The Cotswolds may be dotted with dozens of postcard-perfect villages, but most tourists still flock to just a handful of well-known spots. While places like Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury see crowds year-round, many equally charming communities remain largely overlooked.

Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest of the Cotswold market towns at 800 feet above sea level, is one of those places. Largely unknown to visitors, Stow continues to charm locals with is thiriving collection of independent shops that line its historic streets. The town, once a bustling trading centre famous for sheep fairs held in the vast Market Square, has reinvented itself as a haven for boutique shopping. It boasts artisan delis, bookshops and family-run stores, holding on to its history and an individuality that many larger and more touristy towns have lost.

The large and impressive Market Square stands as a testament to the town’s former importance. It is surrounded by townhouses, independent shops, antique centres, cosy cafes and inns, all built in the mellow local stone. It has been the focus of town life over many centuries, with the medieval market stocks at one end, the ancient market cross at the other and the impressive St Edwards Hall standing in the centre.

A notable store is The Cotswold Company, whose flagship home furnishing and furniture showroom is in Stow. Open-air markets also take place in the Market Square, offering local produce, crafts and food.

Stow boasts a long history and holds special importance in the English Civil War, according to Cotswolds. The Battle of Stow on the Wold, fought at nearby Donnington in 1646, saw the defeat of the last royalist field army. St Edwards Church was used as a prison for the defeated Royalist troops, as it was the only lockable building in the town. Some of the damage sustained at this time can still be seen today, and in the churchyard is the tombstone of Captain Hastings Keyte, who died at the battle.

The church is also famous for its Tolkienesque North Door which is flanked by two ancient yew trees, supposedly the inspiration for the ‘Doors of Durin’ in the Lord of the Rings.

Not far from the town centre are the old wells in Well Lane, where you can view the ramparts of an Iron Age fort.

Stow on the Wold lies at a junction of historic roads, the Roman Fosse Way, which helped establish it as a trading hub. For those visiting via public transport, the nearest station is Moreton-in-Marsh – about four miles away. Local buses connect Stow with nearby towns like Cheltenham, Bourton-on-the-Water, Moreton-in-Marsh and Chipping Campden. 

It is about 90 miles or a 2.5-hour drive from London. Take the M40 toward Oxford, then the A40 west through Oxford to Burford, and follow signs to Stow. There are several public car parks in town, including Market Square and Trinity Road car parks, plus on-street bays in some areas.