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Central Cotswolds · Gloucestershire

Northleach

Cathedral of the Cotswolds

About Northleach

Northleach was an important wool town in the 14th and 15th centuries, when its merchants built one of the finest parish churches in the country — the so-called 'Cathedral of the Cotswolds'. The town never grew much beyond that, and is today one of the most intact small market towns in the region.

The High Street curves north–south through the centre, lined by an 18th-century coaching inn, the original Cotswold market square, and a 1791 prison-courtroom that is now a small museum.

The Cotswold Guide Top Tips

  • Park free in the Market Place — Northleach has the most generous free parking of any small Cotswold town.
  • The Wheatsheaf Inn does some of the best pub food in the central Cotswolds; book at weekends.

Where to eat & drink

  • The Wheatsheaf Inn

    Reinvented coaching inn with rooms, a smart bar and a strong food reputation.

  • The Sherborne Arms

    Traditional pub on the market square with proper Cotswold beers.

Getting there

  • By car

    midway between Burford and Cheltenham on the A40 (35 minutes from Cheltenham, 25 from Burford). Free parking in the Market Place.

  • By bus

    855 from Cirencester.

Best time to visit

Year-round; the church is open daily and is at its best in low winter sun. The town's farmers' market runs on the second Saturday of each month.

Find accommodation near Northleach

Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering cottages within easy reach of Northleach — browse availability for your dates on Booking.com.

Find accommodation near Northleach

Attractions near Northleach

Gallery

  • St Peter and St Paul, Northleach — the 'Cathedral of the Cotswolds' — silhouetted against twilight sky with its windows glowing from inside