A weekend home in the Cotswolds countryside: the Savills search

“We are a family of five – our children are 16, 19 and 21, and mostly still at home – with a house in Notting Hill and a weekend home outside Oxford. We’d like to move deeper into the Cotswolds, to a period property with entertaining space and a garden that I can redesign from scratch. Where do you suggest we look?”

1 STOW-ON-THE-WOLD

DAVID HENDERSON, HEAD OF OFFICE, STOW-ON-THE-WOLD
david.henderson@savills.com 01451 832835

“The mellow stone homes in and around Stow-on-the-Wold, an easy drive from Soho Farmhouse, are some of the most desirable in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This location works well for every age group. An excellent train service from Kingham connects to Oxford for culture and nights out, and to Paddington, convenient for Notting Hill. The Cotswolds year is a busy one, with the Cheltenham Festival in March sounding the starting gun for outdoor opera and cultural and food festivals.”

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Glorious countryside, artisan shops, excellent schooling and substantial homes are the main pull factors for Stow-on-the-Wold. Superfast broadband attracted many newcomers who worked from home during Covid – and they have stayed. Stow-on-the-Wold’s thriving market square is filled with independent shops and art galleries, while Daylesford and a roster of excellent country pubs showcase the exceptional local produce. Savills is sponsoring Park Fair, a three-day boutique festival in Great Tew, with shopping, live music, workshops, unlimited fairground rides and pop-up feasting (30 June-2 July).

Pictures from top: Cotswolds landscape with a view out to the Malvern Hills (Alamy); chocolate-box houses are found in the villages around Stow-on-the-Wold (unsplash)

2 CIRENCESTER

CLEMMIE D’ARCY CLARK, ASSOCIATE, CIRENCESTER
clemmie.darcyclark@savills.com 01285 627553

“Around Cirencester, there’s a string of villages in deep Cotswolds countryside, including Bibury, Chedworth, Coln Rogers and Barnsley. In Coates, three miles from Kemble station, we recently sold a handsome Arts and Crafts house with a separate coach house to renovate – an ideal independent space for older children and friends. Our buyers are a mix of locals and London families looking to put down roots, many of whom have a childhood connection to the area.”

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Cirencester is a fair distance from the high-profile members’ clubs to the north, but as compensation you’ll find wonderful properties in prime countryside, polo at Cirencester Park, true community spirit and excellent independent schools such as Beaudesert, Westonbirt and Kingswood, which are usually the driving force for moves out of London. The Cotswolds food scene is alive and well, with markets in Chedworth and Stroud. There’s multigenerational appeal, too – at Elkstone Studios, the remodelled former farm buildings are home to padel courts, wellness facilities, co-working space and shops.

Picture: a pretty limestone row near Cirencester (unsplash)

3 WINCHCOMBE

PLUM FENTON, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, COUNTRY DEPARTMENT, COTSWOLDS
plum.fenton@savills.com

“The market town of Winchcombe, seven miles northeast of Cheltenham, has a thriving community, a high street filled with independent shops and charming honey-stone properties. The surrounding countryside is wonderful walking territory. A favourite route of mine is from Overbury to Bredon Hill, where you get superb views northwest to the Malverns.”

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Winchcombe combines deep Cotswolds beauty with easy access to the bright lights, excellent schools and year-round festivals of Cheltenham. It’s a two-hour commute to London from Cheltenham Spa or Evesham station – but a noticeably calmer environment than in the tourist-heavy areas is a significant plus. Hoo House Nursery is one of several excellent local garden centres, and the Lion Inn in Winchcombe and the Halfway in Kineton head a list of popular pubs.

Picture: Winchcombe, Gloucestershire (Alamy)