Sitting atop a hill in the heart of one of the most popular areas in the UK is a charming market town that offers a step back in time along its narrow lanes and medieval backdrop
I visited this charming UK town, brimming with traditional tearooms and independent businesses(Image: Amy Jones)
While it may be compact, this idyllic UK town is brimming with traditional tearooms and one of the best bookshops in the UK, as I discovered on a recent visit.
The Cotswolds are well-known for being home to quaint towns filled with honey-coloured cottages and meandering rivers against rolling countryside hills, so there’s a very good reason why it’s an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). One settlement that makes up this notoriously beautiful part of the world is Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town in the Cotswolds.
Perched nearly 800ft above sea level in Gloucestershire, Stow-on-the-Wold is famed for its ancient market square, thriving independent scene, and for being regarded as the ‘antique capital of the Cotswolds’. Positioned just a 10-minute drive from Bourton-on-the-Water and 30 minutes from Cheltenham, it attracts visitors far and wide who come to marvel at its charms.
The renowned market square that characterises this town, dating back to 1107, is surrounded by an abundance of shops, from the gift store, The Honey Pot, sheepskin goods at Lambswold and the Cotswold Sweet Company. But if you wander further into the town, down sloping streets and past medieval stonework and climbing ivy, there’s so much more to discover.
I visited Stow-on-the-Wold for the first time this month and was left in awe of how many shops lined its narrow, honey-hued streets. There weren’t any empty stores in sight, but thriving independent businesses like Ella’s Emporium, Rhubarb Rhubarb Boutique, the florist Allium, kitchen store, The Crock Shop, beer cafe and bottleshop, Off the Square, and a local favourite at lunch, Cotswold Baguettes.
If you don’t take time strolling along its narrow lanes, off the main high street, it’s easy to miss a hidden gem, with some shops tucked a little out of the way. I could have easily missed Talbot Court, where green shopfronts and string lights adorn a courtyard, and the Borzoi Bookshop, which quickly became my favourite find.
Tucked down another courtyard decorated with flags, hanging lights and potted plants, just off Digbeth Street, the independent bookshop has been trading for more than 40 years. Packed with novels for all ages, Borzoi’s is a sanctuary for bibliophiles who are looking to find their next best read in a cosy, secluded store, or to join one of their book clubs, and I could have spent hours inside.
One visitor shared on TripAdvisor: “Lovely quaint book shop with a wide variety of books, cards and wrapping. They had a lovely children’s section with beanbags to sit on, which was inviting for our child. Staff were pleasant, and the shop was fairly busy with customers. They even had signed copies of books on sale. Would definitely recommend.”
Naturally, Stow-on-the-Wold is home to a variety of antique stores, including the White Cottage and Tare Antiques, where visitors are guaranteed to find a vintage treasure, with displays decorating entrances. But what truly makes this town stand out are the collection of traditional tearooms, which really felt as though I had stepped back in time.
Lucy’s tearoom was particularly noteworthy, with elegant seating outside and its curved window frames, while I also found the Old Bakery Tearoom, tucked inside the Fountain Court, offering classic cream tea. Huffkins also appeared to be a favourite among locals, as they sat in the summer sunshine savouring a slice of cake and a cuppa against the town’s medieval backdrop.
But a trip to Stow-on-the-Wold isn’t complete without stopping by The Porch House, which is claimed to be the oldest pub in England. I glimpsed inside the medieval pub, where its historic wooden beams and uneven floors, dating back to the 10th century, made it feel as though a pint should be served in a drinking tankard.
Meanwhile, residents were filling the streets around The Queen’s Head Inn, sipping drinks in the afternoon summer sun, with the pub adorned with hanging baskets. Others opted for a glass of wine outside at Massimo or a cocktail and bite at The Cotswolds Farm shop, before taking a stroll around the market town packed with charm.
The town is also celebrated for the ‘Tolkien Door’, located at the north entrance of St. Edward’s Church, surrounded by towering intertwined yew trees which are believed to have inspired the ‘Doors of Durin’ in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Twice annually, Stow-on-the-Wold also plays host to the traditional Gypsy horse fair, which stretches back over 500 years and originated as a sheep and wool fair, reflecting the town’s trading heritage.
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