Commonly asked questions and answers about The Cotswolds.
Where is The Cotswolds?
The Cotswolds covers the southern part of the West Midlands and Southwest England. The Cotswolds is not a county, state or suburb but is a region classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is equivalent to a National Park in terms of its landscape quality, scenic beauty and planning status. The Cotswolds region spans 6 English counties which are Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Warwickshire. The Cotswolds does not cover the entirety of these counties for example only a snippet of The Cotswolds lies in Worcestershire, most of The Cotswolds is located in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.
How big is The Cotswolds?
Around 800 squares miles or 2,000 square kilometres.
What is the capital of The Cotswolds?
The capital is Cirencester as this is where Cotswold Council is located. Some sites may say it is the largest town in The Cotswolds but that is Cheltenham swathed in Georgian regency homes which is of the Palladian style. Cirencester is a lovely place with a great open-air market, parks and a range of period properties a lot of which pre-date the typical honey coloured Cotswold homes. Cirencester is located in Gloucestershire and dates back to Roman times. Oxford famed for its prestigious University, intricate stone carved architecture and large Victorian houses is the nearest large City but is not in The Cotswolds.
What is a market town?
A market town is a small town (if you live in a city you'll think it a large village) in a rural setting that obtained royal charter in the Middle Ages, a market right which allowed it to host regular markets usually weekly. Market towns were obviously more prosperous that non-market towns due to the commerce and trade that took place there including the many shopping, entertaining, auctioning, eating and drinking attractions. Some market towns in The Cotswolds are Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Tetbury, Cirencester, Chipping Campden, Lechlade-on-Thames and Witney (strictly speaking they are just outside The Cotswolds), Burford and Chipping Norton.
Where is "The Golden Triangle"?
There are many wonderful places to live and holiday in The Cotswolds but one area has been given the moniker The Golden Triangle. It's an upside down triangle that lies in the northern tip of the Cotswolds and roughly covers Chipping Norton (Chippy to locals) to the north-east, Stow on the Wold (usually called Stow) to the north-west and Burford to the south. It's a very popular place to buy a home either as a weekend retreat or to rent out on AirBnB and therefore is one of the more expensive areas to buy. Apart from being a gorgeous place to own a home it's also very popular with people who want up-market things to see and do such as having Daylesfords and Soho Farmhouse nearby. It also helps that Kingham train station runs direct to London Paddington. The Golden Triangle is the 'des res'.
Where are the prettiest towns and villages in The Cotswolds?
There are literally hundreds of pretty villages and dozens of pretty towns. Do bear in mind that although it is possible to purchase a picture postcard cottage in a picture postcard village (with not a hint of modernity) there are also many villages and most towns that do have newer homes. Some house-hunters imagine the whole of The Cotswolds to have retained appearance, pace and population of the 19th Century - this is not the case. The most popular towns to live in or to have easy access to are Burford, Tetbury, Chipping Campden, Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Moreton in Marsh and Bourton on the Water. There is also Cheltenham and Bath although the architecture is Georgian Regency. Villages surrounding all of these towns are very popular places for buying property.
Homes for sale in The Cotswolds, what should I buy?
During my time working for the Estate Agent Savills by far the most popular list of features or criteria a property buyer stipulated in their house search is:-
- 3-4 bedrooms
- period property
- pretty village location
- good sized garden
- no work required
- not on an estate
- walking distance to a pub
- off-road parking
- budget £1m plus
These are the properties that are most in demand. There are also a lot of people looking for sweet and small 2 bedroom cottages to be used as a weekend get-away or for holiday let income. Flats are the least popular but if they are newly renovated to a desirable aesthetic and in a high demand area they can be snapped up quickly.
Where should I buy a home in The Cotswolds?
The most popular towns to live in or to have easy access to are Burford, Tetbury, Chipping Campden, Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Moreton in Marsh and Bourton on the Water. Villages surrounding all of these towns are very popular places for buying property. The other factor is whether your property purchase is for you to live or holiday in or whether it is an investment to rent out on AirBnB. For example, I would buy a holiday home for investment purposes in Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water but they would not be my top places to live. I would buy a home in Chipping Norton but not for AirBnB purposes. Stroud and Nailsworth - yes to live, no for holiday investments.
How much does a property cost in The Cotswolds?
