Cotswolds Travel Guide of Chipping Campden

Lucy & Richard from Cotswolds Guided Tours love showing guests around on their private Cotswold tours & small group Cotswolds tours. For those wanting to explore the region or learn a little more about the locations we hope you find the information below useful!

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Chipping, meaning market & Campden, meaning valley with enclosures. Just knowing the meaning behind the name, helps one to visualise that this is a market town in the bottom of the valley! If you approach this town from the South or West, you are rewarded first with a sight of the impressive tower of St. James Church. One of a handful of 'wool churches' in the Cotswolds, if you are visiting the area & have an interest in history. You will often find a local volunteer, sat inside the church would will be very happy to explain its quirky history (for a small donation) The town itself has a long curved high street, described as “the most beautiful village street now left in the island "by the historian, G.M. Trevelyan. Filled with medieval properties, one 'Grevels House' dating back to the 1380s, some of the older buildings were later 'faced' in the iconic Cotswolds lime stone. The town is full of history, but also the hustle & bustle of modern day life. In the centre of the town you will see the 'Old Market Hall' built by Sir Baptist Hick's a wealthy merchant, the building dates back to 1627. The property is within the care of the National Trust. It is easy to imagine traders seeking refuge under this impressive structure. Years or wear can been seen (& felt) on the original pavers, just stepping under the arches onto the wonky cobbles gives you the feel of days gone by. 

Sir Baptist Hick's; one of the towns main benefactors in the 1600's spent large sums of money in Chipping Campden. Notably his money was spent on St James' church, he was responsible for adding 'alms houses' for the poor next door to the Eight Bells Inn. A cart wash for the traders near the Court Barn Museum. The cart wash  built in 1832 to wash the mud off the wheels before they entered the town. Sir Baptist Hick's also built (what was said to be) the most impressive manor house in the Cotswolds. Little is left of this impressive Jacobean structure, which was burnt to the ground by Royalist soldiers during the English Civil War. However you can see the entrance gates, next to the church, along with the Banqueting Hall & Almonry, built by Hick's purely for entertainment purposes. This property is now in the care of the 'Landmark Trust' & should you wish too, you can stay in the Banqueting Hall.

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Another notable resident was C R Ashbee who, in 1902 brought the Guild of Handicraft to Chipping Campden as part of the Arts & Crafts movement. The aim of the Arts & Crafts movement was to celebrate & support skilled craftsman, downtrodden by the industrial revolution in England. With the ideals that the quality of handmade items far outweighed the mass produced factory made products. The craftsman were based in the Old Silk Mill, however the scheme although very well intended was unsuccessful & in less than 5 years many of the craftsman had moved back to London.

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Chipping Campden, has a selection of independent shops, restaurants & places to stay making it an ideal base for holiday-makers & visitors.

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