in Burford since.
Burford is famous for its High Street, which unrolls dramatically into the River Windrush, flanked by ancient and mediaeval structures on its sides. The street is filled with gold-tinted stone buildings and baroque townhouses. There are also historic icons, such as the 16th-century Tolsey building, which used to be the meeting place of mediaeval merchants; England’s oldest pharmacy; and a historic pub frequented by King Charles.
The town’s most notable building, however, is the Church of St. John the Baptist, a Church of England parish church and Grade I-listed construction. It was also used as a prison during the English Civil War – the graffiti left on the church’s walls by its 340 prisoners survives to this day.
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2. Winchcombe
Winchcombe is a market town tucked away in the county of Gloucestershire.
Winchcombe is over a thousand years old and used to be the capital of the old Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia. Thus, it is one of the oldest towns in the Cotswolds. It also hosts a Neolithic structure that dates back to 3000 BCE, known as the Belas Knap.
Winchcombe has held onto its mediaeval town planning, abounding with limestone and timbre-ornamented buildings. The Winchcombe Abbey, dating to 798, is one of the town’s key attractions – it was built in the heart of the Mercia kingdom for 300 Benedictine monks and is the burial place for some Mercian kings and their sons.
Sudeley Castle is a mediaeval treasure in the Cotswolds hills worth beholding. Queen Katherine Parr, the last wife of King Henry VIII, spent the last few months of her life here and was buried within its premises.
Winchcombe is also a breathtaking walking labyrinth in itself, with the ancient structures, mediaeval ruins, and scenic shores of the River Isbourne.
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3. Castle Combe
Castle Combe derives its name from a 12th-century castle that resided in the heart of the town and was eventually demolished. However, it stands as one of the country’s most picturesque getaways and has often been referred to as “the prettiest village in England.”
A romantic alcove of the past, no new construction has taken place in this village since the 1600s. A Roman villa containing 16 rooms and a cemetery has been uncovered in the region, in addition to Neolithic tools and Iron Age jewellery.
It gained its market status in the 14th century, which is when the famous Market Cross (a structure used to mark the market square in a monarchy-sanctioned market town) was built. The antiquated water pumps, the castle ruins, and the remains of a buttercross are beautifully evocative of the village’s old days. The small village is home to a whopping 107 Grade II-listed buildings, further testifying to its unspoiled, quaint appeal.
4. Broadway
Colloquially known as the “jewel of the Cotswolds," Broadway is a major village in the county of Worcestershire.
Based on archaeological evidence, Broadway is about 5000 years old. As such, it is probably one of the United Kingdom’s first settlements. By the 11th century, the town was prosperous on all fronts, and by 1600, it had become a bustling coach stop on route to London. From evidence of settlement in the Mesolithic period to demonstrable activity by the ancient Beaker people and the Romans, Broadway has seen all the drastic tidal shifts of history.
The name is inspired by the “broad way,” a wide road in the heart of the town, bordered by red chestnut trees as well as shops and cafes residing in the quintessential honey-hued limestone buildings. Most of the buildings along the main high street are listed structures.
From museums to mediaeval towers and historic pubs, this village will truly transport you to old-world Britain. It is particularly famous for its antique arts and crafts.
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5. Charlbury
Charlbury is a humble jewel set in the Evenlode Valley, near Oxfordshire.
What started off as a small clearing on the edge of Wychwood Forest rose to become a thriving market town owing to its glove manufacturing prowess.
There are a few noteworthy structures in the town, such as the home of Rosita Spencer-Churchill, the famed Duchess of Marlborough and artist. Cornbury Park, an estate with old royal hunting lodges and the ruins of Wychwood Forest, is another heritage site at Charlbury.
With unbridled wilderness and untouched rustic beauty, Charlbury has majestic walking trails. Sheep Street is perfect for shopping sprees and coffee breaks during exploratory strolls.
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6. Malmesbury
Built on the site of a 2,800-year-old Iron Age hill fort, Malmesbury is the oldest borough in England – its charter was bestowed by Alfred the Great around 880.
Malmesbury is famous for its very own Abbey – its site was chosen by Máel Dub, a renowned Irish monk who started a hermitage and school for children. After the Anglo-Saxons conquered the region, they established Malmesbury Abbey as a Benedictine place of worship. The Abbey not only became an important burial site but also a distinguished centre for academia. The town itself is one of Alfred the Great’s burhs, a fortified settlement built as a defence mechanism against the Vikings.
The churches, weekly artisan markets, and the free Athelstan Museum are Malmesbury's main pitstops, each of them with a story to tell, resplendent in their timeless glory.
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7. Bourton-on-the-Water
Bourton-on-the-Water is a village in Gloucestershire, boasting immodest verdure and pastoral elegance. Given its handsome greens, most of Bourton-on-the-Water is a designated conservation area.
Bourton-on-the-Water has been nicknamed the “Venice of the Cotswolds,” owing to its layout – its main High Street is bounded by the village green that is sliced by the River Windrush. Much like Venice, the river has been crowned by stone bridges.
The honey-coloured mediaeval buildings of Bourton-on-the-Water house many fascinating haunts, such as the Cotswolds Perfumery (a Queen Elizabeth II favourite) and the Motorist Museum, a venue dedicated to iconic automobiles in the 1900s.
The village’s delicate beauty has been replicated as a miniature “model village” at one-ninth scale – everything, from the forestry to the bridges and chapels, has been recreated. Residing behind Bourton-on-the-Water’s acclaimed Old New Inn, this model village is England’s only Grade II-listed model village.
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8. Chipping Norton
Chipping Norton is a market town in West Oxfordshire, perched on the steep western slope of a hillside that was once the site of a Norman castle.
Agriculture has always been the soul of Chipping Norton. While it has been a market town since the 13th century, the town reached its pinnacle of prosperity with the advent of its wool industry in the 15th century. The main church, St. Mary of the Virgin, signifies the town's newfound affluence with the wool trade. The clerestory windows, slim pillars, and unique hexagonal porch render this church an unparalleled architectural marvel.
Relatively untouched by the industrialisation and clamour of modern tourism, Chipping Norton locals take pride in the authentic Cotswoldian charm of their town. Every shop, home, and eatery reside in original stone cottages. Particularly lauded for its collection of antiques and theatre performances, Chipping Norton is the Cotswolds' hidden gem worth exploring.
An ethereal utopia of aureate splendour, the Cotswolds is a custodian of mythical legends, historic tales, and heritage havens. Its untamed, raw beauty indeed renders the terrain and its many settlements a class apart in the English countryside. It's time to take off to the Cotswolds – the honey-hued paradise in southwest England awaits you.