Aside from regional variations there is one main factor that determines the price of a property in this area. That is whether it is a period (ie old) v's non period property. The archetypal golden honey coloured stone of a Cotswold cottage or stately home commands the highest price. These were mostly built in the 18th and 19th century although some are older or have older sections. The least expensive property to buy is a non-period home built between the 1960's and 1980's. Post 1980's homes and new builds command more but not as much as old homes. A plot of land or a little delapidated barn for sale is in high demand if it has planning permission to convert to residential.
Prices in The Cotswolds have increased during the pandemic, just like in other parts of the world there has been a migration out of cities to the country-side. If you're looking for a period property then ensure you have a budget from £450,000 for a 2 bedroom, £550,000 for a 3 bedroom and £750,000+ for a 4 bedroom. Prices then vary depending on location, train station proximity (for part-time residents), schools (for permanent residents), street-appeal, garden/land size, parking and village appeal.
How far is The Cotswolds from London?
The distance and time is takes to drive to The Cotswolds varies a great deal depending on whether you a departing from south or north London (East London will take longer). So rather than talking about miles which you can check out yourself on Google Maps I'll relate my personal experience having driven from London to The Cotswolds and back many times.
South of the River Thames, for example Battersea and Clapham to Stow on the Wold is 2.5 hours, to Broadway it's 3 hours to Tetbury it's 3.5 hours or to Woodstock it's 2 hours.
If you're leaving from north of the River Thames, for example Notting Hill or Kensington you'll shave off about 30 minutes from south London routes and if you're driving from Heathrow Airport then expect the drive to take about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Motorway traffic is always busy and sometimes horrendous unless you're driving after 9pm and before 7am. Even if the motor-way is clear you will only be driving about a third of the way on a motorway and the rest of the time you're on more relaxed rural roads which obviously means you're driving more slowly.
Can I catch a train to The Cotswolds?
Yes. There used to be many stations in The Cotswolds including Woodstock and Stow on the Wold but over 2,300 were permanently closed in the United Kingdom from the late 1940's through to the 1960's. You can still walk along a few disused lines but most are overgrown and invisible. So, if you need to travel to The Cotswolds by train for you're holiday or perhaps even to commute to London for work you will find that property near train stations can command a premium. There are train stations in Moreton-in-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Kemble, Bath, Oxford and Banbury: not a lot given it's size but the area would not look as stunning if there were train tracks criss-crossing the 'wolds'. Check out Great Western Railway (GWR) for tickets and timetables.
The Cotswolds covers the southern part of the West Midlands and Southwest England. The Cotswolds is not a county, state or suburb but is a region classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is equivalent to a National Park in terms of its landscape quality, scenic beauty and planning status. The Cotswolds region spans 6 English counties which are Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Warwickshire. The Cotswolds does not cover the entirety of these counties for example only a snippet of The Cotswolds lies in Worcestershire, most of The Cotswolds is located in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.
How big is The Cotswolds?
Around 800 squares miles or 2,000 square kilometres.
What is the capital of The Cotswolds?
The capital is Cirencester as this is where Cotswold Council is located. Some sites may say it is the largest town in The Cotswolds but that is Cheltenham swathed in Georgian regency homes which is of the Palladian style. Cirencester is a lovely place with a great open-air market, parks and a range of period properties a lot of which pre-date the typical honey coloured Cotswold homes. Cirencester is located in Gloucestershire and dates back to Roman times. Oxford famed for its prestigious University, intricate stone carved architecture and large Victorian houses is the nearest large City but is not in The Cotswolds.
What is a market town?
A market town is a small town (if you live in a city you'll think it a large village) in a rural setting that obtained royal charter in the Middle Ages, a market right which allowed it to host regular markets usually weekly. Market towns were obviously more prosperous that non-market towns due to the commerce and trade that took place there including the many shopping, entertaining, auctioning, eating and drinking attractions. Some market towns in The Cotswolds are Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Tetbury, Cirencester, Chipping Campden, Lechlade-on-Thames and Witney (strictly speaking they are just outside The Cotswolds), Burford and Chipping Norton.
Where is "The Golden Triangle"?
There are many wonderful places to live and holiday in The Cotswolds but one area has been given the moniker The Golden Triangle. It's an upside down triangle that lies in the northern tip of the Cotswolds and roughly covers Chipping Norton (Chippy to locals) to the north-east, Stow on the Wold (usually called Stow) to the north-west and Burford to the south. It's a very popular place to buy a home either as a weekend retreat or to rent out on AirBnB and therefore is one of the more expensive areas to buy. Apart from being a gorgeous place to own a home it's also very popular with people who want up-market things to see and do such as having Daylesfords and Soho Farmhouse nearby. It also helps that Kingham train station runs direct to London Paddington. The Golden Triangle is the 'des res'.
