Gloucestershire Accommodation:
Almondsbury
Alveston
Badminton
Barnsley
Barnwood
Berkeley
Bibury
Birdlip
Bledington
Blockley
Bourton On The Water
Broad Campden
Broadway
Brockworth
Chalford
Chedworth
Cheltenham
Chipping Campden
Chipping Sodbury
Churcham
Cinderford
Cirencester
Clearwell
Coleford
Colesbourne
Coln St Aldwyns
Corse Lawn
Dursley
Fairford
Falfield
Frampton Mansell
Frampton On Severn
Gloucester
Great Barrington
Great Rissington
Guiting Power
Ilmington
Lechlade
Lower Slaughter
Lydney
Marshfield
Meysey Hampton
Minchinhampton
Mitcheldean
Moreton In Marsh
Nailsworth
Newent
Newnham On Severn
Northleach
Old Sodbury
Olveston
Painswick
Slad
South Cerney
St Briavels
Staverton
Stonehouse
Stow On The Wold
Stroud
Tetbury
Tewkesbury
Thornbury
Upper Slaughter
Whitminster
Wick
Winchcombe
Wotton Under Edge
Yate

Gloucestershire

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Information

County Town: Gloucester
Population: 1,165,00
Area: 1259 Sq miles 3260 Sq k
Gloucestershire Jobs
Gloucestershire Tips Page
County Reviews
Rather interesting Gloucestershire facts
Gloucestershire weather
Visitor reports
Your opinion of Gloucestershire
Famous Dates
Famous People
Food Legends:Double Gloucester
Oldbury Tarts
Gloucester Pancakes
Tewkesbury Mustard
Old Spot Pork
Gloucester elvers
Gloucestershire Squab Pie
Royal Lamprey Pie
Stinking Bishop
Folk Customs:
Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling
Cotswold Olimpick Shin-Kicking
Cranham Feast
Gloucesters Royal Lamprey Pie Gift
Marshfield Mummers
Pig Face Day
Randwick Wap
St Briavels Bread and Cheese Throwing
Tetbury Sack Race
Haunted Britain:
A King Meets his End
Cultural Britain:
Cider with Rosie Country
Lore & legend:
Deerhurst’s Dragon
Natural Britain:
Cotswold Hills
Haresfield Beacon
River Avon
River Severn
River Windrush
River Wye
Severn Bore
Severn Valley
Vale of Berkeley
Wye Valley

Events

January
International Cajun & Zydeco Festival
January at Batsford
Marshfield Potato Day
The Big Garden Birdwatch

February
Art Activity Days
BITE
February at Batsford
Snowdrop Week at Batsford
Valentines Day
Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition
Young Explorers Holiday Club

March
Cheltenham Poetry Festival
Chipping Sodbury Mop Fair
Daffodil Week at Batsford
Easter Trail

IWA Regatta & annual meeting
March at Batsford
Mothering Sunday
National Hunt Festival
NGS Open Day at Batsford
Snowdrop Week at Batsford
Thornbury Eisteddfod

April
Annual Giant ‘Boat jumble’ & Waterways Festival
April at Batsford
Badminton Horse Trials
Big Batsford Chicken Hunt!
Cheltenham Poetry Festival
Dawn Chorus Wild Walk
Easter Weekend at Batsford
Flowering Cherries in Full Bloom!
Highnam Court Spring Fair
Mummers Play
Music in the Church
Overbury Farms Lambing Day
Severn Vale Art Trail
Spring Grand Sale
Sue Ryder Easter Eggstravaganza
Swimathon
Wild Over Waterways
World Tai Chi Day at Batsford
Young Explorers Easter Holiday Extravaganza

