Wotton-under-Edge: Walks, Food and Historic Sights

Wotton-under-Edge is a small market town in Gloucestershire on the Cotswold Way, making it a good base for a short break if you like walking, historic buildings and unusual attractions. During our two-night stay, we went ghost hunting, explored the town centre, watched the sunrise from Wotton Hill, and tried a few local places to eat and drink.

It’s a pretty little town on the Cotswold Way hiking trail with a choice of pubs, cafes and restaurants. This makes it an ideal place for walkers to stay while walking the trail.

In addition to beautiful countryside, the town has historic sites and some interesting buildings.

Things To Do In Wotton-under-Edge

The Ancient Ram Inn

The Ancient Ram Inn is the oldest house in the town and reputed to be one of the most haunted places in the UK. The building dates back to roughly 1145; however, the current building was remodelled in the 16th century.

Walks on The Cotswold Way

One of my favourite walking trails in Gloucestershire is the Cotswold Way, which passes through Wotton-under-Edge. The route passes right through the town centre, including St Mary’s Church.

The trails on either side of Wotton are lovely, including a path uphill to the Tyndale monument or onwards to Dursley. The trail is 102 miles long and is great for a longer walking holiday that passes through many Cotswold towns and villages.

Sunrise On Wotton Hill

If you want to watch a special sunrise, one of the best spots I found was on Wotton Hill, a 20-minute walk uphill from the centre. On the Old London Road is a quiet place with a bench with views of the hills to the east. I enjoyed my early-morning foray after getting some cold beer from the local Tesco.

Afterwards, I walked along the Cotswold Way through the centre and enjoyed the red skies of sunrise while it was quiet out and about.

Independent Shops

It’s a small town and has a good selection of independent shops on the high street. This included places for food, clothes shops and some specialist ones. We needed to purchase some extra clothing and found W. H. Thomas and Son fit the bill for some outdoor gear.

For coffee, cakes and pastries, Parsons Bakery was top-drawer. The pies and cakes were very tasty and good value.

Almshouses

An interesting sight while sightseeing is the Perry and Dawes Almshouses. These have a history dating back to 1638; most of the site was constructed from 1722 to 1723.

This is a courtyard of houses with a chapel on the grounds where you can pop in and have a look around. The Almshouses were funded by a rich local merchant, Thomas Dawes, to house 6 poor men and women.

St Mary the Virgin Church

The main church in the town is St Mary the Virgin, which has nice grounds. I found this a great place to be during the sunrise. The church has a history dating back to 1154 and was completed in 1325.

You can visit the inside for a look around during the daytime or attend a service. I liked the decor inside, and the organ stood out to me. This was rather large and was built in 1727.

Wotton Under Edge Heritage Centre

The Wotton Under Edge Heritage Centre is a small museum in the town centre that covers many aspects of local history. This includes the town during World War 2, forestry, agriculture and brewing. They have 12,000 artefacts, and admission is free.

Wotton Auction Rooms

Wotton Auction Rooms, housed in a converted church, specialises in selling art, collectables and antique furniture.

Old Town Meeting House

The Meeting House is a nice building to see. It used to be a chapel which served the local nonconformist Christian community for over 300 years.

War Memorial

Wotton Baptist Church

Tolsey House and Clock

An eye-catching feature in the centre is the Tolsey House Clock. This was created to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Electric Picture House

The Electric Picture House is a restored heritage cinema that has been showing films for over 70 years.

Pubs & Restaurants in Wotton-under-Edge

The Falcon Steakhouse

For a treat, we had a meal out at the Falcon Steak House on Ludgate Hill. This is a popular place where you need to reserve a table. During our visit, they had the afternoon menu available, with some delicious options.

We had a few beers, a tender ribeye steak and fish and chips. All the food was delicious, and the service was good. My wife tried their sticky toffee pudding, which was a big portion.

The Star

Near the cinema and Heritage Centre on Market Street is the Star Inn, a pleasant pub. This was a relaxed venue with comfy seating and a friendly atmosphere.

We visited a few times and drank a few beers inside on one of their sofas. They also have a beer garden which looks perfect for a warmer day. The Star Inn has a good food menu, including a special Sunday lunch.

India Palace

Another of the town’s eateries is the India Palace, an Indian restaurant which also does takeaway. They have a nice dining room and a very diverse menu featuring popular Indian dishes, plus a page of specials.

We enjoyed quite a few courses, starting with papadums and chutneys. Then their tandoori starter, which was big and flavourful. For the main course, we had lamb pasanda and their Bombay special, both of which were tasty.

Where To Stay

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The Swan Hotel is pretty centrally located, so it was a handy choice to experience the town. We booked via the Booking.com website, which was straightforward.

Checking in was simple, and the room was big with views of the Cotswold Hills. The Swan Inn served breakfast each morning in the dining room, and drinks and food were served from midday onward.