And foodie favourite Kingham and historic Moreton-in-Marsh are both under five miles away.Ĭotswold Farm Park, much-loved by local families, is a 10-minute drive outside of Stow. Bourton-on-the-Water is only four miles away, with the picturesque villages of Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter slightly closer. Stow-on-the-Wold is surrounded by some of the Cotswolds’ best-known towns and villages, making it a great base for exploring the area. Or if you fancy a bigger challenge, Stow is also on the route of several long-distance walking paths, including the Gloucestershire Way, North Cotswold Diamond Way and Macmillan Way. There’s also an easy 45-minute walk to the nearby village of Maugersbury. One of our favourite things to do in Stow-on-the-Wold is the 6-mile walk to Bourton-on-the-Water, which runs through the villages of Icomb and Wick Rissington and across Salmonsbury Meadows nature reserve on part of the Oxfordshire Way – which takes around 2–3 hours each way. Stow is surrounded by beautiful Cotswold countryside which is great for walking. And there are rumours it inspired JRR Tolkien to create Doors of Durin in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but no one knows for sure. The Yew Tree Door – a thick wooden door studded by nails and surrounded by gnarled oak trees – looks like a gateway to another world. The Yew Tree Door at St Edward’s Churchīut it’s the church’s north entrance which has become one of Stow’s most photographed spots. Inside is a memorial Royalist soldier Captain Hastings Keyte and a painting of the Crucifixion by Flemish artist Gaspar de Craeyer. Stow’s St Edward’s Church goes back to the Middle Ages, but the building you see today is mixture of elements from the 11th century to Victorian period. There’s also the 500-year-old King’s Arms, which hosted Charles I in 1645. Look out for the medieval wooden stocks on the green, which were originally used to punish criminals, and the 15th-century crooked house. The square is also surrounded by reminders of Stow’s history. Some of our favourite Stow shopping spots are the Fosse Gallery for contemporary British art, Borzoi Bookshop, Tudor House Antiques, Cutter Brooks and the Cotswold Sweet Company. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon browsing. Today the square is surrounded by townhouses, antique and gift shops, cafés and tea rooms built from the area’s golden stone. And the Market Cross which was built as a reminder for merchants to trade fairly. Look out for the high-walled alleyways known as ‘tures’ which would funnel sheep into the square. The historic heart of Stow-on-the-Wold is its impressive Market Square, which has hosted regular markets since 1107, with over 20,000 sheep changing hands there in its wool trade heyday. The Market Cross Stow-on-the-Wold map Click on the map to open an interactive Google Maps version Things to do in Stow-on-the-Wold… The Royalists fled back to Stow where legend has it Digbeth Street ran red with blood, and over 1000 survivors were imprisoned in the church. The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold took place on 21 March 1646, when the Parliamentarians overwhelmed the Royalists in nearby Donnington. St Edward’s Church in the town also played a significant role in the English Civil War. These grew into major events for the wool trade, and with them Stow’s importance grew. In 1476, Edward IV awarded a charter to Stow to hold two annual fairs – one on 12 May and the other on 24 October. Stow-on-the-Wold’s location at the junction of six Roman roads, including the Fosse Way from Exeter to Lincoln, meant it became an important trading centre. Stow’s hilly position also inspired the 18th-century rhyme “Stow-on-the-Wold, where the wind blows cold” – which you can experience for yourself on a winter’s day. It also gave the town its name, which translates as to ‘holy place on the hill’ from the old English words ‘stowe’ for holy place and ‘wold’ for hill. Stow-on-the-Wold is the highest town in the Cotswolds at 800 feet, and its hilltop location was originally the site of of Iron Age fort. Stow’s historic stocks Stow-on-the-Wold’s history Discover the best things to do in Stow-on-the-Wold with our local expert Kate, who gives us an insider’s guide to visiting this charming Cotswold market town. This historic wool town is known for its market square, its antique shops and its great selection of traditional pubs and inns – making it a Cotswold must-visit. The highest of the Cotswold towns, hilltop Stow-on-the-Wold lies in the north of the region, surrounded by pretty villages and rolling countryside.
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