May
Awaken Your Senses
Berkeley Castle Game & Country Fair
Cheltenham Carnival
Cheltenham International Jazz Festival
Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling
Cotswold Festival of Steam
Cotswold Highland Games & Dog Show
Davidia Delights at Batsford
Dragon Boat Regatta
Early and Late May Bank Holidays
Festival of Youth Sport
Food Festival
Lechlade Music Festival
May at Batsford
Randwick Cheese Festivities
Randwick Wap
Sea Shanty Festival
Severn Vale Art Trail
St Briavels' Bread & Cheese Dole
Stroud International Textile Festival
Sue Ryder Midnight Walk
Tewkesbury's Food and Drink Festival
Thornbury Arts Festival
Wildlife Art Society International
Winchcombe Walking Festival
Woolsack Races
Wye Valley River Festival

June
Berkeley Festival
Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival
Chipping Sodbury Classic Car Run
Chipping Sodbury Festival
Cotswold Olimpicks
Father’s Day
Festival of Youth Sport
Hullabaloo Festival
June at Batsford
Lister Tyndale Steam Fair
Music in the Church
Open Farm Sunday
ROSE WEEK
Saul Canal festival
Scuttlebrook Wake
Steam & Real Ale Weekend
Stroud Arts Festival
Sue Ryder Cycling Event
Sue Ryder Midnight Walk
The Art of Flowers
Winterwell
Wychwood Festival

July
2000trees Festival
Cheltenham Book Fair
Cheltenham Music Festival
Chipping Sodbury Jazz Festival
Clematis Weekend
Cotswold Show
Cotswold Show & Country Fair
Crafts at the Castle
Dig It, Cook It, Eat It!
Glorious Gloucestershire Festival
Gloucester Blues festival
Gloucester Festival
Gloucester Festival - Carnival Procession
Gloucester Festival - Funfairs
Gloucester International Rhythm & Blues Festival
Gloucester Quays Food Festival
JOUST 2 Weekends Of Mediaeval Mayhem
Joust Lord's Luncheon Banquet
Joust Mediaeval Festival
July at Batsford
Longborough Festival Opera
North Nibley Music Festival
Outdoor Shakespeare
Overbury Street Market
Rose Week

Royal International Air Tattoo
South Cotswold Beer Festival
Summer Magic Proms Night
Tewkesbury Medieval Festival

August
Art in The Garden
August at Batsford
Big Batsford Bug Hunt
Bisley Flower Show and Fete
Collaboration Fest
Cotswolds Vintage Fair
Football in the River
Gatcombe Park Horse Trials
Gloucester Festival - Firework Finale
Go Crazy at the Castle
Spring Hill Horse Trials
Summer Concerts TBA (open air)
Summer Festival @ The Coach & Horses
Tewkesbury to Twyning Raft Race
The Cranham Feast
Three Choirs Festival
Treefest

September
Annual Charity Golf Day
Battle!
Big Batsford Bat Walk
British Wildlife Photography Awards
Cerney House Autumn Fair
Chipping Sodbury Mop Fair
Classic Car & Antique Show
Cycle Challenge in aid of The Stroke Association
Discover Creative Campden
Frampton Country Fair
Heritage Open Days
Moreton Agricultural Show
Music in the Church
Newent Onion Fayre
Painswick Church Clipping
September at Batsford
Stroud Food Festival
Stroud Fringe Festival
Sue Ryder Annual Autumn Fayre
The Art of Flowers

October
Annual Gift & Craft Fair
Autumn Colour Spectacular
British Wildlife Photography Awards
Cheltenham Literature Festival
Craft Food and Country Gift Fair
Creepy Crawly Roadshow!
Engage Festival
Festival of Bacchus
Fungi Foray
Halloween Happenings!
NGS Open Day
October at Batsford
Salvation Army Charity Concert
STARLIGHT HIKE: A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Steam & Vintage Rally
Sue Ryder Starlight Hike
The Art of Cornwall
Walking, Talking River

November
Autumn Colour Spectacular
British Contemporary Crafts
British Wildlife Photography Awards
Cheltenham Christmas Market
Christmas Lantern Procession & Christmas Lights switch-on
Feast of Christmas Fair
November in Batsford
The Friends Creating Christmas
The Sodbury Slog

