Badminton Horse Trials

The premier equestrian event in Britain, Badminton is just a few miles from Tetbury, and the town can become very busy during the event. It takes place every May and is televised by the BBC. A human trial often takes place for charity, where people can attempt the fences without the aid of a horse.

The smaller, but also popular, Gatcombe Horse Trials, also take place between Tetbury and Minchinhampton.
 
Official website

Chavenage House

An historic Elizabethan house which is a favourite among film makers, including the BBC (Casualty, House of Eliott) and ITV (Cider With Rosie). Beautiful grounds and the building is open to the public.
 
Personal tours are available, guided by members of the family. Open May to September, Thursdays and Sundays, from 2pm to 5pm. Groups by appointment only. The house is also popular for weddings, conferences and other functions.
 
Official website

Churches

Built in the late 1700s, St Mary's Church (right) boasts one of the highest church spires in Britain, and an impressive Georgian interior. Open to the public daily, one wing of the church hosts a small museum - the Tetbury Heritage Display - about the town's history from its earliest beginnings through many of the industrial changes that have affected the town. There is also a shop selling books and other items. Well worth a visit, and if you fancy a stroll, the view of the church from over Bath Bridge is very impressive.

Other places of worship include Christ Church, in the Chipping, St Michael's Church in Silver Street and the New Life Church which is run in the Dolphins Hall. You can find out how to contact them in our local directory.

There is also the redundant St Saviour's Church, near the Fire Station.

Corinium Museum

Housed in Cirencester, the recently-refurbished museum showcases the Roman history of Cirencester and the local area. In Roman times, Cirencester was the second largest town in the British Isles, and there are many treasures that have been unearthed by archaeologists since.

The museum is open from 10am - 5pm Monday - Saturday and from 2pm - 5pm on Sundays. There is pay-and-display parking across Cirencester, but there are disabled parking bays outside the museum.
 
Adult: £4.95
Senior Citizen £4.10
Student (16+) £3.30
Children (5-15) £2.25
Family Ticket (up to 2A + 5C) 10% discount off adult/child charge
 
 
Annual Season Ticket
Adult: £14.60
Senior Citizen £11.50
Student (16+) £9.75
Children (5-15) £7.20
 
Find out more about the museum on its official website

Cotswold Water Park

More than 140 lakes form one of the most exciting natural attractions in the UK. Spread over 40 square miles between Cirencester and Lechlade, the Water Park is a great place for watersports, but also hosts many other activities.

Land-based activities include paintballing, cycling, golf, farm visits and angling, while on the water you can try canoeing, kayaking, diving, sailing, snorkelling, waterskiing and windsurfing, all on dedicated lakes.

A number of luxurious hotels, villas, spas and bed-and-breakfasts lie around the water park, particularly in the villages of South Cerney and Ashton Keynes.
 
Official website

Food and Drink Festival

A new addition to the calendar, the festival takes place in late September.

Events include a farmers market, cookery classes and special events at the town's restaurants and pubs.
 
Official website

Highgrove House

Tetbury is famous for its local residents, the heirs to the throne. Princes Charles, William and Harry all live less than a mile away in their secluded home, where they spend a large amount of their time, although William and Harry spend less time in the Cotswolds now that they have joined the army. Still, the princes are often spotted in the town, and make official visits occasionally. Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, has in the past turned on the town's Christmas lights.

Highgrove is not open to the public, although visits to the garden are sometimes made available to special organisations, and invitations are sometimes given out to the house's exclusive organic shop.
 
Members of the public have full access to the 'Highgrove' shop, which is on Tetbury's Long Street and not at the country house.

Kemble Air Day

Flying and static displays of historic aircraft, Kemble is a popular event every Summer which often sees rare aeroplanes flying over Tetbury on their approach to the runway. The Red Arrows used to be based at Kemble and often return for dramatic one-off shows. This year's event takes place on June 17th.

The Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford is also close to Tetbury. This is a public air show, but is also one of the largest military events in the world, attracting buyers and sellers from far afield. The Fairford event is usually held in July.
 
Official website

Minchinhampton Common

Fantastic panoramic views await, on top of the hills surrounding the Stroud valleys. On a clear day you can see for miles, with dog walking especially popular. Meander around the golf course, go for a picnic, or visit the picturesque town itself. Around 7 miles north-west of Tetbury (follow the signs towards Avening).

Other local towns

Malmesbury is a small, but popular town with many shops and elegant buildings. It has a playful rivalry with Tetbury, as they are of similar size, and are separated by the Gloucestershire-Wiltshire border. It is home to Dyson, the vacuum cleaner manufacturer, and was the birthplace of the philosopher Thomas Hobbes.

Cirencester is a larger shopping centre, with four supermarkets and a number of town centre shops. It is also home to Roman ruins and the Sundial Theatre. The villages around Cirencester are popular homes for celebrities escaping London, including Kate Winslet and Liz Hurley.

Stroud is a slightly larger town, with rail links to Bristol and London. It has a new cinema and bowling alley, although its town centre shops are perhaps not as good as Cirencester's.

