Tewkesbury is a market town in Gloucestershire, about 11 miles north of Gloucester the county town. With a population of 15,000 in 2024, it has a charming medieval centre with timber framed buildings. It's usually pronounced "tueks-bury" but locals sometimes say "chooks-bury".
Understand
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Tewkesbury is a market town documented since the 7th century, when it was the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Theocsbury. It was at the confluence of navigable rivers, well irrigated for agriculture, but with just enough of a rise on the land to escape the recurrent floods. It hosted a large prosperous abbey, whose monks put about the fiction that the town's name was from Theotokos, the Greek term for the Virgin Mary. Tewkesbury's strategic value was as a crossing point over the River Severn, which brought the Lancastrian army here in 1471, when the Yorkist army caught up with them.
Most of the town's modern development is in outlying villages and residential / industrial estates such as Walton Cardiff, Newtown and Northway. This means its historic centre has been preserved.
- Visit Tewkesbury, 100 Church St (by the central roundabout). Apr-Oct: M-Sa 10AM-4PM; Nov-Mar M Tu F Sa 10AM-4PM.. The tourist information point.
Get in
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By road
[edit]Tewkesbury is 2 miles west of M5 junction 9. From London follow M4 to Swindon, then A419 / A417 to Gloucester, then join M5 northbound.
The dozen car parks are all charged, which may include Sunday. You might find free street parking further out but please avoid inconvenience to residents.
By train
[edit]1 Ashchurch is the railway station for Tewkesbury, 2 miles east of town centre. Trains from Bristol Temple Meads run hourly and take 70 mins via Bristol Parkway, Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa. They continue to Worcester Shrub Hill and Foregate Street. From London Paddington change at Gloucester.
Ashchurch is a simple platform halt with ticket machines but no other facilities. There is step-free access to both platforms. To reach town use Bus 41 or 71: walk 200 yards west to the bus stop on Northway. The 71 turns into the station forecourt, others only do so during commuter rush hour.
By bus
[edit]Stagecoach West Bus 42 / 43A runs every 30 min from Cheltenham, taking 30 min. Bus 41 also runs every 30 min and continues to Northway estate.
Bus 71 runs every 30 min from Gloucester, taking 15 min via Twigworth, Norton, Coombe Hill and Walton Cardiff, and continuing to Ashchurch railway station and Northway estate.
Diamond Bus 540 runs from Evesham every 30 min, taking 50 min via Sedgebarrow and Beckford.
Buses make several stops through Tewkesbury.
By boat
[edit]Tewkesbury is at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, both navigable. Overnight moorings are available at Tewkesbury Marina and along the banks of the Avon.
Get around
[edit]Walk everywhere, the town is compact.
Avonside Taxis are on +44 1684 293916.
See
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- Town centre retains its higgledy-piggledy medieval street pattern, with many attractive timber frame buildings. The best of it is along Church St towards the abbey and Mill St branching to the river cut.
- 1 Tewkesbury Abbey (Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin), Church Street, GL20 5RZ, ☏ +44 1684 850959, [email protected]. Daily 9AM-4:30PM. Magnificent Romanesque church built from 1102 with Caen stone. It was never a cathedral, but the church for a large prosperous Benedictine monastery. It became the town parish church at the Dissolution while the rest of the monastic complex was lost. Donation.
- John Moore Countryside Museum, 41 Church Street GL20 5SN (outside Abbey), ☏ +44 1864 297174. Feb-Oct Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. Natural history museum in a row of timbered cottages, named for the writer and naturalist John Moore (1907-67). Adult £7.50, conc £6, child £3.
- Merchant House, Church St. recreates a Tudor merchant's house. It's part of the John Moore Museum. same ticket as John Moore Museum.
- 2 Old Baptist Chapel (opposite John Moore Museum in an alley). It's a 15th-century building that was used as a Baptist meeting house from 1620. same ticket as John Moore Museum.
- 3 Abbey Mill at the foot of Mill St is believed to stand on 12th-century foundations. It's nowadays apartments. A modern metal footbridge spans Mill Avon to Severn Ham.
- 4 Tewkesbury Museum, 64 Barton Street GL20 5PX, ☏ +44 1684 292901. M Tu Th-Sa noon-3PM. Housed in a beautiful 17th-century building, this exhibits town history from Roman settlement to the Second World War. Donation.
- 5 Severn Ham is a parkland river island. The Avon flows into the Severn at its north end, originally a swamp. Medieval monks created the island when they cut Mill Avon, a channel from the Avon to the smaller River Swilgate, to power their mills. Access via the footbridge at Abbey Mill, or Quay St at its northeast end, or King John's Bridge onto a separate islet linked by footpath.
