Not only is Cheltenham beautiful in its own right, but the town is in the middle of some stunning villages that offer househunters and visitors alike some rich pickings.
Guiting Power
Guiting Power is around 10 miles east of Cheltenham and dates back to 780CE at the earliest, when it was known as Gyting Broc. In 974CE a ‘Gutinges Aeweline’ got a mention in a charter and by the 13th century the village had become Guiting Power after the Le Poer family, which owned land in the area.
Nowadays, life in Guiting Power centres around the village hall, which hosts the eight-day Festival of Music and Art each year.
There’s also the Guiting Power Nature Reserve, which started in 1965 and boasts four ecological zones – water, marsh, reed swamp and valley bank.
If you don’t fancy living in a reed swamp, a detached two-bedroomed house will cost you around £475,000 and a four-bedroomed house will be around £750,000.
Sevenhampton
Sevenhampton is six miles east of Cheltenham and is located on the upper valley of the River Colne. The village was originally on the opposite side of the valley and was called Sennington but it’s thought that The Black Death destroyed the village, with the populace moving across the river.
At present there are 44 listed buildings in Sevenhampton, with several properties having sold for more than £1,000,000 in recent years. On average, however, a semi-detached house will cost around £400,000, a four-bedroomed house will be around £700,000 and a detached bungalow will cost around £390,000.
Cranham
Cranham lies around eight miles south of Cheltenham and is well known for its beech woods, which used to be a great source of timber and charcoal.
The area was also known for pottery, but its main industry was farming. The Horlick family lived in several cottages during the 19th century and it’s said that Horlick housewives developed the famous malted milk drink of the same name.
Cranham also has a ghost, apparently. A lady in grey is said to haunt the places that the Pinching family used to live in.
For those still in the land of the living, the Cranham Feast happens on the second Monday of August, preceded by a venison roast, races, cricket and dancing.
If you’re not scared of ghosts and like a bit of cricket, you can buy a two-bedroomed detached house for around £475,000 and a detached house for around £650,000.
