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information about Chipping Campden

Chipping Campden in the northern Cotswolds was a wealthy and one of the most important wool trading centres in the Middle Ages, hence the town’s name: ‘chipping’ in Old English means market or market place.

Its high street is lined with yellow limestone buildings from the local quarry and a variety of architectural styles can be seen alongside it. The centre of the town is dominated by the Market Hall with its impressive arches. It was built in 1627 by the philanthropist Sir Baptist Hicks, who also built the Almshouses, which were and are still used as the homes of 12 pensioners.

Chipping Campden is also known for holding its own Cotswold Olimpick Games since 1612, a mixture of early rural sporting events with informal, amateur sporting events for competitors, such as the Tug O’War and Shin Kicking.

Where to stay in Chipping Campden

Located centrally in the north of Cotswolds, with Warwickshire and Oxfordshire to its east and Worcestershire to its west, Chipping Campden is an ideal place for you to find accommodation when touring the area.

A large choice of reputable hotels in Chipping Campden is available right along the High Street and the vicinity of the Market Hall, with other types of accommodation spread out in neighbouring villages, depending on your budget and the attractions you plan to visit. You could also stay at a Stratford-upon-Avon hotel, for instance, as the town is only 12 miles from Chipping Campden.

Different types of hotel

Hotels in Chipping Campden range from under £100 to £200 a night and above, with ones with extra facilities, such as spa and pool, being pricier. Many Chipping Campden hotels are housed in historic buildings and all offer stylish rooms and excellent food. The King’s Hotel, a minute’s walk from the Market Hall, is set in an 18th century Cotswold stone townhouse, and its classically furnished rooms come with all modern amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, TV, hairdryer, tea and coffee making facilities, and rates from £90 a night.

Some of the bed and breakfasts in Chipping Campden are situated on farms, giving visitors a chance to be around farm animals as well as wildlife. Bed and breakfasts serve full cooked English breakfasts using local produce and often homemade bread and preserves. You can also ask for a vegetarian option. Some owners take their visitors on complimentary guided tours to unusual sites depending on the length of their stay.

Pubs and inns can also feel like a deluxe bed and breakfast, with boutique rooms with TV, Wi-Fi and highly rated cuisine added to a good offering of ales and wines. You can find them a couple of miles from the town centre and around Ilmington, five miles away, near Hidcote Manor Garden. The Ebrington Arms, three times winner of the CAMRA award for north Cotswold’s pub of the year, now also boasts two Rosette award for their food.

Staying at self-catering cottages is worth considering, particularly if you’re travelling in a group of four or more. Most require bookings of at least one week but a few accept short-stay bookings from two nights, such as the 4 Manor Barns in Ilmington.

What to do during your stay in Chipping Campden

Once you’ve walked through the High Street and seen the 17th century Market Place, don’t miss the very fine St James’ Church, at the north end of town. It was built with money from the flourishing wool trade and soars over the town’s landscape with a magnificent 120-foot tower. It also houses one of the oldest altar tapestries and the largest brass in England.

Anyone interested in the Arts and Crafts movement must visit the small but delightful Court Barn Museum, which tells the story of how Chipping Campden became a gathering place for designers and craftspeople from all over the UK and the world, who drew inspiration from the English countryside.

For intrepid hikers looking for a challenge, there is a 102-mile trail, the Cotswold Way, which runs between the Market Hall in Chipping Campden and Bath passing through picturesque villages and ancient sites.

A historic garden that must be seen if you are in Chipping Campden between March and November is Hidcote Manor Garden, four miles northeast. The garden was a creation by American horticulturist Lawrence Johnston, and its “rooms” made of hedges, rare trees and shrubs reflect his artistic sense of composition – it is an arts and crafts masterpiece bursting with colour.

The 754-foot Dover’s Hill, five miles from Hidcote, hosts the Cotswold Olimpick Games every summer, and is a great place to walk among wildflowers while enjoying views of the Vale of Evesham.

If you visit between mid-June and mid-July, you can walk through lavender fields in full bloom on Cotswold Lavender, five miles southwest. Its gift shop sells a variety of lavender products and the tearoom serves light lunches and cream teas.

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