The Square
The heart of it all.
Market cross, stocks, inns and shops — the classic Stow view.
Places · Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow-on-the-Wold
Stow sits on top of a hill where eight roads meet, which explains both the wind and the fact that it has been a trading town for about a thousand years. The Market Square is enormous, ringed with honey-stone inns, tea rooms and more antiques shops than one family could reasonably explore in a weekend.
Come for the square, stay for a long lunch, then walk round to St Edward's Church to see the north door flanked by yew trees — the one everybody says inspired Tolkien. Warning: the twice-yearly horse fair gets very busy.
Showing 10 places
Don't miss
St Edward's Church
The Tolkien door.
Two ancient yews growing either side of the north door. Properly magical.
Antiques trail
Bring the big car.
Dozens of dealers in and around town, from serious furniture to pure nonsense.
Eat, drink & stay
The Porch House
Claims to be England's oldest inn — beams, fires, good food and rooms
Digbeth Street
The Old Stocks Inn
Stylish restored coaching inn on the square with a restaurant and bedrooms
The Square
The King's Arms
Historic coaching inn on the square with food and rooms
Market Square
Huffkins Stow
Cotswold bakery and tea room — cream teas, lardy cake and lunches
Church Street
Shop
Stow antiques dealers
A cluster of independent antiques shops and centres around the square and Sheep Street
Town centre
Daylesford Organic
The famous organic farm shop, café and spa, a few minutes outside Stow
Daylesford, near Kingham
Things to do
St Edward's Church
Medieval church with the yew-framed north door
Church Street
Stow Horse Fair
Traditional horse fair held each May and October — lively, busy, historic
Edge of town
Cotswold Farm Park
Adam Henson's rare-breeds farm park — brilliant for kids
Guiting Power, near Stow
Home & services
Featured partner
OXDO
Household decluttering and organising across Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds — sponsor of our village guides
WebsiteKnow Stow-on-the-Wold better than we do?
We are adding to this guide all the time. If your business, club or event belongs here, tell us and we will add it.