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 We are open
Tuesday - Friday 9.30am -
5.30pm
Saturday 9.30am - 4.30pm
Closed on Sundays
& Bank Holidays
We accept all major credit cards.
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Northleach is a
delightful Cotswold market town tucked away from the busy A40, between gently
rolling hills, at a crossroads on the Roman Fosse Way. The streets in
and around the ancient Market Place are rich in architectural interest
ranging from half-timbered buildings and merchants' houses dating
from the 15th and 16th centuries, to the great House of Correction built
at the crossroads in the 18th Century. Since the opening of the by-pass
in 1984 Northleach has come to life, successfully balancing its
traditional commerce with the demands of tourism.
When you walk through the town, you can see reminders of the great days
of the Cotswold wool trade. Funded by these merchants, the impressive
church of St Peter and St Paul is a fine example of the Cotswold
perpendicular style. Although wool is no longer a contributor to the
towns commerce, the Market Place is busy with a variety of shops, and
the local hostelries provide a lively service to both visitors and
locals.
For the visitor,
Northleach is an ideal stop on the road from Oxford to Cheltenham, or
between Stow and Cirencester. The town centre is compact and completely
unspoiled, having changed little since 1500, except for the more
'recent' additions of late 16th and 17th century buildings, which split
part to form The Green. Here you walk through the small alleys leading
off the Market Place and discover houses whose upper levels of timber
framing overhang great stone built walls and wide oak doors. It is said
that beneath the houses and streets of Northleach runs a maze of stone
vaulted tunnels. Whether this was the result of mining or escape routes
from a nearby monastery during religious persecution, few residents of
Northleach could tell you.
While many rush along the A40, travelers who stop to discover Northleach
will leave the town
knowing that they have just shared one of the most delightful secrets of
the Cotswolds.
For more information why not visit the official Northleach web site:
www.northleach.gov.uk
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