December
Boxing Day at Batsford
Chipping Sodbury Victorian Day
Christmas Period at Batsford
December in Batsford
Mummers Play
Music in the Church
National Synchronised Swimming Championships
Santa Fun Run
Santa Specials

Gloucestershire - 384 places to stay

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Principal Towns: Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Cirencester, Stow on the Wold

You’ll find the genteel county of Gloucestershire in the South West of England, joining together a piece of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn , and the Forest of Dean - originally William the Conqueror’s hunting ground and the source of quality wood for building historical ships such as the Mary Rose and HMS Victory . Its main towns are Gloucester , Cheltenham, Stroud , Cirencester and Tewkesbury, and these and the glorious countryside that surrounds them, offer Gloucestershire’s visitors a wealth of interesting historical and cultural sites, outdoor activities for the more active, as well as providing plenty of wonderful country pubs and modern dining venues to keep most appetites satisfied.

The best known area of Gloucestershire is the Cotswolds , which cover half of the county, and are renowned for their architecture and ‘chocolate box’ villages nestling in the valleys. There are some phenomenally beautiful places to walk, hike and cycle in the area for people of all ages and whatever level of experience. Don’t be too put off by the fact that Gloucestershire also just happens to be crawling with Neolithic remains and burial sites. If you know your Neolithic stuff, then you’ll appreciate the fact that there are about 80 long barrows and 400 round barrows scattered throughout the county, and you can even climb inside one called Hetty Pegler's Tump – I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. There’s also 32 Iron Age hill forts in the county so if that is your era, then prepare to be overwhelmed.

If you prefer to appreciate more ecclesiastical venues and architecture, then you’ll find plenty of eye candy including the Cathedral of Gloucester - the burial place of King Edward II of England and more interestingly it was used in scenes for the Harry Potter films. The town of Gloucester itself is a port linked via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to the Severn Estuary. The wharfs, warehouses and the docks themselves were renovated in the 1980s and now form a public open space. This is where you’ll find the National Waterways Museum , which explains the history and operation of inland waterways as well as a great choice of more modern funky bars and restaurants. If you were to add another museum to you list, then a visit to the Gloucester Folk Museum is worth a quick detour.

To the west of Gloucester you’ll find The Royal Forest of Dean, one of the most ancient surviving forests in England. Originally the hunting playground of William the Conqueror, the forest is abundant with unusual birds (as well as having the highest concentration of goshawk in the country) and wildlife, and if you look really carefully you might chance upon some wild boar. Railway enthusiasts can visit either the Dean Forest Railway or the Perrygrove Railway whilst in the area, and those who are interested in caving will find the iron ore mines of Clearwell Caves a challenge not to be missed. Talking of royalty, Gloucestershire is actually home to a few royal residencies including Highgrove House – Princes Charles’ place, Gatcombe Park, and Nether Lypiatt Manor.

Cheltenham has to be the strong favourite for visitors to the county. It is the most complete Regency town in England and grew at its fastest in the 18th century when its medicinal waters were discovered in a field to the south of the town, where the well-reknowned Cheltenham Ladies’ College now stands. The waters were regarded as the answer for a whole range of illnesses and, after George III spent five weeks there, they became all the rage, and by the late 18th century the town was one of England’s leading spas. Racing pundits will head straight for the magnificent Cheltenham Racecourse , known across the world as the home of National Hunt racing. Racing season is between October and April with the highlight of the racing calendar, the National Hunt Festival , being in March which features the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Gloucestershire’s other key towns offer some great historical places to visit. Most noteworthy include the magnificent abbey church of Tewkesbury , which in the church monument competition is only beaten by Westminster Cathedral; the Tudor ruins of Thornbury Castle ; Berkeley Castle which hosted the rather gruesome murder of Edward II in 1327; Sudeley Castle and the Church of Cirencester . There are also many, many beautiful manor houses which are open to the public.

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On this day:
Tolpuddle Martyrs Sentenced - 1834, Argentine Forces land on South Georgia - 1982
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