During our trip to England, I spent several days in Winchcombe with my family. Our visit was built around familial connections to the area. Specifically, our primary objective was to visit Sudeley Castle, which sits on the outskirts of Winchcombe. We stayed at lodging belonging to Sudeley Castle called Sudeley Castle Cottages. These apartment-like self-service units sit between Sudeley Castle and the town of Winchcombe, both within walking distance.
Winchcombe is an ancient town that once served as a capital city of Mercia. Evidence of human settlement are visible in the form of the Belas Knap Neolithic long Barrow, which sits on a hilltop overlooking Winchcombe. This structure is believed to date back to 3000 BC. Evidence of the Roman Villas from around 500 AD are visible in artifacts collected from the area that are on display at Sudeley castle. This includes a mosaic that was reconstructed as an attraction on the castle grounds. From the eleventh century on, the town has a rich history that remains memorialized in structures that are still standing. Parts of Sudeley Castle date back to the twelfth century, while other restorations came in later centuries. There are a host of churches and buildings to be explored in Winchcombe.
Getting there: Winchcombe is served by a bus line as well as taxi service. The closest train station is located nearly two miles away at Cheltenham Spa. Because I intended to travel around this part of England, and was traveling as a family of four, it was far cheaper for me to rent a car. Because our lodging was in Winchcombe, we were also able to park for free. There is public parking available in downtown Winchcombe, although it did appear like the parking was generally very full in town.
Lodging
As indicated, we stayed at Sudeley Castle Cottages, which are well maintained self-catered apartments located between the castle and Winchcombe. They are conveniently located and include free parking. The cottages are not handicap accessible and do not allow pets. Booking dates are restricted to three to four day rental “blocks.” The cottages sleep between three and five guests. Pricing varies throughout the year, but appears to average around L400 for a long weekend. The cottages are ranked #2 on Trip Advisor.
The top ranked lodging in Winchcombe is Sudeley Hill Farm, which is located ¾ mile from Winchcombe. This fifteenth century building serves as a bed and breakfast overlooking the valley. This accommodation does not allow pets, either.
Other options nearby include: The Lion Inn, Westward at Sudeley Lodge, North Farmcote Bed and Breakfast, Parks Farm Bed and Breakfast, Pinnock Lodge, White Hart Inn, Wesley House, Postlip Hall Bed and Breakfast, Wood Stanway Farmhouse, Blair House, Ireley Farm Bed and Breakfast, Oaklands Bed and Breakfast, One Silk Mill Lane and Plaisterers Arm Accommodations. Several of these are located right in Winchcombe.
Restaurants
We only dined at two restaurants during our stay in Winchcombe, although we also ordered breakfast from the co-op and cupcakes from the bakery. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, to include a mild selection of “fast food.” Our meals were in the L10 to L15 (fifteen to twenty dollars) range. We ate at the White Hart Inn and the Corner Cupboard Restaurant (which was recommended to us by the ladies at the bakery).
White Stag – My family arrived at White Stag on our first night in Winchcombe. We had been traveling all day and were tired. We really didn’t feel like trying to drive anywhere, so we walked into Winchcombe and checked out the restaurants to the right of the alleyway from our cottages. White Stag was the first restaurant we encountered. We ended up entering the restaurant and were advised they were booked, but that they would check to see if they could fit us in. The employee then proceeded to completely forget about us and went about his business. He appeared to have no inclination toward seating us, but chose not to advise us, either. I ended up asking for a manager, who checked the reservation schedule and advised us he had a table that would not be needed for another hour. So, if we could eat in an hour, we were welcome to it. We stayed, ordered and ate. The food was good, but not exceptional. The service was mediocre, especially taking into account the first employee we encountered here. Overall, I would not recommend this restaurant in a town with decent competition.
The Corner Cupboard – This restaurant is housed in a structure that was built in 1550 as a residence and later converted to an Inn. The rich wood interior provides a cozy atmosphere for dining. The menu includes several pub favorites as well as some specialty dishes. My family tried a variety of options from the menu, which features locally sourced ingredients. The prices are affordable, what I would consider average for the sit down meals that we had while we were traveling in England. Service was prompt and courteous. The food was fresh and delicious.
