A quintessentially Cotswold village, Painswick, known as ‘The Queen of the Cotswolds,’ is a village eminently worthy of its regal title.
Filled with period charm, the narrow streets of Painswick are lined with stunning historic homes built of honey coloured stone, paying homage to the rich wool trade that once thrived across Stroud’s Five Valleys.
The magnificent St Mary’s Church sits at the heart of the village, surrounded by its renowned 100 yew trees. Many still believe there are still only 99 yew trees as the rumour was that if a 100th yew was ever planted, the devil would never allow it to survive. A 100th tree was however planted to mark the millennium and is still going strong!
So, if you are thinking of moving to this stunning Cotswold village, what does it have to offer for modern day living?
Places to Stay
You will find yourself slightly spoilt for choice on ‘where to stay.’ For a relatively small village, Painswick has a plethora of fabulous places to stay. To name but a few …
The Painswick Hotel
Located in the heart of the village, this stylish bijou hotel is within walking distance of all village amenities, including of course, Murrays’ Painswick office. The boutique hotel offers stunning views across the Painswick valley and fabulous local walks on the doorstep. A magnificent Palladian house hosts 17 stylish rooms, roaring fires, huge sofas for snuggling up and a sophisticated menu created by chef, Jamie McCallum.
St Michael’s
Opposite Painswick’s magnificent church, St Michael’s B&B and Bistro offers 5 stylish suites alongside delicious food in the on-site bistro. A two minute walk from Murrays’ office, it’s an ideal place to stay whilst house hunting.
The Falcon
Located in the heart of the village, overlooking Painswick’s historic churchyard, The Falcon offers 11 beautifully styled and recently restored bedrooms. Owned by Balfour Winery, the pub also offers fine dining, complemented by wines from their own vineyard.
Places to Play
The Cotswold Way runs through the heart of the village, making Painswick a great place to stay and explore the wonderful walks in the vicinity, both along the Cotswold Way or ‘off piste’ along the many country lanes and footpaths. The Painswick Beacon is host to a popular golf course and the Rococo Garden offers the chance to explore wonderful gardens, designed in the 1740s as a fanciful pleasure garden for the owner of Painswick House and now open to the public, to either explore the Spring snowdrops and magical follies or attend one of the many events hosted in the gardens.
The village also offers numerous sporting activities, including an active rugby club established 150 years ago, tennis club and Painswick Falcon Bowls Club, one of the oldest bowling clubs in the country, dating back to 1554 and also sponsored by Murrays.
Painswick is also well-known as an ‘Arts hub’ with frequent art exhibitions hosted throughout the village and numerous acclaimed local artists including Jane Garbett, running exhibitions and art classes.
You can even take an alpaca for a walk through Painswick’s pretty streets, with Tibbiwell Alpacas, located in the heart of the village.
Eat
Apart from the above-mentioned hotels and pubs, Painswick also has a fantastic village pub, The Oak, offering great pub food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, as well as two buzzing coffee shops, Meadows and Handmade in Panswick, both offering the perfect spot to raise a tea cup to Thomas Twining, founder of Twinings tea, who was born in Painswick in 1675.
Shop
For a small village, Painswick has several surprising and quirky boutique shops hidden within its historic streets. On the main New Street running through the village is a sought-after fabric shop selling designer fabric at fantastically reduced prices. Within Meadows coffee shop you’ll find designer clothes belonging to the Meadows brand and owned by Louise Markey of fashion brand, LF Markey and former Burberry designer. Local arts and crafts are also sold within Handmade in Painswick. The village also hosts a local pharmacy and village store.
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