Winchcombe sign (Tamala Malerk)
Winchcombe, U.K. is roughly an hour from RAF Croughton and Birmingham and about three hours from the Tri-Base region. It is the ultimate small-town experience to escape to for the weekend to unwind.
One of the first things I noticed about the town is that many things are volunteer-run or heavily supported by volunteers. These citizens are dedicated to the success of their town and really being a part of the community. When visiting the two-room Winchcombe Museum, the volunteer docent spent close to two hours giving us a private tour and talking about the community. They proudly display a fragment of a meteorite that landed in Winchcombe in 2021 along with other tidbits of Winchcombe’s centuries-long history.
Fragment of meteorite (Tamala Malerk, taken inside of Winchcombe Museum)
Winchcombe was incorporated as a town because of Elizabeth I and they have done a great job showcasing their histories since the 1800s. I was even able to find some potential family members in their World War I and police logs. By the end of the tour, our docent was even listing all of the places I could work in the area, so we too could join their close-knit community.
The Winchcombe Train Station, which features both steam and diesel trains, is heavily supported by volunteer diner and train workers. We originally made our way to the station to have a scone and coffee at the 50s-style diner but stayed to walk around their model railway coach and to ride a steam train into nearby Cheltenham.
Steam train (Tamala Malerk)
On the train, we enjoyed giant, comfy seats that modern trains don’t have while marveling at the English countryside. In true old-time train fashion, a ticket inspector came around and hole-punched our tickets.
There were plenty of places to eat in the Winchcombe town center. However, if you want to eat at one of the local pubs for dinner, The White Hart Inn, the Corner Cupboard, the Lion Inn, or the Plaisterers Arms, make sure you book a reservation. Two nights in a row we were turned away because they were completely booked out for dinner or not serving food due to the hecticness of the EUFA Cup. Thankfully, the local Chinese and Indian restaurants were delicious, open late and able to serve us on the spot.
The Corner Cupboard was not serving food but were kind enough to have some bacon-flavored crisps snacks to go along with their beer while we watched the England vs. Switzerland game. We got the full football/pub experience at the Corner Cupboard as my husband made instant enemies by referring to the “football” game as a “soccer” game; nonetheless, those same enemies introduced us to their baby five minutes later and were ready to have us babysit another 20 minutes later.
Building ruins with a surrounding garden at Sudeley Castle and Gardens (Tamala Malerk)
One of my favorite spots in Winchcombe is Sudeley Castle and Gardens located just a short downhill walk from the town center. Of all six wives of Henry VIII, Katherine Parr is my favorite, and this was her castle. It takes about a day to walk the entirety of the castle and garden. I was fortunate enough to stay in one of the townhomes on the estate grounds during my time in Winchcombe. I had the Elizabeth Room which featured two bedrooms, a kitchen, dining, outdoor patio and living room areas.
Sudeley Castle (Tamala Malerk)
The interior of the castle featured not only historical Tudor-era information and relics but also the collection of Elizabeth Dent, the woman who owned the castle in the 1800s. Dent was an avid collector of autographs, and the walls are adorned with writings and signatures from historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin and Louis XVI.
The exterior of the castle features flowers, building ruins, and, my personal favorite, giant animal topiaries. There is also an on-site chapel where you can view Katherine Parr’s tomb.
Katherine Parr’s tomb (Tamala Malerk, taken inside the Chapel at Sudeley Castle and Gardens)
The city center has the aforementioned food stops but also quaint antique, book, hardware and knick-knack shops. There is a Morrison’s grocery store to stock up if your hotel has a kitchenette. I loved strolling around and walking into all the little places. Everyone made me feel welcome and by the end of the weekend, I was contemplating how easy it would be to move there and integrate myself into the amazing community.
