Follow the Tetbury Heritage Trail

TETBURY HERITAGE TRAIL

TALBOYS HOUSE Built in 1620 for Richard Talboys, 1576-1663. Richard Talboys, John Gastrell, Richard Box and Toby Chapman became the first Feoffees when they were elected to sign the deed of purchase of the manor of Tetbury from Lord Berkeley in 1633.

CHURCH HOUSE Mainly built prior to 1500 but some parts as early as 1430. Possibly used as a weaver's workshop, indicated by the large windows of the upper storey. The house was sold in1752 to help pay for the rebuilding of St Mary's, the parish church.

THE CLOSE Built in about 1580 by John Seed the elder. Later it was the home of the Estcourt then Savage families 1594 - 1857. In 19th century owned by the Paul family also owners of Highgrove. It became a hotel in the 1960s. Was described in 1594 as ‘fayre new building' and was known as the Mansion House.

PORCH HOUSE Mainly 16th century house. The porch was added in 1677. A Grade 1 listed building, it contains remnants of earlier buildings.

ROMNEY HOUSE (The Ferns) Home of Tetbury Grammar School 1921 -1969. Re-named in 1954 after Tetbury's greatest benefactor and founder of the original 17th century grammar school, Sir William Romney. In 1969 the school moved to its new premises in Lowfield Lane. The building is now a doctors' surgery.

THE PRIORY Built in 1766 on the site of a medieval manor house of the De Braose/Berkeley families. The Manor of Tetbury came to the family when it passed from the De Braose family to Sir John Berkeley through his widow Margaret. The buildings are now a nursing home.

THE CHIPPING COURT Predominantly late 17th century. Hexham's survey of 1594 lists the Estcourts as owning the grounds now included in The Chipping Croft. The ancient Old Pound was located in the grounds to hold animals for The Chipping markets.

CHIPPING STEPS Pathway alongside 17-18th century houses and chapel cemetery. Road reconstructions in 1781 and 1883 raised ground level at the bottom of the steps by over two metres.

THE CHIPPING Chipping (Saxon ‘Ceaping' meaning ‘market') is where weekly markets were held from medieval times until the early 19th century and twice yearly hiring (Mop) fairs until the 20th century.

THE SNOOTY FOX Built as The White Hart before 1594. Re-built for R S Holford of Westonbirt 1849 -52. Re-named The Snooty Fox in 1963.

EIGHT BELLS One of many coaching inns prior to 1889. A Tudor building, timber framed with jettied upper storey on pillars. It closed as an inn in the 1980s.

ALFRED ERNEST IND VC Born 16th September 1872 at Highfield, Tetbury. Awarded Victoria Cross for gallant action with the Royal Horse. Artillery in the Boer War, 20th December 1901. Died 29th November 1916. (This plaque is installed in the heritage area of St Mary's Church.)

NORTHLANDS Former home of Brian Trubshaw, Chief Test Pilot of British Aircraft Corporation when he made the first flight of the British Concorde from Filton to Fairford on 9th April 1969. (Northlands is approximately one mile from the town centre, along London Road, 50 metres past Shepherds Mead.)