Where are the prettiest towns and villages in The Cotswolds?
There are literally hundreds of pretty villages and dozens of pretty towns. Do bear in mind that although it is possible to purchase a picture postcard cottage in a picture postcard village (with not a hint of modernity) there are also many villages and most towns that do have newer homes. Some house-hunters imagine the whole of The Cotswolds to have retained appearance, pace and population of the 19th Century - this is not the case. The most popular towns to live in or to have easy access to are Burford, Tetbury, Chipping Campden, Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Moreton in Marsh and Bourton on the Water. There is also Cheltenham and Bath although the architecture is Georgian Regency. Villages surrounding all of these towns are very popular places for buying property.
Homes for sale in The Cotswolds, what should I buy?
During my time working for the Estate Agent Savills by far the most popular list of features or criteria a property buyer stipulated in their house search is:-
- 3-4 bedrooms
- period property
- pretty village location
- good sized garden
- no work required
- not on an estate
- walking distance to a pub
- off-road parking
- budget £1m plus
These are the properties that are most in demand. There are also a lot of people looking for sweet and small 2 bedroom cottages to be used as a weekend get-away or for holiday let income. Flats are the least popular but if they are newly renovated to a desirable aesthetic and in a high demand area they can be snapped up quickly.
Where should I buy a home in The Cotswolds?
The most popular towns to live in or to have easy access to are Burford, Tetbury, Chipping Campden, Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Moreton in Marsh and Bourton on the Water. Villages surrounding all of these towns are very popular places for buying property. The other factor is whether your property purchase is for you to live or holiday in or whether it is an investment to rent out on AirBnB. For example, I would buy a holiday home for investment purposes in Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water but they would not be my top places to live. I would buy a home in Chipping Norton but not for AirBnB purposes. Stroud and Nailsworth - yes to live, no for holiday investments.
How much does a property cost in The Cotswolds?
Aside from regional variations there is one main factor that determines the price of a property in this area. That is whether it is a period (ie old) v's non period property. The archetypal golden honey coloured stone of a Cotswold cottage or stately home commands the highest price. These were mostly built in the 18th and 19th century although some are older or have older sections. The least expensive property to buy is a non-period home built between the 1960's and 1980's. Post 1980's homes and new builds command more but not as much as old homes. A plot of land or a little delapidated barn for sale is in high demand if it has planning permission to convert to residential.
Prices in The Cotswolds have increased during the pandemic, just like in other parts of the world there has been a migration out of cities to the country-side. If you're looking for a period property then ensure you have a budget from £450,000 for a 2 bedroom, £550,000 for a 3 bedroom and £750,000+ for a 4 bedroom. Prices then vary depending on location, train station proximity (for part-time residents), schools (for permanent residents), street-appeal, garden/land size, parking and village appeal.
How far is The Cotswolds from London?
The distance and time is takes to drive to The Cotswolds varies a great deal depending on whether you a departing from south or north London (East London will take longer). So rather than talking about miles which you can check out yourself on Google Maps I'll relate my personal experience having driven from London to The Cotswolds and back many times.
South of the River Thames, for example Battersea and Clapham to Stow on the Wold is 2.5 hours, to Broadway it's 3 hours to Tetbury it's 3.5 hours or to Woodstock it's 2 hours.
If you're leaving from north of the River Thames, for example Notting Hill or Kensington you'll shave off about 30 minutes from south London routes and if you're driving from Heathrow Airport then expect the drive to take about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Motorway traffic is always busy and sometimes horrendous unless you're driving after 9pm and before 7am. Even if the motor-way is clear you will only be driving about a third of the way on a motorway and the rest of the time you're on more relaxed rural roads which obviously means you're driving more slowly.
Can I catch a train to The Cotswolds?
Yes. There used to be many stations in The Cotswolds including Woodstock and Stow on the Wold but over 2,300 were permanently closed in the United Kingdom from the late 1940's through to the 1960's. You can still walk along a few disused lines but most are overgrown and invisible. So, if you need to travel to The Cotswolds by train for you're holiday or perhaps even to commute to London for work you will find that property near train stations can command a premium. There are train stations in Moreton-in-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Kemble, Bath, Oxford and Banbury: not a lot given it's size but the area would not look as stunning if there were train tracks criss-crossing the 'wolds'. Check out Great Western Railway (GWR) for tickets and timetables.
I hope this information has been helpful. Feel free to email me with any feedback or questions via Cotswolds Property Search.
