Cotswolds Photo Gallery - Castle Combe

Castle Combe is at the southern edge of the Cotswolds and gets referred as one of the prettiest villages in England. Its history dates back to at least the 12th century when a wooden castle was built on a hill, and no new houses have been built here since the 1600s. Once part of a large estate, it was sold off piecemeal in 1947 as the owners could no longer afford to repair the properties. A few of these were bought by the estate's workers but they soon found maintaining them would be too costly, and a new set of wealthier purchasers came in. Overwhelmed by tourists today, signs everywhere point to the pressures on the small resident population of just over 350 per the 2021 census. It's a very small village and they've resisted from turning it into a big shopping mall, while community facilities such as supermarkets, post office, and bakeries have shut. There isn't enough to justify keeping visitors overnight so many come as a short stop on a day trip to the area. St. Andrew's Church was built over a few centuries although most of it was from the 15th and restored in the 1850s. It is home to one of the oldest working clocks in the country, which is also faceless. Back in those days, workers in the fields only needed to hear the time being struck. Exiting the church, I emerged onto West Street, which leads to Manor House, a luxury hotel occuping a 14th century country house. At the heart of the village is the Market Cross, an unusually well-preserved medieval structure signifiying the importance of the cloth industry. Be sure to head down The Street towards the bridge to explore the rest of the honey-coloured buildings. From the river, look back for a grand view of the village. Visitors are strongly encouraged to park in a large lot in the upper part of the town and walk about 10 minutes into the historic village.