- 6 Mythe Bridge is a cast iron bridge designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1826. It carries A438 across the River Severn.
- 7 Bloody Meadow was the scene of a decisive battle in 4 May 1471 in the Wars of the Roses. This was a last throw of the dice for the Lancastrians: they needed to cross the Severn to join their allies, were blocked at Gloucester, and were marching north to another crossing when the Yorkists caught up at Tewkesbury. The forces were even but the Yorkists were better rested. The Lancastrians were smashed: some fled to the abbey church and claimed sanctuary, but the Yorkists slew them anyway. King Henry VI was already a prisoner in the Tower of London, with his days numbered and his son killed in the battle, so this extinguished the Lancastrian line.
- 8 Deerhurst is a village four miles downriver. Its two sights are St Mary's Priory Church, built from the 8th century, a remarkable Anglo-Saxon survival, and Odda's Chapel built in 1056.
Do
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- 1 The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, GL20 5NX, ☏ +44 1684 295074. The town's local theatre, Here was the final performance of Eric Morecambe on 27 May 1984: after taking curtain calls he collapsed in the wings with his third heart attack, and died in hospital.
- Tewkesbury Leisure Centre' has a gym, fitness classes and pool. It's on Gloucester Road near the battle site.
- Golf: there are courses at Puckrup Hall north and Tewkesbury Park south, see below.
- Severn Way is a long-distance footpath along the river, 224 miles (360 km) from Plynlimon in Wales to Bristol. An easy local stretch is as far as Deerhurst to see the ancient church and chapel.
- Gloucestershire Way is a 100-mile (160-km) route from Chepstow via Forest of Dean, Mayhill, Gloucester and the Cotswolds, ending in Tewkesbury.
- Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is held in July. The battle is vigorously re-enacted on Bloody Meadow, only with more sci-fi ghouls and merchandising than the original.
- Tewkesbury Mop Fair was a medieval hiring fair, but it's now a street carnival in October.
Buy
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- Aldi is south edge of town on Gloucester Road, open M-Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
- Morrisons is northeast edge on Ashchurch Rd, open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
- Miss Muffet's Delicatessen, 101 Church St GL20 5AB, ☏ +44 1684 273593. Tu-Sa 9AM-3:30PM. Deli with good sandwiches and a small cafe area.
- Cornell Books, The Wheatsheaf, 132 High St GL20 5JR, ☏ +44 1684 293337. Tu-Sa 10:30AM-4PM. Housed in a former pub, this independent book shop has a wide variety of second hand books, both antique and modern. They specialise in old Ordnance Survey maps.
- Tewkesbury Market is in Spring Gardens Car Park off Oldbury Road. It's open W and Sa 9AM-3:30PM.
Eat
[edit]| “ | His wit’s as thick as Tewkesbury mustard. There's no more conceit in him than is in a mallet. | ” |
| Henry VI, Part 2, William Shakespeare | ||
- Tewkesbury mustard was prepared by grinding mustard flour with horseradish and herbs, formed into balls and dried for storage and transport. You then broke up the ball, liquidised it and stirred to a cream. It fell out of use but was revived commercially in 1971. The name was also medieval slang for an incendiary fireball, or a gloomy severe sort of fellow, but in Shakespeare Falstaff is describing Ned Poins as a dimwit. The joke's on him, as Poins is more than his match in skulduggery.
- Tipo Sultan, 61 High St. Tu-Sa 6-10:30PM.
- Sapphire Dining, 117 High St. daily 5:30-11PM..
- Zitto e Mangia, 25 High St. M-Sa 5:30-10PM.
- Raj Shahi, 121 High St. daily 5-10:30PM.
- Coffee Mer Med, 16 High St. M-Sa 9AM-5PM.
- Balti Palace, 29 Barton St. daily 5:30-11PM.
- Abbey Fryer, 69 Barton St. M-Sa 11:30AM-9PM, Su 4-8PM. a fish & chips takeaway
- Steaming Mugs, 74 Barton St. M-Sa 8:30AM-4PM.
- Phantong Thai, 83 Barton St. M Tu 5:30-10PM, W-Sa noon-3PM, 5:30-10PM.
- Dalchini, 2 Church St. daily 5:30-11PM.
- Rosado Lounge, 103 Church St. Su-Th 9AM-10PM, F Sa 9AM-11PM.
- Caffe e Vino, 78 Church St. Tu-Sa 9:30AM-3:30PM.
- Izakaya Ume, 84 Church St. Th-Tu 11AM-2PM, 5-11PM.
