Visit These Cotswold Villages To Step Back In Time

Cottages along High Street, Broadway — Adobe Stock

The Cotswolds is a rural area in south-central England known for its picturesque villages and rolling hills. Its well-preserved medieval architecture, quaint cottages built from honey-colored limestone, and traditional English countryside aesthetic make it feel like a place lost in time.

People visit the Cotswolds to experience a quintessential English countryside setting. The area offers scenic walks, charming market towns, and a slower pace of life. Visitors are drawn to its idyllic landscapes, thatched-roof houses, ancient churches, and traditional pubs. The Cotswold provides a glimpse into England’s pastoral past, allowing tourists to immerse themselves in a romanticized version of rural English life.

Minchinhampton

Minchinhampton is an ancient village perched atop a hill in Gloucestershire. Its common has scenic views over the mouth of the Severn River and the Cotswolds. The village is home to a 17th century Market House and a high street with a small pharmacy, dairy, corner shop, and coffee shop.

Avening

With a population of about 1,000 people, Avening is situated near Gatcombe Park, the home of Anne, the Princess Royal. Its history reaches back to at least 896. In Avening, you can visit the 11th-century Church of the Holy Cross or stroll along its unnamed river which flows into the River Frome.

Castle Combe

Castle Combe has often been called the prettiest village in England and is home to less than 400 people. It is made up of By Brock, which is a narrow valley, and Upper Castle Combe to the east. Its namesake castle is long gone but you can still visit the excavation site of a 16-room Roman villa from the 4th century, just outside the village.

Upper Slaughter

The River Eye runs through Upper Slaughter creating a gorgeous backdrop to the 2,000 year old village. Here you can visit the Upper Slaughter Manor which dates back to at least 1086 as well as Corpse Hill and its various Roman burial mounds. There is also an adulterine castle from The Anarchy of the 1100s.