A Local's Guide
One of the best-known Cotswold towns, and one of the closest to Glebe Cottage — around 4 miles, roughly a 10-minute drive.
Stow-on-the-Wold sits high on a hilltop at the meeting point of several old roads, which is exactly why it grew into a market town in the first place. It's compact enough to explore properly in an afternoon, and close enough to Glebe Cottage that it's an easy trip whether you're after lunch, antiques, or just a wander.
The town's best-known sight is the north door of St Edward's Church, framed by two ancient yew trees that have grown around it over the centuries. It's a popular claim locally — impossible to verify either way — that this door helped inspire Tolkien's Doors of Durin in The Lord of the Rings. Whether or not that's true, it's a genuinely striking spot and worth the short walk from the Market Square. The church itself dates back to the 11th–15th centuries, with a fine medieval interior and stained glass.
The Market Square is the heart of the town — Stow made its name in the medieval wool trade, and the old stocks still standing in the square are a reminder of that history. These days the square and the surrounding lanes, particularly Sheep Street, are known as one of the best places in the Cotswolds for antiques, alongside independent shops, tearooms and galleries.
Stow has a good spread of pubs, cafés and restaurants around the square, from casual tearooms to proper sit-down lunches — plenty of choice for a stop between exploring the shops.
Bourton-on-the-Water and the Slaughters are a short drive further on if you want to extend the trip, and Daylesford Organic is close enough to combine into the same outing. See our full local guide for more on the wider area.