Food Fanatics – This “restaurant” is more of a deli/coffee shop that also serves as a food co-op. It is the closest thing to a grocery store that you will find in Winchcombe. We ordered breakfast one morning, to take back with us to the cottages. While the prices seemed reasonable at the time we were ordering, the total gave me sticker shock. We ended up spending around L30 (forty-five dollars) on breakfast. I think the cost of coffee drove that price up considerably, but that was in the same range that we were spending on full meals, not a light breakfast. We did much better, financially, cooking breakfast ourselves in the cottages.
Other restaurant options include: 5 North Street, The Old Tea House, Lion Inn, Wesley House, Plaisterers Arms, Bombay Bugatti, Harvest Home, Winchcombe Wine and Sausage, Lady Jane’s Tearooms and Juri’s Tearoom and Restaurant.
Sundries
North’s Bakery – This pastry shop is another place where we could have purchased breakfast in lieu of the higher prices at Food Fanatics. We did purchase cupcakes here, which were delicious. The shop also has a wide range of savory dishes, plenty of which would have been perfect for breakfast. The prices were reasonable and the place smelled fabulous. I was hungry the minute we walked through the door.
Brown’s Butchers – If you are planning to cook your own meals, you have a variety of choices. Brown’s butchers is located in town, along with a farmer’s market as well as Food Fanatics. It is also a short five or ten minute drive to Tesco, where you can purchase a wider selection of items.
Lloyd’s Pharmacy – For medical needs, Lloyd’s pharmacy is located right in Winchcombe. There is also Stow Pharmacy nearby in Stow-upon-Wold. I required a few minor medical supplies, which I picked up during our visit to Tesco.
Historic Sites
There are a number of historic sites to visit in and around Winchcombe. The town hosts an annual walking tour, which coincided with my visit. While I did not take part in any of the walking adventures, many of them coincide with various local attractions.
Sudeley Castle – The burial place of Katherine Parr, Henry VIII’s last wife was the destination of my own visit to Winchcombe. The castle has heritage that dates back more than a thousand years, with structures at the castle dating back to the twelfth century. The castle charges admission and has ample parking near the gift shop/entrance. The castle is known for the well-manicured gardens and pheasant exhibit, as well as the rich Tudor history.
Other historic sites in Winchcombe include: Belas Knap Neolithic long Barrow (free), St. Kenelm’s Well, Winchcombe Abbey, Hailes Abbey and the Church of St. Peter (and cemetery). There are numerous walking trails throughout Winchcombe as well as the historic downtown area, which dates back to Saxon times. In essence, many of the buildings have medieval connections. These are memorialized in the form of metal plaques affixed to the buildings providing a brief history of the structures.
Other Nearby Attractions
Winchcombe has a couple of small, intriguing museums. They are the Folk and Police Museum and the Railway Museum and Gardens. It is interesting that Winchcombe hosts a railway museum, considering the town has not had full rail service in half a century. I did not visit either of the museums during our stay. If you decide to venture out from Winchcombe, there are numerous nearby historic sites throughout the Cotswolds, to include ancient churches and other castles.
Winchcombe is an interesting town that has retained much of her historic charm dating back to Saxon times. The town has a distinct identity that seemed simultaneously rich yet somewhat distant. The people of this community were not as warm as one would expect for a place that serves as a tourist destination. Maybe they get tired of the constant traffic and tourism. We did visit at a very busy time, coinciding with the walking festival. My impression of the people was mixed. The White Stag and Food Fanatics both left me with a sense that I was not welcome in Winchcombe. Yet the lovely lady at North’s Bakery gave me a much different impression. But my recommendation has little to do with the people and everything to do with the total experience. Coming from a country where virtually no structures date back beyond the 1600s, it is amazing to walk down a street where all of the structures date back that far (or further). There is plenty to see and do in Winchcombe, with nearby access to most amenities. Winchcombe provides an excellent setting to unwind from the hustle and bustle of life and reconnect with nature and history.
Enjoy these other photos of the quaint town of Winchcombe:
All photos are mine unless otherwise indicated. They may be reproduced with prior permission.