Alongside its rolling hills, river valleys and ancient beech woods the thing the Cotswolds is most famous for is its beautiful villages built from that famous honeyed Cotswold stone which seems to capture the warmth of the sunlight. I spend my working week criss-crossing this bucolic landscape in search of wonderful houses and am constantly taken aback by both the number and charm of these villages. It is an impossible task to pick the most idyllic but here are a dozen of my favourites:
The prettiest Cotswolds villages to live in
Churchill
There is a wonderful sense of community in Churchill. In years gone by, at sunrise on May Day morning, villagers used to gather at the tower of All Saints Church to sing madrigals. Nowadays they are more likely to congregate at the superlative Chequers pub, which is the spiritual heart of the village. Churchill is situated in prime ‘Daylesfordshire’ and is one of the most popular villages in the Cotswolds.
Castle Combe
The tiny village of Castle Combe, built along the Bybrook river in the South Cotswolds, is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque villages in the Cotswolds. The village has been completely untouched since the 1600s, and its cluster of ancient stone cottages and fourteenth century market cross has made it a popular location for films like Warhorse and Stardust. Its crowning glory is the beautiful Manor House Hotel, built on the site of the original Norman castle that the village is named after.
Minchinhampton
Driving between Cirencester and Stroud you invariably must slow down as you pass Minchinhampton Common to avoid hitting the wild horses and cows that roam freely along the road. These animals often wander into the small market town of ‘Minch’ itself and why wouldn’t they with its slow pace of life, friendly nature, and wonderful shops? The Common is managed by the National Trust and has breath-taking views across the Stroud valleys and the Gatcombe Park estate, which is owned by the Princess Royal.
Swinbrook
Close to the bustling and historic market town of Burford lies the ancient parish of Swinbrook. The village is best known for its connection to the Mitford family. Four of the famous sisters are buried here (Nancy, Unity, Diana and Pamela) and there is a memorial in the church to their brother Tom who was killed in Burma during the second World War. Another sister, Debo (the late Duchess of Devonshire) used to own the pub here – The Swan. It is run by the esteemed publican Archie Orr-Ewing and is prettily situated on the banks of the river Windrush.
Sherborne
Five miles to the west of the bustling market town of Burford is the charming village of Sherborne. The brook on which it sits (and is named after) feeds into the river Windrush and the village is surrounded by a National Trust estate that provides astoundingly beautiful walks all year round. The village shop is one of the finest in the Cotswolds, not only does it serve a mixture of essentials and luxury foodstuffs, but it also doubles as a tearoom and even sells cocktails so you can stop for a ‘Dark and Stormy’ when the weather sets in!
Bibury
Dubbed ‘The prettiest village in England’ by William Morris, Bibury is often packed with tourists during the summer months but on the outer fringes of the village you will find both peace and wonderful traditional properties. Local amenities include ‘Bibury Trout Farm’ where children can catch their own fish from pools lining the River Coln, the historic ‘Swan Hotel’, and Eleven - the new (and fabulous) cafe, gallery and food emporium.
Painswick
Technically Painswick, or ‘The Queen of The Cotswolds’ as it is known, is a tiny town but its serene nature and community vibe give it a village feel. Famous for its yew tree-studded churchyard, it is surrounded by steep hills that provide fabulous walking and views that stretch to the Brecon Beacons. Its chic hotel ‘The Painswick’ is housed in a stunning Palladian mansion and serves the best afternoon tea in the Cotswolds.
Coln St Aldwyns
This is quite possibly my favourite of all the Cotswolds villages. Coln is a perfectly preserved stone-built village that embodies Cotswold charm. It has a pretty church, a buzzy pub (‘The New Inn’ – which is renowned for its hamburgers) and a wonderful community store run by the villagers themselves – what more do you need?
Snowshill
The wealth of iron age artefacts dug up by archaeologists around this tiny village high on the Cotswold escarpment suggest that humans have been making their homes here for thousands of years. It’s not hard to understand why – the views that it commands are literally breath-taking. It can be cold come winter though; the village takes its name from the fact that snow settles here before anywhere else in the Cotswolds.
Bisley
This higgledy-piggledy, steeply built village is full of delightful houses. It is also full of delightful residents including, until recently, the late, great Jilly Cooper. With a village store and two pubs the village is well served, and it also benefits from being just four miles from Stroud – the Cotswolds ‘alternative’ capital, which is abuzz with all manner of shops and restaurants, including the newly opened and highly acclaimed ‘Juliet’ (owned by Dan Chadwick).
Sapperton
High on the wish list of many of my clients hunting for houses in the Cotswolds is to be in a village with a good pub. ‘The Bell at Sapperton’ is particularly excellent. The village is also surrounded by wonderful walking country, in steep sided woods and along the river Frome. Sapperton is synonymous with the Arts and Crafts movement whose influence can be seen in many of the houses in the village.
Winson
I hardly dare mention this small village hidden away in the Coln Valley as its secretness is so much part of its bucolic charm. It is centred around a tiny Norman church and dominated by the classical façade of a peerless eighteenth-century manor house. Perfectly preserved and far from the madding tourist crowds, you could be forgiven for believing that you had slipped back in time to a more peaceful era.
Katy Campbell is the Cotswolds’ leading house buying agent and author of ‘At Home in the Cotswolds’. @katy_campbell_house_hunter
