Gloucestershire is home to a wonderful rural landscape that has so much charm and character. Stroud is a particularly characterful area, with many little villages within the Stroud district, which all have a different personality.
If you are thinking of living in Stroud, get in touch with a local estate agent such as this Stonehouse estate agents TG Residential who will be able to advise you based on your requirements – here is a basic guide to some of the villages in the Stroud area…
Amberley -This is a small village and a quiet and peaceful place to live. With Minchinhampton nearby and of course the common, it is a great place for people who enjoy being out in nature and for those who own dogs. It has an inn, a pub a church and a school, and is ideal for people who enjoy a slower pace of life.
Bisley – This pretty village is home to a church that was built in the 13th Century that is a local landmark in the area. The spire of the church can be seen from miles around. The beautiful houses are built from Cotswold stone and one previous resident was the musician Mike Oldfield who lived at Througham Slad manor, where he also had his home recording studio,
Painswick – This is a popular town, being full of history and very pretty. It was originally a wool town, with the building built from the warm coloured stone from the local beacon. There is a lot going on around Painswick such as festivals and fairs, and it also has spectacular views over the Cotswolds being based on the hillside. The churchyard is also worth a visit – it is home to 99 Yew trees – it is said that the Devil will never allow 100 to grow, and although one was planted for the millennium, one did indeed fall in 2007.
Minchinhampton – This pretty town is set on the outskirts of the much loved Minchinhampton common and is most enjoyed in the area for its golf course. However, there is plenty going on in the town itself – there is a market each month in the main square of the town, as well as the arrival of the circus in the summer and a few local shops where you can buy daily essentials. It is a great place for walkers being so close to the common.
Sheepscombe – Set in a picturesque valley, the records of this village can be found going back to around 1260. It was a town that’s main industry was wool and cloth and after 1839, when its last mill closed down it was a village that suffered from poverty for a time. It is not very big, with a small local pub called the Butchers arms and a few houses. In the winter it can be a difficult place to access due to its remote and hilly location, but is incredibly beautiful.