Visiting Castle Combe, the Most Beautiful Village in the Cotswolds of England
The Cotswolds are dotted with the most charming little villages you’ve ever seen, but the one most often touted as the prettiest is Castle Combe in Wiltshire, England. I’m not going to argue with that;)
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Part of the reason Castle Combe has maintained its allure is because there hasn’t been anything new built in the center of village since the 1600s. It is the same centuries-old quiet street lined with cottages and remnants of its medieval past.
Because of its many accolades and filming activities, Castle Combe is hardly a secret. The town fills up with visitors daily, all drawn to this designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can see most of the highlights of the village within a couple hours. However, if you time it right, this is a wonderful place for an overnight stay.
We arrived in Castle Combe late in the afternoon on a Spring day with plans to stay the night. Everything was absolutely perfect from our hotel to our tour of the sights. Keep reading to learn more about our time here and the top things you don’t want to miss during your visit.
Where we stayed in Castle Combe
If you want to stay in Castle Combe, there are really only a handful of hotel choices because the town is tiny. There are also some nearby cottages.
We stayed at the Manor House and it was our favorite hotel stay during our entire road trip throughout the Cotswolds. It is a true English country home set on a sprawling green lawn and backed by a wooded area with walking paths and a formal walled garden. The interiors have retained so much of the original character, but there are modern updates where it matters most (e.g., the bathrooms).
The Manor House’s sister property, The Castle Inn, offers wonderful accommodations as well, in a more cosy, rustic atmosphere.
Above photos: The Manor House
Check rates & availability for The Manor House below:
Top things to do in Castle Combe
St. Andrew’s Church
St. Andrew’s Church is a parish church and historic gem. It dates to the 13th-century with many additions and renovation works ever since. Even today, a major re-roofing project is underway.
Before we even entered the church, we took time to wander through the churchyard where centuries of history is written on tombs and grave markers. So many of them have been eroded past readability, but others are still quite clear.
Above photos: St. Andrew’s Churchyard
The inside of the church reflects both its history and present congregation. Kneeler cushions have been hand-stitched by members of the community, each one completely unique. Maybe it was just the needlework-geek in me, but I loved these!
One of the oldest references we found was a stone monument of a Norman Knight, Sir Walter de Dunstanville, Baron of Castle Combe, who died in 1270. Above the monument, there is a stained glass coat-of-arms of the family who were the Lords of the Manor of Castle Combe.
Near the base of tower near the back of the church, there is a faceless medieval turret clock that still works! It doesn’t look like much at first, until you start to read the sign and its age starts to sink in.
Above photos: St. Andrew’s Church
Market Cross
The Market Cross dates to the 14th-century, when Castle Combe was granted the right to hold a weekly market. Crosses in market places may have helped to validate transactions. Whatever the thought was here, it became an important part of Castle Combe’s history.
The structure sits at its original location, at the intersection of Castle Combe’s three main streets, marking the village center and providing a landmark meeting point even though a market hasn’t taken place here since the early 19th-century.
Butter Cross, also known as Weavers’ Steps is directly in front of the Market Cross. It is a separate structure, built much later, towards the end of the 19th-century.
Above photos: Market Cross (left and center); Butter Cross (right)
The Street
The Street is the main avenue that runs through the village of Castle Combe. This quaint stretch is lined with honey-colored stone cottages that once supported the woolen cloth industry. From the Market Cross to the ByBrook River is a mere 2-minute walk, but no one is in a rush. Along the way, there are old doors, historic markers, and wisteria climbing its way up the sides of the buildings. The entire setting will take you back in time.
Above photos: Yellow Dowager House (left); The Old Post Office (center); wisteria on a cottage (right)
As you are walking towards the ByBrook, don’t miss the Castle Combe First World War Memorial shrine on the right side of The Street. An iron cross is attached to a 19th-century Gothic wall with side blocks that feature plaques with the names of the fallen.
Above photos: First World War Memorial (left); wisteria (center); cottage door (right)
ByBrook River
The ByBrook River was essential to the wool cloth trade, as the weavers depended on the water to process the wool and power the mills. The cottages along Water Lane were housing for workers of this industry until it started to decline in the 17th-century. You’d never know it now, but up to 20 mills once lined the ByBrook.
Today the ByBrook is a popular tourist attraction and Instagram photo spot. It can get quite busy, but early morning and late evening tend to be quieter times. The stone work of the bridge fascinated me.
