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Escape the crowds and head to beautiful Winchcombe for a truly Cotswold experience. Home to magnificent Sudeley Castle and Gardens, it’s a Walkers Welcome town and has been a mecca for tourists since the Middle Ages visiting the tomb of St Kenelm. Now it boasts beautiful Cotswold streets full to bursting with independent shops, galleries and eateries as well as some lovely places to stay.
The jewel in Winchcombe’s crown has to be beautiful Sudeley Castle and Gardens which has played a vital role in England’s history and boasts royal connections stretching back more than a thousand years. Stroll around the award-winning gardens, walking in the footsteps of kings and queens from years gone by in the only private castle in the country to have a queen buried within its grounds, Katherine Parr. Browse the fascinating treasures, artefacts and works of art within the castle or meander through the pheasantry to enjoy the picnic area, gift shop and banqueting hall Terrace Café.
The White Hart Inn is Winchcombe’s busiest venue on the Cotswolds Way. Established in 1554, it boasts a great atmosphere and is full of charm with its open fires and original features. As well as serving local ale, cider and fine wines, The White Hart Inn has 11 intimate and stylish bedrooms with traditional décor, feature ensuite bathrooms (there are 3 rooms with sharing facilities), desks, free WiFi, TVs and tea and coffee making facilities. The restaurant serves local produce with adaily menu cooked classically & creatively. Great food and attentive service is what makes The White Hart Winchcombe’s busiest place to be.
Base yourself in Winchcombe and you’ll find yourself just a short walk from the station and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway. This 15 mile heritage railway runs through Winchcombe and the heart of the Cotswolds, providing stunning views of the Cotswold and Malvern scenery and a friendly welcome on board! Enjoy drinks, including beers, wines and ciders, tempting cakes and a range of filled rolls and locally made ice creams and snacks at the lovely 1950’s style Winchcombe railway tea rooms right on the platform. You’re guaranteed a great day out for all the family.
Winchcombe-based Cotswold Tours provide customised visits of 1 -7 days for small groups and couples 1 – 6 people. We visit the famous gardens of Highgrove, Kiftsgate, Hidcote, and Iford Manor and many more private gardens. The guidance of a blue badge driver guide gives flexibility and peace of mind in your own comfortable vehicle. Accommodation is available in the heart of the ancient town where you will have private use of a 15th century house, or in a hotel to suit your tastes and budget. Our two Garden Tours to join begin in the Cotswolds before going to London for RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May or RHS Hampton Court Flower Festival in July and include the superb gardens of Kent.
Muir Cottage and The Bothy are two, 4 star quality Cotswold stone cottages each with their own character and charm. Muir Cottage was converted from an 18th century barn and is inspired by the arts and crafts movement – featuring an array of stone mullioned windows, leaded lighte, exposed beams and period furnishings. While The Bothy is another beautifully converted historic property retaining many original features.
Built in the 1840s as a dower house for Lord Sudeley’s mother, North Farmcote B&B offers all modern facilities in a historic building. The house is surrounded by a large garden – perfect for enjoying afternoon tea on the terrace in the summer, soaking up the views across to the Malvern Hills and Welsh mountains beyond.
The Old Stables is a delightful stable conversion on a working farm just 3 miles from Winchcombe and ideally situated for exploring nearby Cheltenham, Stow-on-the-Wold and Tewkesbury. There are two bedrooms – one with a double bed and private bathroom and one twin bedded room with en-suite, as well as an open plan sitting room/dining room and kitchen.
Books & Ink Bookshop is the newest addition to Winchcombe and we have had the warmest welcome to this jewel in the crown of the Cotswolds. Independent booksellers in Oxfordshire for over 14 years, we fell in love with the town and moved here in December 2019. We spent many months lovingly restoring the shop, uncovering beams, a beautiful Cotswolds flagstone floor and mullion window, and our range of new, vintage and antiquarian books fit perfectly in their new surroundings. We’d love to welcome you to visit our new Cotswolds home.
Honey Bea's Cafe is a warm and friendly, family-run café right on the Cotswold Way, offering a warm welcome to everyone – including dogs, walkers and cyclists. We use locally sourced ingredients and serve a range of fresh, homemade cakes, scones, light lunches, hot and cold drinks, including award winning Stow Town Coffee and Kokoa Collection Hot chocolates. You’ll also find boot covers and a rack available for muddy days, along with safe bike storage for peace of mind. We look forward to seeing you and welcoming you to our little café.
Just three miles outside Winchcombe you’ll find Farmcote Harbs and Chilli Peppers run by husband and wife Tim and Jane. Here you’ll find more than 25 varieties of chillies from the hottest to the mild, with full instructions about how not to kill them!! They also sell a large range of culinary and medicinal herbs, pickles, sauces, chilli chocolate, ice cream, chilli sausages and burgers made locally by Sudeley Hill Farm. Farmcote Herbs are open from 25 April to September on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
No visit to Winchcombe is complete without popping into Dove Gallery in the High Street. Open on Fridays and Saturdays, it’s the legacy of Arthur and Nancy Dove who supported local artists and provided them with accommodation while painting and selling art from the gallery. Now run by Katharine Dove, this lovely space is available to hire by the week for artists which means you never know what you’ll find on display and you’ll always find a lovely gift or two to buy.
Opened in 2013 by designers Jonathan Parkin and Jonathan Sellwood, Barnbury brings high-end international lifestyle brands to the heart of the Cotswolds. Offering a personal service with a tailored edit of collections sourced while travelling the world, you’ll find unique, vintage and handmade products, thoughtfully brought together in a welcoming and inspiring interior. Unwind with a house cocktail or Italian coffee in the garden room, or during the summer, relax in the secret garden with a chilled glass of wine.
Winchcombe is a great place to study history from days gone by. The 13th century ruins of Hailes Abbey lie on the outskirts of the town and were once the centre of monastic life. Built around 1245 by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, the site became a pilgrimage after his son, Edmund, donated a phial of the Holy Blood which he’d bought in Germany in 1270. During a visit to Sudeley Castle in 1535, Anne Boleyn made her own pilgrimage to the Abbey to see the relic of the Crucifixion herself.
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