Towns and Villages A - B

Alderton

On the Cotswold edge between Tewkesbury & Winchcombe, with timber-framed buildings, Cotswold stone and many traditional thatched roofs. The 14th century church was restored internally in the late 19th century; however it still contains a medieval long iron-bound chest.

Alstone

A perfect, quiet village, situated below Woolstone Hill on the edge of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Staying here gives you excellent views all around to the Vale of Evesham & the Cotswold scarp.

Amberley

This charming village is set on a high, breezy ridge and has 14th century monastic origins. The churchyard is the last resting place of P.C. Wren, the author of 'Beau Geste'.

Ampney Crucis

There are three 'Ampneys' named after the brook of that name. Ampney Crucis is largest, boasts two former water mills and a riverside hotel. The Holy Rood Church is almost hidden by trees; more isolated Ampney St Mary Church, all that remains of the lost village, is in open farmland. The hamlet of Ampney St Peter is in a quiet cul-de-sac off the main road.

Arlingham

This small village occupies a peninsula on a sharp bend of the River Severn. The 14th century church contains some of the oldest glass in Gloucestershire and the Old Passage Inn recently won Best Seafood Restaurant in Britain, despite not being by the sea.

Ashleworth

Set in the Severn Vale close to Tewkesbury, this pretty village has an historic riverside pub, 16th century manor house, 15th century tithe barn (NT - summer opening) and Ashleworth Ham, a nature reserve.

Ashton Keynes

A large village with the still-infant River Thames running alongside the main street, five miles south of Cirencester and just over the county boundary in north Wiltshire. Nearby are Somerford Keynes and Poole Keynes, amongst the lakes of the Cotswold Water Park.

Aston Magna

Just north of Moreton-in-Marsh and close to Blockley. A small village around a tiny village green. Nearby Draycott has some interesting houses and cottages, and a simple stone Mission Church of 1894.

Aylworth

The site of a manor recorded in the Domesday Book, this is now a quiet hamlet in an open valley.

The Barringtons

These two villages face each other across the River Windrush a little west of Burford - one of the most attractive village scenes in the Cotswolds. Little Barrington clusters around a sloping green, with the church off down the lane. Great Barrington is dominated by Barrington Park with a smart uniformity of stone houses and farms on the estate.

Bath

A World Heritage Site and deservedly so. The setting is magnificent, all routes off the Cotswolds to the north, descending spectacularly into the broad valley of the River Avon. A spa town with over 2,000 years of history, including as a major city of Roman Britain.

Beckford

This Worcestershire village is in the centre of a famously arty area - Beckford Silk, Bredon Pottery, Conderton Pottery and Samantha Dadd Art Studio are all on the doorstep. The pretty church dates back to 803AD and traces of Saxon foundations were found during restoration.

Berkeley

12th century Berkeley Castle and Berkeley town have a sometimes bloodstained history. The little town itself is well worth exploring and includes the home (and museum)of Dr Edward Jenner, the pioneer of vaccination against smallpox - a small and special museum.

Bibury

Bibury, the village William Morris called "the most beautiful village in England" remains so, set by the River Coln. Two communities (the other is Arlington) form the village and the 14th century Arlington Row (of weavers' cottages) provides the focal point with Rack Isle, an open wetland meadow. Opposite. Bibury Trout Farm is a popular attraction. The church has Saxon features.

Birdlip

Enjoys an elevated position on the Cotswold scarp and from Barrow Wake viewpoint there are fine views across the Vale of Severn and City of Gloucester to the Malvern Hills. Nearby Crickley Hill Country Park offers woodland walks and views from within the ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort.

Bishop's Cleeve

A few miles north of Cheltenham, this village lies at the bottom of Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds. The centrepiece of the village is the fine 12th century church with many Norman features. The village also includes shops, pubs in walking distance, an old rectory; a house dating from the 13th century; and the remains of a tithe barn (now the village hall).

Bisley

Bisley is full of character, with historical features such as an 1824 village lock-up and a disused well, called "The Bonehouse", where a priest's body was once found. Bisley's five other wells are annually blessed and decked with flowers by local children on Ascension Day.

Blakeney

A small, thriving village on the eastern edge of the Forest of Dean. It was a natural site for early industry (an iron forge and furnace existed here as early as 1228)

Bledington

The large green with its stream provides a village focus, with a rather good pub in one corner. Morris Dancers perform here and a May Pole appears at the right time of year. Walking choices include the Oxfordshire Way. Nearby hamlets at Foscot and Bould are typical of the quiet Evenlode Valley.

Blockley

One of the larger Cotswold villages and largely unspoilt, midway between Moreton-in-Marsh and Chipping Campden, Blockley was a main centre of the silk industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Bourton-on-the-Water

Bourton-on-the-Water knows exactly what it is - a visitor-friendly village in the Cotswolds. There are pubs, shops, restaurants, tea-rooms and an unusually high number of visitor attractions for such a small place - which makes it a good option if the weather isn't good.

Bourton-on-the-Hill

Hillside village just 2 miles west of Moreton-in-Marsh, home to one of the Cotswolds' finest 16th century barns, standing in the delightful gardens of Bourton House.

Bredon

A pretty Worcestershire village close to Tewkesbury, set beneath Bredon Hill, with good pubs and shops including Bredon Pottery. The church has an impressive spire which can be seen from miles around. The village is close to the river and is good for touring other arts & crafts attractions under the Bredon Hill "Open Studios" banner.

Brimpsfield

Small village in quiet hill country close to the Cotswold edge at Birdlip.

Brimscombe

Brimscombe was once an important canal centre, and the busy Brimscombe Port was the headquarters of the Thames and Severn Canal Company. It was also a boat-building centre, for the firm of Abdela and Mitchell who built over 100 ships there between 1887 and the late 1930s. Brimscombe remains a thriving industrial centre.

Broad Campden

Close to Chipping Campden but with its own identity based around the influences of the Arts and Crafts movement. C R Ashbee, the architect who did so much for nearby Chipping Campden, lived here for a while early last century. There is a rare 17th century Friends Meeting House.

Broadway

A famous Cotswold beauty spot, and popular throughout the year. As its name suggests, Broadway is dominated by a wide main street lined with shops, restaurants, hotels and plenty of antique shops. The Cotswold scarp runs down through the valley into the Evesham Vale (a good place to be during asparagus season).

Broadwell

Near Stow, Broadwell is an attractive village with a large village green. Nearby Evenlode alongside its river is in good Cotswold farming country with stone farmhouses and cottages.

Buckland

This small Cotswold stone village is overlooked by an Iron Age settlement. Pleasant cottages, beautiful village gardens and a fine manor house hotel make for a wonderful setting. Buckland church has 15th century glass and an exquisite carved and painted panel. The church was a favourite of William Morris, who personally paid to have the stained glass re-leaded.

Burford

Approached from London and the east, Burford's steep main street leading down to the medieval bridge over the River Windrush provides the first typically Cotswold scene for many visitors. And it's an impressive welcome to the area - the town presents some of its best 17th and 18th century frontages to the High Street, with earlier buildings often visible through atmospheric alleyways and courtyards. Burford is well placed for exploring the Cotswolds and is a renowned centre for the antiques trade.

Buscot

Minute village owned by the National Trust situated on the River Thames. Buscot Lock is a popular location for walkers on the Thames Path.

Bushley

Bushley is set in a quiet Worcestershire conservation area with superb views of the Severn Valley, Tewkesbury, Cotswold, Malvern and Bredon Hills. There is a fine Victorian church, one of the most picturesque cricket pitch settings and lovely walks along the Severn Way.