The Cotswolds has one of the highest concentrations of National Trust properties anywhere in England. The honey-coloured stone, rolling hills, and deep wooded valleys provide the backdrop for some truly special places, from world-renowned gardens to eccentric manor houses and ancient Roman remains.
Hidcote
One of England's great gardens
Hidcote (52.0835, -1.7461) near Chipping Campden is one of the most influential Arts and Crafts gardens in Britain. Created by the American-born horticulturalist Lawrence Johnston from 1907, the garden is designed as a series of outdoor "rooms" separated by tall hedges and walls, each with its own character and colour scheme.
Highlights include the Red Borders, the White Garden, the Bathing Pool Garden, and the long views south across the Vale of Evesham. The plant centre is one of the best in the Cotswolds. Busy in summer; visit midweek or early morning if you can.
Address: Hidcote Bartrim, Chipping Campden, GL55 6LR
Snowshill Manor & Garden
One man's extraordinary collection
Snowshill Manor (52.0029, -1.8605) near Broadway is the former home of Charles Paget Wade, a sugar-plantation heir and obsessive collector. Between 1919 and 1951, Wade filled the Cotswold manor house with over 22,000 objects: Japanese samurai armour, bicycles, musical instruments, model ships, and toys.
Wade himself never lived in the main house (he slept in the cottage next door) because there was no room. The terraced garden, with its lavender beds and views to the hills, is exquisite. The house is small and intimate; timed tickets are required for the interior on busy days.
Address: Snowshill, Broadway, WR12 7JU
Chastleton House
A Jacobean time capsule
Chastleton House (51.9590, -1.6521) near Moreton-in-Marsh is one of England's finest and most unspoilt Jacobean houses. Built between 1607 and 1612 by Walter Jones, a lawyer and MP from a wool merchant family, it was then occupied by the same family for nearly 400 years, who gradually ran out of money and never modernised it.
The result is a rare survival: original panelling, plasterwork, textiles, and furniture, all untouched by the Victorians. The topiary garden claims to be where the rules of croquet were first published in The Field magazine in 1866. A genuinely atmospheric place.
Address: Chastleton, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 0SU
Chedworth Roman Villa
Roman mosaics in a hidden valley
Chedworth Roman Villa (51.8198, -1.9246) is one of the largest and best-preserved Roman villas in Britain, set in a secluded wooded valley near Yanworth. Discovered by a gamekeeper in 1864, the site has outstanding 4th-century mosaic floors, two bathhouses, a water shrine, and a latrine.
A modern conservation shelter protects the mosaics and allows year-round viewing. The museum displays finds from the site. A fascinating visit for anyone interested in Roman Britain.
Address: Yanworth, Cheltenham, GL54 3LJ
Lodge Park & Sherborne Estate
England's only surviving 17th-century grandstand
Lodge Park (51.8133, -1.7167) near Aldsworth is a unique building: a grandstand built in 1634 by John "Crump" Dutton for watching deer coursing. It is the only surviving purpose-built example in England. The interior has been restored to its 17th-century appearance.
The wider Sherborne estate covers 4,000 acres of rolling Cotswold countryside with waymarked walks, ancient woodland, and the villages of Sherborne and Windrush. Free to walk with parking charges for non-members.
Address: Aldsworth, Cheltenham, GL54 3PP
Newark Park
A hidden house with big views
Newark Park (51.6363, -2.3178) near Wotton-under-Edge is a Tudor hunting lodge converted into a country house, perched on the Cotswold escarpment with panoramic views across the Ozleworth valley. The house is interesting but it is the setting and the walks through the estate that make this special.
Less well known than many Cotswold properties, it rarely feels crowded. A good pick for a quieter day out.
Address: Ozleworth, Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 7PZ
Woodchester Park
A hidden valley and an unfinished mansion
Woodchester Park (51.7089, -2.2297) near Nympsfield is a 530-acre landscape park in a secluded valley near Stroud. The Trust manages the valley, which has waymarked walks through beech woodland, past lakes, and through wildflower meadows.
Note that the unfinished Gothic mansion in the valley (Woodchester Mansion) is a separate charity and not National Trust. It is worth visiting if open, but check their website independently. The NT walks are free and open year-round.
Address: Nympsfield, Stonehouse, GL10 3TS
Dover's Hill
Panoramic views and the Cotswold Olimpicks
Dover's Hill (52.0792, -1.7686) near Chipping Campden is a natural amphitheatre on the Cotswold escarpment with spectacular views north across the Vale of Evesham. The site has hosted the Cotswold Olimpick Games (yes, that spelling) since 1612, making it one of the oldest sporting events in the world. The games, including shin-kicking, are still held every spring.
Free access. No facilities. A short walk from Chipping Campden High Street and one of the first landmarks on the Cotswold Way.
Address: Near Chipping Campden, GL55 6UW
Minchinhampton & Rodborough Commons
600 acres of common land above the Golden Valley
Minchinhampton and Rodborough Commons (51.7058, -2.1856) are 600 acres of limestone grassland above Stroud, grazed by free-roaming cattle. The commons are rich in wildflowers and butterflies in summer, with Iron Age earthworks and extensive views.
Free access year-round. Park on the common itself (roads cross the open grassland). Watch for cattle on the roads, especially at dusk.
Address: Minchinhampton, Stroud, GL5 2PR
Practical Tips
- Hidcote and Snowshill Manor are about 15 minutes apart by car and combine well for a full day. Broadway village is between them for lunch.
- Chedworth Roman Villa is tucked down narrow lanes. Follow the brown signs carefully.
- Several Cotswold properties (Dover's Hill, Woodchester Park, Minchinhampton Commons) are free to visit, making them ideal for non-members.
- Chastleton House has very limited parking (around 20 spaces). Arrive early or consider visiting midweek.
- The Cotswolds is well covered by NT membership. Between Hidcote, Snowshill, Chedworth, and Chastleton, membership pays for itself within two visits.
