Chipping Sodbury hotels

Hotels in Chipping Sodbury

An attractive market town in Gloucestershire dating back to the 12th century, Chipping Sodbury is a stone's throw from the Cotswolds.

Book one of our Chipping Sodbury hotels and discover the rich history of this quaint small town, which has more than 200 listed buildings.

Town centre

The Market Square is filled with houses from different centuries, including 17th-century Cotswold stone buildings and Georgian brick buildings. The High Street is thought to be England's widest street – medieval markets here must have been substantial – and all but one of its buildings are listed. You can join a monthly guided walk round the town to learn more about its history.

Leisure

Cricket fans will be interested to know that former England wicketkeeper Jack Russell runs a gallery in the town where his work is on display. He has been a professional artist for almost 30 years, having learned to paint during breaks in play. As well as cricketing and sporting scenes, he paints and sketches landscapes, wildlife, architecture and more, and has painted portraits of the Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Bobby Charlton and Dickie Bird.

There is a twice-monthly farmers' market in the town, with local produce and craft items, and a Christmas market.

On the edge of the town is Chipping Sodbury Golf Club, where you can take lessons from two professionals and play the 18-hole course.

Old Sodbury and Little Sodbury

Chipping Sodbury actually came into being when landowner William Crassus, who had been allowed to hold a market, decided to hold it away from his manor house in Old Sodbury. The village still exists and is home to a 900-year-old church and an Iron Age hill fort. There's also Little Sodbury, whose 15th-century manor house once hosted Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Here you'll find the only church in England dedicated to St Adeline.

Festivals

Chipping Sodbury holds a number of festivals throughout the year, including a festival week in June and a twice-yearly mop fair. The latter dates from the 14th century, when workers normally served their employer from October to October, and would then seek new work at the fair. They would carry something which reflected their trade, and domestic servants would carry a piece of mop, hence the name. The annual Victorian Day in December features fairground rides, carol singing, a snow machine, music, hot chestnuts, Morris dancing and an appearance by Santa. Other annual events include the food festival - which involves food, tea, ale and wine tastings, a hog roast and a baking competition - and also the jazz festival.

Eating and drinking

The Family-run Coffee Bean serves breakfast, homemade lunches, homemade cakes and real ales - there's plenty of choice for vegetarians, and there are always at least three gluten-free cakes and traybakes to try. Cake lovers should also visit the Hobbs House Bakery, the home of TV's Fabulous Baker Brothers Tom and Henry Herbert. The bakery opened in the 1920s and has been passed down through five generations of the same family. As well as buying freshly-baked bread, cakes and pastries, you can take cake-making and bread-baking classes. Or, head to the 17th-century Squire Inn for a fire in winter, and live music in the garden in summer, as well as real ales and classic pub grub.