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The city could be an affordable option for those who want to work from home or start a remote business, as it’s more affordable than some of the surrounding areas, and offers access to beautiful countryside

A city in the south west that offers affordable housing, a pretty centre, and easy access to the countryside for lunchtime walks has been named the UK’s best place to start a remote business.

A study that looked at factors including rent prices, number of post offices, business survival rates, and other information useful for remote workers identified Gloucester as the top place to work from your laptop.

The Roman city topped the list, compiled by payment provider Dojo, narrowly beating Norwich and Southampton. Carlisle and Swansea.

The average private rent in Gloucester came in at £1,069 in January 2026, and three-bedroom homes can be bought for under £200k according to Rightmove listings. The city has a five-year start-up survival rate of 43% thanks to local support networks, meaning entrepreneurs have a better chance of their business succeeding in this area.

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Gloucester’s Forum in the Kings Quarter is one example of projects being run by the council to support local businesses. A multi-million-pound regeneration scheme has seen co-working spaces and offices open in the area, so if you get bored with homeworking, you can rent a desk.

Best Cotswolds holiday cottage deals

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The Cotswolds is famous for its rolling hills, honey-coloured villages and quintessential English charm. Sykes Cottages has a wide range of places to stay, starting from £38 per night.

Just a short walk away is Gloucester Quays, another area of the city that has been given a complete makeover. Once an industrial wasteland, it has been turned into a pleasant waterfront promenade full of shops, restaurants and cafés, perfect for a lunchtime walk.

Around 88% of the Gloucester area also has access to ultrafast broadband – over 100 Mbps – a practical consideration that many homeworkers need to take into account.

If you’re just passing through the city, there’s plenty to see. Visit Gloucester Cathedral, a grand, imposing building that dates back to the 11th century and is the resting place of King Edward II. History buffs will also love the National Waterways Museum on the docks, where they can see vintage narrowboats up close and a replica lock.

Nature in Art is also worth a visit. Set in the grounds of a 17th-century mansion, this unique art trail includes paintings, sculptures, and many unique works.

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Perhaps best of all, Gloucester is set within the Cotswolds, an area of outstanding natural beauty made up of rolling green hills, meadows, and charming traditional villages. You’re just a short drive away from country walks and cosy pubs to explore after work or at weekends.

Visit Haresfield Beacon just south of the city, a walk that combines woodland and grassland, with a one-mile circular walk that enjoys beautiful views. WWT Slimbridge is nearby on the banks of the River Severn. This wetland wildlife reserve includes flocks of flamingos, pretty swans, and mischievous otters, which can be seen in their natural habitat. The best way to see it is on a canoe safari. Grab a paddle and follow the trails to see wetland creatures up close.

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The medieval town boasts cobbled streets, Tudor architecture and rich history – including the reportedly ‘haunted’ Inn that dates all the way back to 1420

Preserved precisely as it was during mediaeval times, this picture-perfect town boasts a rich history, which is vividly displayed through its stunning architecture.

Nestled in East Sussex, Rye is a hilltop town featuring cobbled streets, charming buildings and a deeply-rooted history. Many buildings remain untouched to preserve their original character, serving as key attractions for the town’s tourism and heritage.

Just two hours from London, this scenic destination isn’t quite a seaside location, but it’s near enough to provide the perfect stopping point between your journeys to the coast.

Indeed, over the years the town has shifted further inland, due to changing coastlines, and whilst no longer on the waterfront, it was once home to a bustling port, now reclaimed by nature.

During mediaeval times, when the town was firmly established with its layout and architecture, it served as a major seaport and ‘cinque port’, which helped to protect against French invasions.

Today it provides the ideal day trip with independent shops, boutique hotels, delicious food spots, and historical landmarks.

Mermaid Street

This charming high street in Rye is frequently described as one of the most attractive in the entire country, with beautifully constructed buildings positioned along a delightful cobbled lane.

One visitor said on TripAdvisor: “A very quaint cobblestone street from the early mediaeval times; some of the buildings were outstanding and well worth a visit and walk up the hill.”

Another visitor commented: “Mermaid Street was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Rye, and I recommend you set aside at least half an hour to explore this stunning street and take some great photos.”

This charming lane features timber-framed houses from centuries past, many of which enjoy protected status to preserve their historical significance.

Several of the properties, for instance, display plaques bearing distinctive names, including The House with Two Front Doors and The House Opposite, and tourists frequently stop to take photographs outside them.

Whilst it remains a picturesque, Instagram-worthy spot today, it was previously quite the opposite, regarded as one of the town’s most deprived areas. An 1891 census showed it had a notorious reputation as a rat-infested street where more than 70 children crammed into cramped homes, generating a chaotic environment in the locale.

Situated at the very centre of the road, and believed to have given the street its name, is the Mermaid Inn, a hotel that’s been described as one of Britain’s most haunted.

Haunted Hotel

Spanning more than 600 years, this establishment, which offers bed and breakfast accommodation, is a genuine historical treasure, complete with spine-chilling tales to match.

The Mermaid Inn boasts cellars originating from 1156, whilst the structure itself dates to 1420, providing an authentic step back in time for guests and day-trippers alike.

With its sloping ceilings, creaking floorboards and labyrinth of staircases, the building is brimming with character and has been modernised to accommodate an excellent restaurant and two bars, alongside a spacious patio.

