Local Towns and Villages

BIBURY ~ 23 miles from Broadway 

The world famous terrace of cottages known as Arlington Row was originally built as a sheep-house in the 14th century. It was converted in the 1600's to provide cottages for weavers who supplied cloth to the nearby Arlington Mill. This splendid 17th century corn mill was at one time also used for "fulling" the process by which newly woven cloth is cleaned and thickened. Some machinery can still be seen in the mill which also has an interesting folk museum. The mill stream flows past Arlington Row into the River Coln and standing proud alongside the river is the impressive Swan Hotel.

BURFORD ~  21 miles from Broadway

Burford was once a busy wool town and is now a popular centre for visitors to the Cotswolds. The broad main street slopes down to the River Windrush and is lined with attractive old houses and shops. An ancient pillared customs house known as the Tolsey stands halfway up the main street and numerous old coaching inns testify to Burford's importance over the years.

CHELTENHAM  ~ 21 miles from Broadway

Cheltenham is a beautiful, regency, spa town located in the heart of The Cotswolds and world famous for its horse racing. Cheltenham’s heyday as one of England’s leading spas lasted from about 1790 to 1840 and it was this period that saw most of the architectural development that survives today. The signature surviving architectural example of this period is undoubtedly the colonnaded and domed Pittville Pump Room. During the Regency period, Joseph Pitt's Pump Room was the largest and most lavish site where the renowned spa waters could be taken.

Cheltenham has a fine choice of stylish shops, restaurants, promenades and pretty gardens as well and its festivals of horse racing, music and literature. An interesting place to visit is Holst's Birthplace Museum, the Regency terrace house where Gustav Holst, composer of The Planets was born in 1874. The story of the man and his music is told alongside a fascinating display of personal belongings including his piano. The museum is also a fine period house showing the upstairs downstairs way of life in times past, including a working Victorian kitchen and laundry, elegant Regency drawing room and charming Edwardian nursery.

Cheltenham Racecourse - World famous English course home to the National Hunt Festival or jump racing in the UK.

CHIPPING CAMPDEN ~ 6 miles from Broadway

Chipping Campden has a lovely high street wieh beautiful stone houses dating from the 14th to the 18th century. In the middle of the High Street stands the 17th century Market Hall and close by is Grevel's House, built in 1380 by the local merchant William Grevel. The 15th century Parish Church of St. James has a graceful interior, containing medieval altar hangings and some fine monumental brasses.

EVESHAM ~ 7 miles from Broadway

The Almonry Museum - 14th Century building was once home to the Almoner, one of the monks from the Benedictine Abbey that was founded at Evesham in the 8th Century. Following the closure of the Abbey by Henry VIII, the Almonry became the private home of the last Abbot, Philip Ballard, whilst the rest of the Abbey buildings were sold to Sir Philip Hoby who arranged for the quarrying of the stone.

Today, the Almonry, two churches, bell tower and cloister arch are all that remain of what was reportedly the third largest abbey in England. The Almonry houses an eclectic collection that spans from the prehistoric to the 20th Century. Displayed over 2 floors and the garden: the emphasis is on how Evesham has developed and grown over time. There are exhibitions about the Abbey, the battle of Evesham in 1265, horticulture in the area, Archaeology and fossils and a Victorian school room.

The Regal Cinema is a beautiful Art Deco Cinema which has been lovingly restored, and shows all the latest films, as well as having live music, comedy and other live performances. Friendly staff with great coffee shop and bar. See what's on at www.theregal.ac

MORETON-IN-THE-MARSH ~ 9 miles from Broadway

Moreton is a thriving market town dating back 1000 years to the Saxon era, located at the head of the beautiful Evenlode valley. Moreton in the Marsh has the advantage of its own railway station and the train from Paddington in central London is 1 hour 20 minutes journey

King Charles I granted a charter for the market in 1637, which is still exercised every Tuesday, when the High Street is thronged with market stalls. In the Civil War Moreton was a centre for the Royalist cavalry and King Charles stayed at the White Hart Royal on his final march from his Oxford headquarters. The foundation of a linen-weaving industry and the advent of turnpikes on the main roads in the mid 18th century increased the town's importance, and many of the buildings in the High Street date from this time, although the earliest building is the 16th century Curfew Tower. 

STANTON ~ 3.5 miles from Broadway

The beautiful Cotswold village of Stanton is  unspoilt and has many pretty honey-coloured Cotswold stone houses and cottages. Stanton boasts a Church, Stanton Guild House (which runs courses from creative writing, to wood turning), and the Mount Pub on the path up Shenberrow Hill, which serves food and the local Donnington's Cotswold Ales, and has wonderful views of the Vale of Evesham and the Malvern Hills.

STOW-ON-THE-WOLD ~ 11.5 miles from Broadway

Stow on the Wold stands at the top of a 700 feet high hill alongside the old Roman Fosse Way. When the Cotswold wool industry was at its height Stow was famous for its huge annual fairs where as many as 20,000 sheep were sold at a time. The Market Square is surrounded by ancient buildings.

STROUD ~ 41 miles from Broadway

The origins of the settlement at Stroud are rooted in Gloucestershire's medieval wool trade, the occupations of spinning and weaving being a strong, ever evolving tradition, which continued to influence Stroud's development well into the 20th century.

TETBURY ~ 42 miles from Broadway

Tetbury was once one of the most important cloth market towns of the southern Cotswolds. When the wool trade declined, Tetbury became a general market town.The industrial revolution bypassed Tetbury, so it is for its wool industry that Tetbury is probably best known.In the middle ages, prosperity grew and in common with many towns in the area this prosperity lead to many fine buildings being built. Tetbury itself was designated as an outstanding conservation area in 1971. Tetbury has strong Royal links through Highgrove and Gatcombe Park. Highgrove, home to the Prince of Wales is just a short drive from Tetbury and Gatcombe Park, home to the Princess Royal is also nearby. 

WESTONBIRT ~ 46 miles from Broadway

Westonbirt near Tetbury in Gloucestershire is very well known for its arboretum. Westonbirt Arboretum is perhaps the most important and widely known arboretum in the United Kingdom. (managed by the Forestry Commission). The arboretum was established in 1829 by Robert Stayner Holford who inherited the property ten years later, and was later extended by his son Sir George Holford. It is close to the Holford family's mansion Westonbirt House, which is now a girls' boarding school, though it does not form the garden of the building, which is on the other side of a public road. After the death of George in 1926 ownership passed to his nephew the fourth Earl of Morley, and eventually to the Forestry Commission in 1956.

Westonbirt Arboretum comprises some 18,000 trees and shrubs, over an area of approximately 600 acres (2.4 km²). Its 17 miles (27 km) of marked paths are popular with visitors, and provide access to a wide variety of rare plants.