Minchinhampton is located on a hill top 4 miles south-south-east of Stroud, Gloucestershire. The town is an ancient market town dating back to pre-1400. The main square has an early market house.
Nearby is Minchinhampton Common, a popular recreation area, which lies on a large flat grassy hill top populated by golfers, and in the summer by cows with poor road sense (these cows really are a danger: Especially at night, when black cows don't show up well. The cows do have the right of way, however - unlike the golfers, who are considered fair game by local lorry-drivers). Also found on the Common are long parallel ditches and mounds which in previous times formed part of a large fort. And fabulous views West over the Severn estuary into Wales, and East to the Golden Valley and further into the Cotswolds.
The main high street in Minchinhampton has quite a few small, family run shops and cafes. The parish church is open during the day time. There is the Crown Inn on the high street too, opposite the market house.
Sometimes there is a small market, under the market house.
Minchinhampton is located close to Gatcombe Estate, the home of the Princess Royal, which hosts the Gatcombe Horse Trials in late summer each year. But you really shouldn't let that put you off the place. The twice-yearly craft fair at Gatcombe - and the summer visit of Gifford's Circus - go a long way towards offsetting horsey royalist nonsense.
