The town of Tetbury, or Royal Tetbury as it has come to be known, is an historic market town in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, about 12 miles south of Cirencester (the capital of the Cotswolds). Built on the site of an ancient hill fort, it has a population of around 6,500 and some very notable neighbours.
Putting the royal in Royal Tetbury
In 1980 His Majesty King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, bought the nearby Highgrove Estate. Anecdotally, it is said that property prices in Tetbury doubled shortly after this happened.
The Highgrove shop on Long Street sells goods from the estate, and the Highgrove Gardens themselves open for pre-booked tours on selected dates, which sell out well in advance.
Princess Anne also lives approximately 6 miles from the town at Gatcombe Park.
History of Tetbury
The settlement has a history stretching back at least 1300 years. The first records began in AD681, when King Ethelred of Mercia issued a charter granting land near “Tette’s Minster” to the Abbot and Monks of Malmesbury.
The centre of Tetbury has remained largely unchanged since the 16th and 17th centuries, when the town was at the height of its prosperity as a major wool town. Most of the buildings on the main streets were standing in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, though their 18th and 19th century fronts can make the age difficult to spot.
Although wool is no longer the prized commodity it once was, Tetbury continues to thrive, and it remains the second largest town in the Cotswolds after Cirencester. The larger Spa town of Cheltenham sits just outside the Cotswolds, so doesn’t count (at least not in this context).
Things to do in Tetbury
Tetbury Market House
The Market House is the key landmark of the town centre, sitting at the junction of several streets. A Grade I listed building, it was built in 1655 by the Tetbury Feoffees (a sort of medieval chamber of commerce, founded in 1633 and still the owners today) for the sale of wool and yarn.
Chipping Steps
The Chipping Steps are one of the oldest parts of the town. Chipping derives from an old English word meaning market, which features in a number of Cotswolds place names, such as Chipping Campden and Chipping Norton.
The steps, lined by former weavers’ cottages, historically led up from a small chapel at the bottom of the hill to the Chipping, the market place at the top. The chapel itself has long since vanished, but its gated churchyard survives at the foot of the steps: church at the bottom, market at the top.
Antiques and independent shops
Tetbury is one of the antiques capitals of the Cotswolds, with somewhere in the region of 25 antique shops attracting buyers and collectors from far and wide. Most are found along Long Street, together with a wide array of independent shops, galleries and interiors places that make the town centre a browse in its own right.
St Mary’s Church
As with many Cotswold towns, the parish church is an unmissable feature. Tetbury’s church of St Mary the Virgin was rebuilt in the 1780s in Georgian Gothic style, and its 186ft spire is among the tallest in England.
Tetbury Police Museum and Courtroom
Housed in the original Victorian police station, gaol and magistrates court at 63 Long Street, the Police Museum tells 200 years of local law and order through the original cells, courtroom and what is claimed to be the largest collection of British handcuffs and restraints on public view in the UK. Entry is free (donations welcome) and it opens Wednesdays and Fridays.
Tetbury Goods Shed
The Goods Shed is a part volunteer-run arts centre in a converted Great Western Railway building on the Cirencester road, not far from the historic Royal Oak pub. Since opening in 2017 it has grown into a proper venue, with live music, performance, a cinema programme and the Whistlestop Café. Alongside St Mary’s it provides one of the venues for the Tetbury Music Festival.
Tetbury events
The Woolsack Races
The Tetbury Woolsack Races are the town’s most famous tradition. As you might expect from a town built on the site of a hill fort, Tetbury is largely on top of a hill, and the races involve running down Gumstool Hill, one of the oldest and steepest streets in town, collecting a wool sack at the bottom (up to 60lb for the men, lighter for the women), then carrying it back up.
The races officially began in the 1970s, feature in the Guinness Book of Records, and raise money for local causes. They are held on the late May bank holiday Monday each year, with market stalls, food and entertainment alongside.
Music Festivals
Tetbury hosts at least two music festivals a year. The Tetbury Music Festival, started in 2003, is an annual classical festival held in late September and early October, with performances in St Mary’s and the Goods Shed. Tet Fest, usually in July, gives local musicians a stage.
Things to do near Tetbury
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is about 3 miles southwest on the A433: one of the finest tree collections in the world, at its most famous in autumn but worth a visit in any season.
Chavenage House, about 2 miles northwest, is an Elizabethan manor that screen fans will recognise as Trenwith in Poldark, with Wolf Hall among its other credits. Open to visitors seasonally, so check before you go.
Highgrove Gardens open for pre-booked tours on selected dates, as mentioned above. Book well ahead.
Tetbury also makes a well-placed base for the southern Cotswolds. See our complete guide to visiting the Cotswolds.
Getting here
Tetbury is south of Cirencester on the A433, about 25 minutes away by car. Cheltenham is just under an hour to the north.
There is no train station in Tetbury. The nearest is Kemble, about 7 miles away on the line between London Paddington and Cheltenham, with a connecting bus and taxis available for the last leg. And if you’re planning on arriving by helicopter you will need to get permission from the King first.
Places to stay
As a popular destination all year round, Tetbury has plenty of places to stay, most within walking distance of the Market House. Options range from historic coaching inns on Long Street to some of the smartest country house hotels in the region just outside town. See our guides to luxury hotels in the Cotswolds and bed and breakfasts in the Cotswolds.
Tetbury FAQs
Is Tetbury in the Cotswolds?
Yes. Tetbury sits in the southern Gloucestershire Cotswolds, 12 miles south of Cirencester, and is the second largest town in the Cotswolds proper.
What is Tetbury famous for?
Its royal connections above all: King Charles III’s Highgrove Estate is just outside town. It is also known for its 25 or so antique shops, the 1655 Market House and the Woolsack Races, run up and down Gumstool Hill every late May bank holiday.
What is the population of Tetbury?
6,453 at the 2021 census, up from 5,472 in 2011.
Does Tetbury have a train station?
No. The nearest station is Kemble, about 7 miles away, on the line between London Paddington and Cheltenham. A local bus connects Kemble to Tetbury, or it is a short taxi ride.
How far is Tetbury from Cirencester?
About 12 miles, or 25 minutes by car, straight down the A433.
Is Tetbury worth visiting?
Yes, particularly for antiques hunters and garden lovers. The Market House, Chipping Steps and Long Street shops fill a good half day, and Highgrove, Westonbirt Arboretum and Chavenage House are all within a few miles.
See more Cotswold market towns.