Didmarton is a few miles from Tetbury, Avening has two very good public houses, while Nailsworth is a popular attraction and home to Conference football team Forest Green Rovers. Bath, Cheltenham and Bristol are under 40mins drive away.

Polo

There's a long history of Polo being played in the Cotswolds, both at Westonbirt and Cirencester. The Beaufort Polo Club play regularly at Westonbirt and the Cirencester Park Polo Club (the oldest in Britain) also host regular matches. Royals, including both Princes William and Harry are regularly seen spectating - and playing - at local Polo matches.
 
Membership to Cirencester Park Polo Club costs from £23 per year, while membership to the Beaufort Polo Club costs from £60 per year. Both clubs admit non-members to many matches.
 
Websites:
Beaufort Polo Club
Cirencester Polo Club

Preston Park

Open to the public and owned by a local trust, Preston Park has brilliant views to the East of the town. The park runs alongside the Railway Yard path, and reaches out towards Long Newnton.

Ideal for short or long circular walks, the Park is popular with dog walkers, although a few animals (horses, occasionally cows) sometimes graze on the land.
 
The Railway Yard has picnic tables making it perfect for a day out. Plenty of car parking is available at the Tetbury end of the park at the Railway Yard long-stay car park, which is free to use.

Tetbury

Tetbury is a haven for antiques enthusiasts. With over 30 antique shops, the town centre has earned an international reputation for its vast range of antiquities from almost every era and country.
 
There are many other shops though, selling a wide range of goods you might not expect to find on your typical high street. The Highgrove shop, owned by HRH Prince Charles, draws many visitors. It sells a range of gifts and products from the Duchy Originals range, including fresh vegetables from nearby farms. Several of the shops have earned a royal warrant and almost all are independently and locally-owned.
 
There are several tea shops, public houses and hotels, each of which serve tea, coffee, soft and alcoholic drinks. The traditional tea shops offer cream teas, light lunches or something more filling. Pubs in the centre of town include The Ormond, The Crown Inn and the Snooty Fox.

At the centre of Tetbury is the iconic Market House, which is built on several stone columns. The hall features the famous clock and dolphins, which have become Tetbury's emblem.
 
The town has a Museum at the bottom end of Long Street and there are displays about the town's history in St Mary's Church.

Tetbury Heritage Centre

Based in the centre of Tetbury (63 Long Street), the Museum is a popular attraction, revealing all about the history of policing in Gloucestershire since 1839. Visit the cells, original police office and the old magistrates court upstairs for a realistic portrayal of policing through the ages.

Open from 10am - 3pm during the week, the museum also opens at other times by appointment, and hosts a number of open days. Entry is free.

Tetbury Music Festival

Tetbury's Music Festival is held annually in early October and attracts a wide range of performers to its concerts, most of which are held at St Mary's Church. The BBC regularly broadcast events from the festival and the standard of performance is always outstanding.
 
Recent performers include Radu Lupu and the King's Consort. HRH The Prince of Wales is Patron of the event.
 
Find out more on the official Festival Website

Westonbirt Arboretum

One of the Cotswolds' most popular attractions, the National Arboretum is a fantastic 600 acre forest with many rare and unusual trees. The arboretum hosts regular events, such as firework displays, concerts, charity walks and night-time walks in the winter, with lighting showing you the way. 16,000 trees will amaze you as you walk along one of the many beautiful paths in the wood.
 
Westonbirt hosts the annual Festival of the Tree, as well as a Gardens festival, and is worth seeing all year-round. In recent years, the Arboretum has played host to a series of summer pop music concerts, including The Feeling and Travis. These events can cause quite lengthy traffic problems on the roads around Westonbirt and Tetbury, but road signs are placed to give advance warning.
 
Dogs are allowed in half of the Arboretum, although you'll miss out on seeing some of its rarer and more historic trees.
 
The Arboretum has a plant centre, which doesn't require you to pay to enter and a Forest Shop, which does.
 
If you're planning on being a regular visitor, becoming a Friend of Westonbirt Arboretum can have significant financial advantages. You can find more details about becoming a Friend here.
 
The arboretum is open 365 days a year, although the Plant Centre and Forest Shop are closed over the majority of the Christmas period.

You'll find the Arboretum around five miles from Tetbury on the A433, heading towards Bath. Entrance prices vary from season to season, although annual membership is available. Visit the arboretum's website for the latest prices.

Woolsack Day

The main event in Tetbury's calendar, Woolsack Day is a spectacular event attracting thousands of visitors to the town. The central part of the day is the Woolsack Races themselves, where competitors race from the top of Gumstool Hill to the bottom - and then back again!
 
The Town Centre is filled with stalls, displays and entertainers and if you're driving to Tetbury for the day, be warned that many streets are closed and car parks are set up on the outskirts of town.

Winners could be in the running for an official world record. The races are traditionally started by a local celebrity. The event takes place on Whitsun Bank Holiday (at the end of May each year).
 
Next Woolsack Day: 25th May 2010
 
Woolsack Features

• World Records

 
Videos

• Helen's Woolsack Diary
• Woolsack Racing meets a Unicycle
• Mens' Team Final 2007

 
Find out more on the official Woolsack Day website.