Cheltenham Area Guide

Why live here?
Cheltenham is recognised as being one of the most complete Regency towns in England and combines traditional and contemporary architecture with many fine historical buildings. It boasts a fine selection of excellent restaurants, an eclectic mix of shops and boutiques and is the host to many important annual festivals to include the Literary Festival, Jazz, Cricket and The Gold Cup at Prestbury Park. The schooling in Cheltenham is renowned world wide with Cheltenham Ladies College, Cheltenham College and Dean Close being just three long established and well respected schools. There are good communication links to major centres via the M5, the M4 and A40 to London.

History

Originally an Anglo Saxon settlement Cheltenham rose from relative obscurity when in 1716 it was discovered that the waters contained certain medicinal qualities. Amongst the early visitors to take the spa waters were distinguished people like Handel and Samuel Johnson.
The event which ensured the success of Cheltenham as a Spa town was the visit of George III in 1788 when he lodged his entourage at Bayshill and after partaking of the waters strolled around the town with his family meeting the locals.

Although Cheltenham's popularity as a Spa town waned, the town itself continued to prosper but this was due more to the efforts of a growing band of fine craftsmen than the 'fashionable set'.

After the Second World War, the town's fortunes picked up again with the establishment of the Government Communications Headquarters (G.C.H.Q) which has become one of the West's most important secret surveillance centres (while maintaining the fiction that it was just part of the Foreign Office). Cheltenham is now a thriving commercial centre as well as being a popular destination for tourists.

Property type

There are many other beautiful buildings worth seeing - in fact Cheltenham has over 2,000 listed buildings.

Places of Interest

Pittville Pump Rooms: - the spa waters which made Cheltenham famous can still be tasted - if you are feeling brave!

Holst Birthplace Museum: - where you can see exhibits belonging to Gustav Holst - best known as composer of the Planets Suite.

Imperial Gardens: - every summer an exhibition of the works of local artists is held.

Prestbury Park Racecourse - well renowned especially for the National Hunt Festival in March.

Sudeley Castle - now owned by the Dent – Brocklehursts former home to the likes of Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn
and Katherine Parr – open to the public.

Getting to Cheltenham

There are regular train services to London and other major cities from Cheltenham Spa, Kemble and Swindon.

Cheltenham Spa - London approx 2hrs 20 mins
Kemble – London approx 1hr 30 mins
Swindon – London approx 1 hr
Cheltenham Spa – Birmingham New Street approx 40 mins
Cheltenham Spa – Bristol approx 1 hr

Heathrow Airport – approx 2 hrs
Birmingham Airport – approx 50 mins
Bristol Airport – approx 1hr 15 mins

Cheltenham Local authority

Cheltenham Borough Council,
12 Promenade,
Cheltenham,
GL50 1AA
01242 262626

Parks

Imperial Gardens

Montpellier Gardens

Pittville Park

Cotswold Water Park

Restaurants

Parkers the Brasserie,
38, Evesham Rd,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL52 2AH
01242 518898

Sakura Japanese Restaurant,
30, Clarence St,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 3NX
Tel: 01242 269966

Merlot Brasserie & Restaurant,
2a Ormond Terrace,
Regent St,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 1HR
01242 574008

Number Seven Wine Bar Restaurant,
7, St. James Square,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 3PR
01242 227900

Pirandello Italian Restaurant,
103, The Promenade,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 1NW
01242 234599

Wesley House Restaurant,
High St,
Winchcombe,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL54 5LJ
01242 602366

Spice Lodge,
Montpellier Drive,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 1TY
01242 226300

Siam Smile,
12, Suffolk Rd,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 2AQ
01242 260666

Manadarin Kite,
5, Rotunda Terrace,
Montpellier St,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 1SW
01242 228882

Montys Brassiere,
St Georges Road,
Cheltenham,
GL50 3DZ
01242227678

Vanilla,
9-10 Cambray Place,
Cheltenham,
GL50 1JS.
01242 228228

Café Paradiso,
Bayshill Road,
Cheltenham,
GL50 3AS
01242 527788

Bars

Hotel Kandinsky,
Bayshill Rd,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 3AS
01242 527788

Hotel du Vin & Bistro,
Parabola Rd,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 3AQ
01242 588450

Montpellier Wine Bar & Restaurant,
Bayshill Lodge,
Montpellier St,
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
GL50 1SY
01242 527774

The Retreat, 10-11,
Suffolk Parade,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 2AB
01242 235436

The Beehive Inn & Restaurant,
1-3, Montpellier Villas,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL50 2XE
01242 702270

Other

Cotswold Wild Life Park

Cotswold Hills Golf Club

Everyman Theatre

Schools in Cheltenham
Primary Schools St. James C of E Primary School Merestones Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 2RS 01242 516836	Berkhampstead School Pittville Circus Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 2PZ 01242 523263	The Richard Pate School, Southern Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 9RP 01242 522086
Airthrie School 29, Christchurch Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 2NY 01242 512837	Holy Apostles C of E Primary School, Battledown Approach, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 6QZ 01242 526858	Charlton Kings Junior School, East End Rd, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 8QE 01242 526171
Leckhampton C of E Primary School, Hall Rd, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 0HP 01242 524062
Secondary Schools Cheltenham College, Bath Rd, Cheltenham, GL53 7LD 01242 265600	Ladies College, Bayshill Rd, Cheltenham, GL50 3EP 01242 520691	Dean Close, Shelburne Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6HE 01242 258000
St. Edward's School, Cirencester Rd, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 8EY 01242 538600	Pate's Grammar School, Princess Elizabeth Way, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 0HG 01242 523169	Balcarras School, East End Rd, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 8QF 01242 515881