Pictures of Lechlade
About Lechlade
This pleasant little market town, set beside the upper reaches of the Thames, is dominated by the elegant spire of the beautiful parish church of St.Lawrence, so named on the order of Catherine of Aragon and, interestingly, a four hundred year old carved door, leading from the chancel to the vestry, has a carving of a Pomegranite - the badge of Queen Catherine. The church was built in the 15th-century, it is early Perpendicular in style and built of local stone withe exterior being decorated with gargoyles and statues. As with many other Cotswold churches, St.Lawrence's was built through the generosity of local wool merchants. The interior of the church houses some fine treasures of which the most noted is a magnificent brass chandelier which hangs above the centre aisle, made in London in 1730 the chandelier was presented to the church by Mr. Richard Ainge. There are two memorial brasses and both are connected to the wool trade. One is to John Townsend, merchant and woolman who died in 1459, and the other is to John Twynho, who died in 1510 and who is thought to have founded the charity of St.Blaize, patron saint of the wool merchants. Of importance is the poet Shelley's visit visit to the town in August 1815 when he wrote Stanzas in Lechlade Churchyard. His visit is recorded by a plaque and the walk through the churchyard is affectionately called, Shelley's Walk.
For many years Lechlade was little more than a settlement beside the River Thames, however by the 13th-century the town had developed sufficiently to gain both market rights and borough status and it became central to the wool trade when rich merchants moved into the town. Movement of wool and other goods was made easy by the town's position on the Thames. The river is spanned here by Halfpenny Bridge, so called because of the toll once charged to cross it. The toll house still stands on the bridge.
There are pleasant walks beside the river, there is also an attractive and much used Marina and a boatyard from which boats may be hired. Boating from here is a popular pastime.
The development of the town has meant an expanding population and this has called for the building of many new properties. Fortunately for the town the planning has been such that there is a happy blend of old and new, harmonising well together. There remains many fine examples of early architecture to be seen and admired, one of these is the Bapist Chapel, built by William Fox in 1817.and the Round House, on the river, is also worth a visit.
In the lovely open countryside just a short distance from the town you will find two Nature Reserves that are well worth a visit, so to are the gorgeous little Cotswold hamlets and villages that surround Lechlade. Each place has it's own special enchantment, these villages are crammed with delightful honey stone buildings, they are glorious in every way and are truly England's pride.
Planning a visit? Please see below for other recommended towns, attractions and recommended hotels nearby.
Distances and directions below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner
Recommended attractions near Lechlade
| Great Coxwell Barn | (4.9 miles, 7.8 km, direction SE) | Pictures |
| Faringdon Folly | (5.6 miles, 9.0 km, direction SE) | Pictures |
| Cotswold Wildlife Park | (5.8 miles, 9.3 km, direction N) | Pictures |
| Stanton Country Park & Nature Reserve | (6.3 miles, 10.2 km, direction S) | Pictures |
| Vale of White Horse | (7.1 miles, 11.5 km, direction S) | Pictures |
| Tolsey Museum | (8.3 miles, 13.3 km, direction N) | Pictures |
| Burford Church | (8.4 miles, 13.4 km, direction N) | Pictures |
| Tom Browns School Museum | (8.5 miles, 13.7 km, direction SE) | Pictures |
| Lodge Park | (9.0 miles, 14.5 km, direction NW) | Pictures |
| Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote | (10.4 miles, 16.7 km, direction NE) | Pictures |
| Coate Water Country Park | (10.4 miles, 16.8 km, direction S) | Pictures |
| Charney Bassett Mill | (10.8 miles, 17.4 km, direction E) | Pictures |
| Witney and District Museum | (11.0 miles, 17.7 km, direction NE) | Pictures |
| Cogges Manor Farm Museum | (11.2 miles, 18.0 km, direction NE) | Pictures |
| Lydiard House & Park | (11.3 miles, 18.1 km, direction SW) | Pictures |
All attractions in LechladeAll attractions in GloucestershireComplete A to Z of attractions in EnglandRecommended towns near Lechlade
Fairford, a Historic Market Town in the county of Gloucestershire (4.1 miles, 6.7 km, direction W)
Fairford was granted a market charter in the year 1135 but it is believed that village has its origins way back in the Bronze Age. Its beautiful church is world famous for having the most complete set of Medieval stained glass windows of any parish church in the United Kingdom
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Hannington, in the county of Wiltshire (4.5 miles, 7.2 km, direction SW)
The village of Hannington occupies a lovely landscape in the deep countryside between Highworth and the village of Castle Eaton on the Thames Path.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Castle Eaton, in the county of Wiltshire (4.7 miles, 7.6 km, direction SW)
Just as fish abound in the water along this stretch of the Thames, so too, do pretty Cotswold stone cottages and delightful country houses.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Coln St Aldwyns, in the county of Gloucestershire (5.7 miles, 9.2 km, direction NW)
This village in the fertile Coln Valley has the prestige of being one of the 10 most desirable villages in England.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Bibury, a Picturesque Village in the county of Gloucestershire (7.5 miles, 12.0 km, direction NW)
William Morris, the 19th-century artist and poet thought Bibury to be the most beautiful village in England.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Cricklade, a Historic Market Town in the county of Wiltshire (8.0 miles, 12.9 km, direction SW)
Lying in the northern reaches of Wiltshire, the historic town of Cricklade has many visual delights.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Burford, a Historic Market Town in the county of Oxfordshire (8.3 miles, 13.3 km, direction N)
Welcome to Burford - an historical market town in the Oxfordshire part of the Cotswolds. With a character all of its own, and a...
