A beloved destination in the UK, and one of the Cotswolds’ jewels, Chipping Campden is one of the best preserved and most historically important market towns in Gloucestershire, sitting within the boundaries of The Cotswolds Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It frequently ranks among the most popular locations in the entire country thanks to its picturesque high street, historic architecture, and charming rural setting. It is also the start of the infamous Cotswold Way walk, offering 102 miles of vivid walking through rolling hills, quaint villages, and historic sites.
Chipping is derived from the Old English word “ceping”, meaning market – given the town was a major trading place during the medieval period, rising to prominence thanks to the booming wool trade in the area. The town prospered for centuries before evolving into the centre of a major arts and crafts movement, becoming a haven for expats moving to the country during the 19th century. Thanks to such rich heritage, it remains popular with horticulturalists, walkers, and history buffs, who are presented with vast opportunities to pursue their interests in the area.
Explore The Town’s Beautiful Streets
Walking through Chipping Campden is essential to truly appreciate the beauty of this market town. Filled with vernacular architecture, many of the town’s structures are made from locally quarried limestone – a popular building tool throughout the Cotswolds during the Middle Ages known as “Cotswolds Stone”. Some landmarks such as St.James’ Church, with its perpendicular gothic tower, are viewable from miles away into the hills thanks to such distinctive grand designs.
Chipping Campden’s market hall reflects its prestige as a permanent centre of commerce, with grand stone columns and arches that were constructed during the market’s heyday. The town’s high street originates from the 14th century and is one of the best-preserved examples in the area, filled with classic English tearooms, pubs, and antique stores. Thatched roofs, exposed oak timbers, and the signature stonework make for a delightful muddle of charming properties along the high street that only further enhance the appeal of Chipping Campden.
Visit Hidcotte Manor Garden
Hidcote Manor is a 17th-century manor house, with gardens that are considered some of Britain’s most influential in terms of design, layout, and creativity. Covering more than 10 acres of land, the gardens were built by Lawrence Johnstone, beginning construction in 1907. The ambitious nature of the project caused multiple delays, and it wasn’t until Frank Adams, a gardener at Windsor Castle, transferred to the estate in 1922 to act as its head gardener that the project was finally completed, after almost 15 years of labour.
Operated by the National Trust, the expansive manor grounds are famous for their characterful “garden room” layout, creating several beautiful enclosures for visitors to wander through. The style of Hidcotte’s gardens is incredibly popular, often imitated or directly referenced in similar grand projects, including at major gardening events such as the Chelsea Flower Show.
Appreciate The Views Atop Dover’s Hill
Located just a mile outside of Chipping Campden, Dover’s Hill provides an excellent vantage point to admire the Cotswold’s outstanding landscapes, with views stretching as far as the Black Mountains of Wales on clear days. The hill is a natural amphitheatre, which makes it the perfect setting for the area's oldest and most significant event, The Cotswolds Olimpicks. Formed by Robert Dover (whom the hill is named after) in 1612 and running until the middle of the 19th century, The Cotswolds Olimpicks are for many, both the continuation of the ancient games and the precursor of the modern Olympics.
It’s unknown what Dover’s motivations were in creating the games, but through drawing parallels between the ancient Olympics and creating an entirely new roster of competing sports, he was able to draw an audience across all social classes. Events included shin-kicking, coursing with hounds, handball, hammer throwing, and many more popular events of the late Middle Ages. The games are still celebrated every year with many of their original events included in the roster, taking place on the 30th of May to mark the end of festival season in Chipping Campden, with tickets available via the official website.
Admire The Roses At Kiftsgate
The village of Mickleton lies just above Chipping Campden and is widely known among horticulturalists in the UK. Until the 1970s, the road between Kiftsgate Court and the manor house at Mickleton was lined with beautiful Elm trees, which were tragically all lost as a result of Dutch Elm Disease. However, Kiftsgate’s beautiful gardens, tendered over the last century by three generations of women gardeners, remain intact and open to the public to explore. Less known than the gardens at Hidcotte, Kiftsgate is something of a hidden gem, with magnificent views from its terraces over the surrounding area and a tantalising collection of roses.
The gardens are home to the largest climbing rose in the country. Planted in 1938, the Kiftsgate Rose as it is known, blooms overwhelmingly once in early or mid-summer, growing up to 25-40 ft. It must be cut back periodically for fear of compromising nearby trees with its spreading habit. Admiring the roses, and wandering around the lush grounds with Mediterranean flower beds, tranquil ponds, and sculptures, is a blissful way to spend a day not far from Chipping Campden.
Hike Along The Cotswolds Way
With an abundance of rolling hills and gorgeous countryside to explore in the area, active visitors to Chipping Campden would be remiss if they passed on the opportunity to explore more of their surroundings along the famous Cotswolds Way. Running for over a hundred miles through the heart of The Cotswolds, the route begins just outside of the gorgeous city of Bath before finishing right in the heart of Chipping Campden.
Making their way back along the route from the town, walkers can take in the views atop Broadway Hill, and admire its beautiful Grade Two Listed folly, Broadway Tower. The highest point along the route is Cleeve Hill, just a few miles away from the resting place of Henry VIII’s last Queen, Catherine Parr, at Sudeley Castle. Walkers can choose where to begin along any point of the trail, with plenty of smaller circular walks available to loop back around to Chipping Campden for those who don’t wish to trek too far along one of the UK’s most popular walking paths.
