England
Gloucestershire

Upper Slaughter

Summary
A quiet Cotswold village with a meandering stream through the village centre.

The Village
Lesser known than its neighbour, Lower Slaughter, Upper Slaughter is equally pretty - which is saying something, indeed! A tributary of the River Windrush winds through the village; the water is so shallow that the road runs through it at a scenic ford, though there are footbridges for those who prefer dry feet!

The architecture is pure Cotswolds, which is to say, absolutely lovely. Upper Slaughter has nothing in the way of attractions, but it is a wonderful example of what makes the Cotswolds so enjoyable to visit.

The square is small - and paved - but there are some quite nice medieval almshouses about the square. These were restored by Sir Edward Lutyens. Across the road is a row of detatched cottages with lovely gardens.

At one time there was a motte and bailey castle here, but little remains of the fortifications beyond some lumps in the grass. Upper Slaughter Manor is a lovely late medieval house with later Tudor additions. The manor is now a hotel, so visiting is not really an option, but very good views of the manor and grounds can be had from the gentle path across the fields to Lower Slaughter, a mile distant.

The Church
The parish church of St Peter has a slightly unusual approach; the path leading to the south door is cut between two high banks, so that you can imagine you're heading into a hobbit hole. The church itself is quite pretty and dates to the 12th century.

For a better look at what makes the village so attractive, see our Upper Slaughter Photo Gallery.

Notes
I've visited Upper Slaughter several times, and find myself coming back again and again. The ambience of the River Eye flowing gently under the footbridges, the lovely Cotswold architecture, and a simple park bench under the spreading boughs of a tree beside the river, provide a timeless sense of peace to Upper Slaughter.

Nearby
Lower Slaughter
Bourton on the Water

Regional attractions:
Cotswolds