Make your year memorable with a visit to Chipping Campden and experience:
- The Chipping Campden High Street, described by noted Historian GM Trevelyan as “ the most beautiful village street now left in the island”. Campden contains the 2nd highest density of listed buildings in the country, including such notables as Grevel House, Bedfont House and Woolstaplers Hall and House.
- St James Church, one of the finest of the Cotswold Wool churches, mostly built about 500 years ago in the perpendicular style. It contains the oldest priest’s cope in existence in the UK as well as a 500 year old Altar hanging.
- The Almshouses, built in 1612 by Sir Baptist Hicks.
- The Market Hall, built in 1627 by Sir Baptist Hicks for the towns folk to sell their produce from. Now owned and preserved by the National Trust.
- The ruins of Old Campden House, created by Hicks as the seat of his manorial power around 1612, it was largely destroyed by the retreating Royalist garrison in 1645.
- The Town Hall, originally a 14th century building used as a Gaol, a wool exchange and a Court House, rebuilt in 18th century
- The Court Barn Museum, originally part of Old Campden House, it is now an Arts and Crafts Museum, nearby is one of the best preserved cart washes in the country.
- The Guild Of Handicraft in the Old Silk Mill, contains working Arts and Crafts studios and the workshop of Harts Silversmiths, the last surviving family of Guild craftsmen brought here in the 1900’s from East London by C R Ashbee, they work in the same room with mostly the same tools as their ancestors.
- Dovers Hill, a local beauty spot overlooking the Vale of Evesham, now owned by the National Trust, it is the annual home of Robert Dover’s Games, the original Cotswold Olimpick Games started in 1612 and are now recognised by the modern Olympic movement.
- The Cotswold Way, Campden is the start/finish of the trail that runs along the Cotswold Edge all the way to Bath at the southern end. One of the 17 National Trails, it runs through Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the largest of the 38 in England And Wales. There are many other trails that run adjacent to the Town, Monarch’s, Heart of England, Donnington’s and Diamond to name but a few.
- Scuttlebrook Wake – Campden’s very own May Queen crowning ceremony with fancy dress, carnival floats and a street fair. It takes place on the Saturday following the end of May bank holiday
- We have 2 of the country’s most famous gardens in Hidcote and Kiftsgate gardens within a short car ride.
- The May Festivals, we host the internationally renowned Music Festival attracting some of the best classical musicians in the world. The Literature Festival is coming along in leaps and bounds with world famous authors coming along to give talks.
- Ernest William Memorial Garden, originally part of the Old Vicarage Garden, so the Tower of St. James’s Church overlooks the garden adding to its beauty.
There are many more interesting facets of Campden’s history to find out about, just call in at the Information Centre in the Old Police Station for more details.