- The Abbot's Table, 73 Church St. Tu-Sa 6-10PM, Su noon-4PM.
- Mezbaan, 69 Church St. daily 5:30-11PM.
- Salerno, 66A Church St. M-W 5-10PM, Th-Sa noon-2:30PM, 5-10PM, Su noon-9PM.
- 1 Gupshill Manor, Gloucester Road GL20 5SG, ☏ +44 1684 292278. M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Decent trad food in an old timber frame building.
Drink
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| “ | At the Hop Pole at Tewkesbury, they stopped to dine; upon which occasion there was more bottled ale, with some more Madeira, and some port besides; and here the case-bottle was replenished for the fourth time. Under the influence of these combined stimulants, Mr Pickwick and Mr Ben Allen fell fast asleep for thirty miles, while Bob and Mr Weller sang duets in the dickey. | ” |
| The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens | ||
- The Royal Hop Pole has rooms, see below.
- The Black Bear, 68 High St. Tu-Su. It dates back to 1308 and may be much older, having also been a toll house.
- The Albion Inn, Oldbury Rd (opposite Roses Theatre).
- Anchor 1774, 42 High St. A sports bar.
- Britannia Inn, 30 High St. Tu-Su.
- Nottingham Arms, High St GL20 5JU, ☏ +44 1684 211433. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight, Su noon-11PM. Dog-friendly pub with decent food.
- Cross House Tavern, 108 Church St.
- The New Plough, 85 Barton St.
- The Berkeley Arms, 8 Church St. W-M.
Sleep
[edit]Accommodation gets full around the Cheltenham Gold Cup in April.
Budget
[edit]- 1 Travelodge, Shannon Way, Ashchurch Rd GL20 8ND (At M5 junction), ☏ +44 1684 772321. Friendly budget chain hotel. B&B double £70.
- Premier Inn is by the Travelodge, similar price and quality.
- 2 Croft Farm, Bredons Hardwick GL20 7EE, ☏ +44 1684 772321. Caravan park open March-Oct with a small leisure lake for watersports. Tent or pitch £35.
Mid-range
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- 3 The Royal Hop Pole, 94 Church St GL20 5RS, ☏ +44 1684 278670. Founded in the 15th century and mentioned in Pickwick Papers, it's now a comfy JD Wetherspoon pub with rooms. Double (room only) £90.
- Bell Hotel, Church St GL20 5SA (opposite abbey), ☏ +44 1684 293293. Inn with rooms by the abbey. Double (room only) £80.
- Jessop House Hotel, 65 Church St GL20 5RZ (opposite abbey), ☏ +44 1684 292017. Charming small hotel by the old Baptist chapel. B&B double £120.
- 4 Tudor House Hotel, 51 High Street GL20 5BH, ☏ +44 1684 297755. Historic hotel: the external timberwork was added in the 1890s but within is a sixteenth-century building. The door into the secret garden retains the axe marks where soldiers tried to break in during the Civil Wars, and there's a priest's hole in the Mayor's Parlour. B&B double £180.
Splurge
[edit]- 5 Tewkesbury Park Hotel, Lincoln Green Lane GL20 7DN, ☏ +44 1684 272300, [email protected]. Smart comfy hotel with golf course and spa, within walking distance of town. B&B double £180.
- 6 Hilton Puckrup Hall, Puckrup Lane GL20 6EL, ☏ +44 1684 296200. Comfy dog-friendly hotel with golf course. B&B double £160.
- Monkspool is a cosy B&B in Twyning near the Hilton.
- 7 Corse Lawn House, Eldersfield GL19 4LZ (5 miles SW of town on B4211), ☏ +44 1452 780771. Country hotel in Queen Anne mansion, needs a lot of refurbishment. B&B double £180.
Connect
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As of Feb 2026, Tewkesbury and its approach roads have 5G from all UK carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Bredon Hill rises abruptly 6 miles northeast. The easiest ascent is from the village of Conderton.
- Cheltenham 10 miles south is a fine spa town.
- Gloucester 12 miles south is the county capital, with historic dockyards and cathedral.
- Worcester 17 miles north is mostly modern but has a fine cathedral.
- Malvern Hills are a scenic area 14 miles northwest.
| Routes through Tewkesbury |
| Birmingham ← Worcester ← | N  S
|
→ Cheltenham/ Gloucester → Bristol |
| Cardiff ← Ross-on-Wye ← | SW  NE
|
→ merges with 
|
| Worcester ← Upton-upon-Severn ← | N  S
|
→ Gloucester |
| END ← | W  NE
|
→ Evesham → Warwick |
| Hereford ← Ledbury ← | W  E
|
→ END |