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 Outside Woodruffs Organic café looking down Swan Lane. |
Deep in Gloucestershire where the Cotswold hills rise abruptly from the Severn Vale lies the town of Stroud. Encircled by five sweeping valleys, the scenery is dramatic and the feel of the town is bohemian, with cafes, galleries, markets and bookstores to potter around. Stroud is a small market town with large vistas, both visual and intellectual.
“Stroud is like Notting Hill with wellies.” -
London Evening Standard
“I love the Stroud area because of the mix of industry and country.
Where I live it is very close to the centre of Stroud and the edge of
unspoilt countryside.” – Jamie Vans
Stroud is most often characterised as grittier than its Cotswold neighbours
with an inimitable mix of landscape and industrial heritage. The mills
strung along the valleys and the town’s landmark buildings tell
of the once fabulous wealth of the woollen industry. The
five
valleys that converge on Stroud each hold different treasures; innumerable
footpaths lead to stunning views, quiet Cotswold villages and welcoming
country pubs. The landscape made famous as the setting for Laurie Lee’s
“Cider With Rosie” possesses an intimacy, at once enveloping
and easily accessible, that has long been an inspiration to artists and
writers.
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| Looking down Stroud High Street. |
“Stroud has always been an artists' place and is very
bohemian.” - Jilly Cooper in the Guardian
“Never to be forgotten, that first long secret drink of golden
fire, juice of those valleys and of that time, wine of wild orchards,
of russet summer, of plump red apples, and Rosie's burning cheeks.”
Laurie Lee - Cider with Rosie
Stroud's reputation as an “alternative centre” is expressed
by the residents' determination to save and improve the local environment,
both natural and built. This has driven a fight back against the retail
slump brought on by the arrival of the supermarkets and inspired an ongoing
cultural revitalisation of the town. Stroud now boasts a lively
music
and dance festival and a flourishing
arts
scene giving it an edge over many other towns and villages in the
Cotswolds.
“The Cotswolds’ arts and crafts tradition is flourishing
in Stroud” - Country Life
“With its secret valleys, honey-coloured stone villages, and deep
sense of history and tradition, the area continues to be such a an inspiration
to generations of creative people.” – Johnny Coppin
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| The
Bagel Fish Orchestra entertain at the Farmer's Market |
There are now so many studios and galleries that each June the town
is the focus of a two week Open Studios
festival, with over 100 contributing artists.
“Stroud is turning itself into the artistic equivalent
of bookish Hay-on-Wye” - Daily Telegraph
The Town’s unique location at the heart of the five valleys lets
the countryside seep right into the Town centre. From almost every street
expansive views are a constant delight painted by the play of the light
through the day and across the seasons. In the past year speciality markets
have become established. The highlight for many is the
farmers’
market with its fresh organic food stalls, cookery demonstrations
and street entertainers, which enlivens the town making Saturday mornings
a great time to chill out in Stroud.
“Stroud is the Covent Garden of the Cotswolds...”
- Jasper Conran