For visitors not planning an overnight stay, exploring indoors remains an option. Fortunately, on the final Sunday of each month the proprietor provides a guided tour through the historic rooms as you journey back through the centuries.

After visiting the hotel, one guest said: “We have stayed at the Mermaid Inn a few times before and have never been disappointed. If you go to Rye, you really have to stay at The Mermaid.

“As soon as you walk into this place, you feel the atmosphere of its history, a real step back in time, a time to leave the fast pace of life behind as you enjoy this wonderful place, a feeling of privilege of actually staying there.”

Yet it has a reputation of another kind entirely, thanks to its considerable age, having witnessed countless visitors pass through its doors, while others seemingly refuse to depart, as their spirits linger on.

Multiple rooms are believed to harbour various ghosts, each with their own unique tales, and some guests actively request these particular rooms for precisely that reason.

Take Room 19, the Hawkhurst room, where a guest once reported encountering a gentleman perched on her bed, dressed in period attire. Meanwhile, Room 1 is haunted by a lady in white, or grey, who prefers to sit in a chair beside the fireplace – her favoured haunting location.

In fact, their website catalogues every spectre said to inhabit its premises and the tales that have evolved over time as guests continue to report eerie encounters during their stay. One such instance is tied to room 10, with Fleur De Lys.

The website reveals: “Several years ago, a bank manager and his wife were awakened to find a man walking through their bathroom wall and across the centre of the room. They were so frightened that they spent the rest of the night downstairs in one of the lounges and made the porter bring all their luggage downstairs, plus their clothes.”

This stunning 17th century estate was home to the Jones family for centuries and is now a real-life time capsule open to visitors

Near Moreton-in-Marsh in Oxfordshire sits a magnificent estate, which once belonged to the very same family for centuries.

Originally constructed as an enormous display of wealth and influence in the early 17th century, it has since transformed into a public space where visitors can explore and immerse themselves in British history.

Chastleton House remained a constant fixture within the same family for hundreds upon hundreds of years, as the estate continued to stay in their possession, handed down through the generations.

Today, the property stands in Oxfordshire as a genuine time capsule, barely altered, featuring an impressive great hall, gallery room and numerous collections that once belonged to the distinguished family.

Best Cotswolds holiday cottage deals

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

From £38 per night

Sykes Cottages

See the deals

The Cotswolds is famous for its rolling hills, honey-coloured villages and quintessential English charm. Sykes Cottages has a wide range of places to stay, starting from £38 per night.

Guests can wander the grounds and take a guided tour of the rooms that contain countless memories for the Jones family.

One visitor wrote on TripAdvisor: “Beautiful house and gardens with discrete but attentive guides. From the entrance to the exit, a fantastic visit. A huge family home with a fascinating past.”

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Early history

It’s thought that some form of settlement has stood in Chastleton for over 1,000 years, but by the 16th century, the site of the house as we recognise it today was owned by the Catesby family.

That was until Walter Jones bought the land and previous house from Robert Catesby, and it remained within his family for 400 years.

He demolished what remained of the original property and constructed a stunning building in its place, completed in 1612.

His acquisition was intended to mirror his illustrious legal career, and he sought to establish himself as a country gentleman, having now become a landowner.

Throughout the following century, the Jones family continued to form unions with several well-established gentry families, helping to cement this standing.

The final direct descendant of Walter Jones, however, was Arthur Jones, who inherited the estate in 1813 and carried out some structural enhancements to the residence.

Following his death, the property stayed within the family, though not with a direct descendant; rather, it was handed down to a distant cousin by marriage named John Henry-Whitmore Jones.

The final chapter of this family tree’s ownership concluded in 1991, when the National Heritage Memorial Fund purchased Chastleton and transferred it to the care of the National Trust.

Regrettably for the final occupants, the expense of maintaining the building was becoming far too substantial.

Preservation

The National Heritage Memorial Fund acquired Chastleton in 1991, and the majority of its original contents remained precisely as they were before it was transferred to the National Trust.

In an effort to maintain that mystical ambience that can only be attributed to centuries of tales and memories on the grounds, there was a plan to preserve the house, not restore it.

With this, they merely repaired parts that were damaged, which took a total of six years, to ensure the building was structurally sound and stable.

The stunning home was later reopened for the public to witness all its magic up close in 1998.

Visiting

It’s thought that one of the true treasures of the house is the Long Gallery, boasting the longest-surviving barrel-vaulted ceiling in the country. Due to neglect, the plasterwork required some refurbishment, which occurred in 1904.

Part of the room’s splendour is attributed to the mask heads located at the west end of the room, extremely rare survivals from the 1600s era, believed to have been used as a weapon to ward off evil spirits.

Beyond the confines of the house lies a vast, impeccably maintained garden, offering a sense of tranquillity and relaxation. Contributing to this glory is the Jacobean Pleasure Garden, also known as the Best Garden – a name that speaks volumes about its beauty.

To fully appreciate it all, visitors can embark on the Wilderness Walk, designed to provide not just a soothing stroll around the gardens but also the very best views of the house and the ever-changing gardens through the seasons.

One recent visitor said: “The house is amazing, a time capsule of a grand country house decaying over the years, with the fantastic result of being able to see how things really were without Victorian (or other) alterations. And top tip, do enjoy the Chastleton Teas at the church right next door.”

The property welcomes visitors from mid-March onwards with opening hours of 1pm until 5pm. Adult admission is priced at £15, while children’s tickets cost £7.50 and families can purchase a ticket for £37.50.