Recently finished university with a 2.1. Probably my proudest achievement yet!
Recently finished university with a 2.1. Probably my proudest achievement yet!
Member since:07.03.2007
Reviews:23
Members who trust:1
Tewkesbury, for those that have only ever seen it on the news for its floods of 2007, is a little historical town with tonnes of character and plenty of reasons to visit it. Originally named 'Theocsbury' after a man named Theoc who lived on top of a bury (a mound of earth), it has two rivers running through it, the Severn and the Avon. Which could explain the amount of flooding that occurs annually!
I was born and brought up in Tewkesbury for 18 years before I flew the nest to go to university 'oop north' and so I feel I have some knowledge to give about this place to encourage others to visit it. Probably the most famous thing about Tewkesbury (other than its floods) is its Abbey, built by one of the men who fought in the Battle of Hastings with William the Conqueror and latter bought off Henry VIII by the locals to stop him from burning it down! It was also heavily involved in the Battle of the Roses
where soldiers tried to seek safety but were followed by their enemy and brutally murdered... Sorry for the very very short history lesson, but I just wanted to show you that there is plenty to learn about and it's not just a dreary little town with nothing worth mentioning.
Tewkesbury is essentially a tourist town, there are plenty of coffee shops around and lots of charity shops should you fancy picking up a bargain. There is a local theatre which produces very good panto's every year and shows top quality theatre and dance productions as well as well known films. The local swimming pool, whilst in need of some repair, is a great place to take the family and a place that myself and many of my school friends learnt to swim! Car parking is a nightmare in any tourist town these days but there are plenty of car parks around should you feel the need to visit and public transport links are not too bad although the nearest train station is in Cheltenham.
The town itself is not particularly large and doesn't house the large commercial stores like Woolworths, Argos, Blockbuster, Starbucks etc, in fact I think the largest known company in the High Street is M&S Food, but that just adds to its character. Many of the local traders are fantastic people and strive to give you the best possible produce and information and in some cases are even better than the larger outlets. As well as the Abbey, which has often been reviewed in the BBC History Magazine as a great day out, there are plenty of other churches in the local area to visit, ask at the tourist information office for more information. The are a large number of local pubs available at all hours of the day with many offering food and night entertainment, always worth a look.
I would recommend Tewkesbury to those that are interested in sightseeing as there is plenty to do on the outskirts of the town; the Malvern hills are not far away for example, and the rivers are fantastic for a bit of boating/fishing/a barge holiday etc. The area is surrounded in beautiful and quaint little villages that are also well worth a visit, but there are also larger towns nearby should you need large electrical items or a bigger shopping experience. Cheltenham houses many of the large companies and far more leisure and entertainment facilities but doesn't necessarily have more culture than Tewkesbury.
Tewkesbury is probably more a place for the elderly, or those who require a quiet life as it's not particularly fast paced, but is near to the M5 should anyone need to commute to work. It is however a great place to visit or to holiday in.
For those who are unaware of the flooding situation, because Tewkesbury is at the point of two large and well known rivers meeting, it often floods and has done for many decades. However with the building of new housing developments ,which mean less drainage opportunities, it does seem to be getting worse every year. Residents are often undeterred by it though as it is an annual occurance and precautions are often made.
To round up then, I would recommend Tewkesbury to anyone in search of a bit of tranquility. There are two large and well known hotels just on the outskirts, both with large golf courses, as well as other smaller hotels and B&Bs inside the town itself. There are also a variety of camping and caravan sites available should you feel in the mood for an adventure. Walking is a must activity as there is plenty of beautiful scenery to take in and photo opportunities a plenty! The town can be a little sleepy, but has a thriving market twice a week and a farmers market once a month which is always worth a visit. Go and visit, take a holiday, take a camera, even if it's just for one day!
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Having recently moved to Cheltenham, I keep meaning to take a day trip to Tewkesbury to have a look around - especially as the 41 bus passes right near my house!
JeffFromPoole 15.06.2008 13:31
Good review. one day I must stop and take a look
nutter_but_nice 14.06.2008 23:57
RE: the train question. Nah I wouldn't say Ashchurch Station was really a station, it's a platform that some but not all trains stop at. There's no way of purchasing tickets and it isn't manned.
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Advantages: It's convenient to Cheltenham, and is probably the only Hilton for miles. Quaint. Disadvantages: Worn-out, shoddy service, questionable eateries, exorbitant prices, ineffective staff, bugs.
Jun 14th, 2008
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