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Great Barrington, a Picturesque Village in the county of Gloucestershire (9.1 miles, 14.6 km, direction N)
Great Barrington occupies a lovely position in the magnificent valley of the River Windrush. It is a quiet, tranquil spot, sprinkled with picturesque Cotswold cottages.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Ashbury, in the county of Oxfordshire (9.4 miles, 15.0 km, direction S)
The village of Ashbury is located in a lovely scenic area where the borders of south Oxfordshire meet with Wiltshire.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Minster Lovell, a Picturesque Village in the county of Oxfordshire (9.9 miles, 15.9 km, direction NE)
Minster Lovell, in its beautiful dream-like setting against the gently rising Cotswold landscape, has a history stretching back to Saxon times.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Wanborough, in the county of Wiltshire (10.2 miles, 16.4 km, direction S)
Historically this is an old village with a history of Saxons and Romans, it was then a village of some importance, unlike today when it has been almost swallowed up by the urban sprawl of Swindon, Wiltshire's largest industrial town.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Witney, a Historic Market Town in the county of Oxfordshire (11.1 miles, 17.9 km, direction NE)
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Cirencester, a Historic Market Town in the county of Gloucestershire (12.0 miles, 19.3 km, direction W)
Originally known in Roman times as Corinium Dobunorum, the town of Cirencester in those far off day's was the second largest town in England.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Chiseldon, in the county of Wiltshire (12.5 miles, 20.1 km, direction S)
This is an attractive large village lying to the edge of the Marlborough Downs, its inclusion in the Doomsday Book indicates at that time it was a village of some importance.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Ewen, in the county of Gloucestershire (13.1 miles, 21.1 km, direction W)
Leafy lanes, tree lined roads and thatched country cottages form the character of this delightful hamlet through which an infant river Thames courses on its way through the lovely Cotswolds.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
All towns in GloucestershireComplete A to Z of towns in EnglandNearby travel help
| Swindon Station | (9.8 miles, 15.8 km, direction SW) |
| M4 Junction 15 (Badbury Roundabout) | (11.5 miles, 18.5 km, direction S) |
| M4 Junction 16 | (12.3 miles, 19.8 km, direction SW) |
| Shipton Station | (12.8 miles, 20.5 km, direction N) |
| Bristol International Airport | (49.0 miles, 78.8 km, direction SW) |
| Birmingham International Airport | (52.7 miles, 84.8 km, direction N) |
| Lechlade to London | (68.6 miles, 110.4 km, direction E) |
Hotels & Accommodation in Lechlade
| Hotel Name | Approximate distance from Lechlade center |
| The Plough Hotel | (4.7 miles, 7.6 km, direction E) |
| The Old Crown Coaching Inn | (5.2 miles, 8.3 km, direction SE) |
| Sudbury House Hotel | (5.3 miles, 8.5 km, direction SE) |
| Stanton House Hotel | (6.1 miles, 9.7 km, direction S) |
| The Nightingale Hotel & Leisure Club | (7.2 miles, 11.5 km, direction S) |
| Bibury Court | (7.5 miles, 12.0 km, direction NW) |
| Swan Classic Bibury | (7.8 miles, 12.5 km, direction NW) |
| Inn For All Seasons | (7.9 miles, 12.8 km, direction N) |
| Burford Lodge | (8.0 miles, 12.8 km, direction N) |
| The Lamb Inn | (8.3 miles, 13.4 km, direction N) |
| All hotels in Lechlade |