Above photos: ByBrook River (left and center); Water Lane (right)
The Italian Garden
The Italian Garden is part of The Manor House property. You do not have to be a hotel guest to visit this wonderful place. The garden was originally installed in the early 19th-century by political economist and English geologist George Poulett Scrope, including a summerhouse that incorporated fragments of medieval stone. The garden was later formalized in the Italian style by another owner, E.C. Lowndes.
Above photos: The Italian Garden; Summerhouse (right)
We came here in the evening, a diversion on our walk back to the hotel after dinner. We had the place entire to ourselves and proceeded to explore every terrace, corner, and path we came upon. There are unexpected views of St. Andrew’s Church.
Above photos: The Italian Garden
The Giant Sequoia
It isn’t often that you see a tree on a map as a point-of-interest, but here we are. Located about 350 feet from the front doors of the Manor House, a Giant Sequoia towers over the meadow. This fella is not indigenous to England. It was brought over from North America about 300 years ago, rather young tree in sequoia terms. I couldn’t find any height or circumference measurements, but I assure you, its a beaut!
Above photos: The Manor House lawn with gazebo (left) and The Giant Sequoia (right)
Where we ate
For such a small village, Castle Combe has a surprising number of eateries ranging from take-away windows to fine dining.
We were very lucky with the weather and had a beautiful evening to sit outside the Castle Inn Pub for pre-dinner cocktails before our reservation time. This sister property of The Manor House has a 2AA Rosette-winning menu and named in the Top 50 Gastropubs in the UK. The pub is super rustic, however the menu is anything but. Expect modern, creative dishes with locally sourced, fresh ingredients.
Another award-winning restaurant is the Bybrook at The Manor House. While the dinner menu looked very tempting, we opted to come here for breakfast. Afterall, we were staying at the hotel and breakfast was included in our stay. They had a gorgeous morning spread with additional menu items. The dining room itself was also a beautiful place to start the day.
Above photos: Bybrook Restaurant at The Manor House
Before leaving Castle Combe for our next Cotswold destination, we stopped at the Old Rectory to pick up our picnic lunch boxes from Anna, who operates The Little Picnic Shop. We didn’t want to have to stop for lunch while we were out exploring. So, we pre-ordered our boxes so we’d have provisions for later. Keep in mind that you must pre-order as the picnic boxes are not available for cash-and-carry. Click here for more information on how to place your order.
Above photos: The Little Picnic Shop
Travel tips
Parking in Castle Combe
For those that start their drive around the Cotswolds from Bath, Castle Combe is often the first major stop, just 25 minutes north. If you are coming from London, as we were, you might have a couple other stops along the way that would put your arrival in Castle Combe later in the day.
For morning and day visitors, bear in mind that street parking is very limited. There is a car park located in Upper Castle Combe (top of the hill) that is a short 10-minute walk to the Market Cross. For those spending the night, there may be hotel visitor parking included with your accommodations.
The Castle
In spite of the village’s name, there isn’t a castle in Castle Combe. At least, not anymore. In 1140, the first Baron built the Castell of Cumbe about half a mile northwest of The Manor House. After it was no longer needed for defense purposes, it was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Sir Robert Tiptoft built The Manor House in the 14th-century as the new residence for the Lords. Some stoneworks still remain from the castle. However, they are on private property and obscured by thick underbrush.
National Trust Landmarks
There are a few National Trust properties in close proximity to Castle Combe that can easily be reached before or after exploring the village. Most of these properties have very brief opening hours during the day (e.g., 10 am – 4 pm). We meticulously planned our itinerary to include as many of these as possible as we made our way around the Cotswolds.
If you are a UK resident, the National Trust annual membership is such a great deal. If you are a US resident, the Royal Oak annual membership will provide the same benefits as the National Trust, and also includes other historic properties in the United States. Purchase well in advance so your membership materials arrive prior to your departure.
There are a couple other historic preservation societies with similar programs, such as Historic Houses. I recommend doing some research to see if any of these memberships will help save you money on admission fees during your stay. We found the Royal Oak annual membership to be the best fit for us and it saved us quite a bit of money over the course of our week-long tour.
Here are a few National Trust Landmarks within a stone’s throw of Castle Combe:
Tours
If you are staying in Bath and are looking for a daytrip that includes Castle Combe, below are a few outstanding options. These are ideal if you do not have your own transportation and/or are looking for a guided experience.
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