Malmesbury

Malmesbury is a beautiful market town and rich in history, being England’s oldest borough. The town can be officially traced back to the 5th Century but in more recent years, the remains of an Iron Age Fort, which could be from as far back as 500 BC.

The town is most famously known for it’s 12th Century Abbey with it’s tomb of King Athelstan, the grandson of Alfred the Great, being located in the Abbey Grounds.

Surrounding the Abbey there are the stunning Abbey House Gardens and for garden enthusiasts, there are over 10,000 different plants and it is steeped with over 1000 years of history, just found in these grounds. The gardens are often used for concerts and events throughout the summer months.

The High Street can offer a huge array of 17th and 18th-century buildings, containing local independent shops, and a farmers’ and artisan market which takes place every Friday in the town. Malmesbury also has England’s oldest hotel, the Old Bell, which has been running since 1220.

Malmesbury is located along the River Avon and is only a short drive from our shop in Swindon. The town can offer a great base for exploring the Cotswolds and the surrounding areas with many more local towns being market towns too. It is also known as The Queen of the Hilltop Towns being a perfectly flat hill encircles by the River Avon.