Northleach is a beautiful, picturesque small town and is one of the Cotswolds best-kept secrets. Surrounded by greenery, the old market town is ‘quietly tucked away from the busy A40’.
The quaint old area is just as you would expect a classic Cotswolds town to look like, traditional dry stone walls surrounding houses, and homes made using mainly limestone. The honey colour of the houses you see as you make your way through the roads indicates where in the Cotswolds the stone came from, which is relatively local.
If you take a walk through the main road, the one thing you will notice is how quiet and tranquil the place is. The latest census in 2021 showed the population of the place is just shy of 2,000, a small number but it's no wonder as the town isn’t that big but has a lot packed in.
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One of the key places in the old market town is the beautiful old parish church in the heart of the town that has been on the same plot since 1100. The St Peter and Paul parish church that now stands in the town has very little of the original church still incorporated but it still looks magnificent as it stands tall over the town.
Another big part of the community is the Old Wheatsheaf Inn. The 17th-century coaching Inn has been a long-standing building in the town and is the popular place to stay, with a 4.4 star rating on google.
One reviewer said: "Sunday Roast was amazing! Big portions and they offer kids roasts too which was fantastic. Fantastic flavour and puddings were excellent as was the wine." Another wrote: "We are never disappointed when we eat here. The food and presentation is first class. The service is impeccable and it gives you a real "feel good" feeling."
In recent years, the BBC Three comedy show, This Country, was filmed in the town. Featuring a few key places, viewers followed the lives of cousins Kerry and Kurtan for three hilarious series.
There’s also plenty to do in and around Northleach. At the end of the main road there is the Old Prison which has been turned into a magnificent cafe that serves breakfast and lunch for those wanting a bite to eat. There’s also plenty of countryside for visitors to explore.
Or if you fancy a proper day out, less than 20 minutes down the road is the Cotswolds Wildlife Park, a popular attraction for young families.
While the town has gone through some changes over the last 15 years or so, with the new Chequers estate being built in place of the old house there, Northleach truly is a beautiful place to visit, especially in the spring or summer, and definitely worth the hour drive.
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