Gloucestershire, Woodchester
Woodchester MillWoodchester Mill is known in the area as the 'Old Piano Factory'. It was the site of the renowned Bentley Piano manufacturer from 1906.
The building endured two dramatic fires in its lifetime and was rebuilt on both occasions. The 1938 fire was even mentioned in local author Laurie Lee's 'Cider with Rosie'.
After a brief spell making aircraft parts during the war, its piano making continued until 2003. Sofas and Stuff are now fortunate enough to share the old Mill with Lewis and Wood fabrics.
The Mill is set in the heart of the South Cotswolds within the Nailsworth valley – just one of the beautiful five valleys that converge upon Stroud which was the heart of the woollen industry during the industrial revolution: 'Where beauty and industry once lived in peace'.
Minchinhampton Common
The Five valleys receive many visitors on account of the glorious scenery, its Cotswold Way walk and many historic places to visit.
In and around the Nailsworth places are a host of good restaurants, excellent pubs and comfy places to stay while exploring the area.
Centred between Selsley and Minchinhampton National Trust Commons – the mill is ideally placed to walk to combine a stay in the South Cotswolds with a visit to our new showroom.
Tetbury GloucestershireThe market towns nearby of Stroud, Nailsworth, Minchinhampton, Tetbury and Cirencester are all within easy reach.
Stroud has a fabulous farmers' market on a Saturday, its own brewery plus the splendid Museum in the Park. Nailsworth is home to a number of local artisan businesses and offers plenty of fine cafes and restaurants: Mark@Street, William’s Kitchen, Hobbs House Baker, The Wild Garlic Restaurant and Calcot Manor.
Tetbury has a host of antique shops, is home to HRH Prince Charles and the National Arboretum at Westonbirt is but a stone’s throw away. Cirencester has a weekly market, a beautiful abbey, a polo ground and the Roman Museum. The villages and hamlets that fill the valleys in between are filled with delightful Cotswold stone cottages and of course, welcoming village pubs!
If you want something beautiful, there is a very good chance you can find it in Tetbury, and it isn’t often you can say that these days, can you?
Walking:
Selsley and Minchinhampton Commons with renowned Winstone's ice cream factory - www.cotswolder.com/towns/minchinhampton
The Cotswold way - www.nationaltrail.co.uk/cotswold
Canal walks - www.cotswoldcanals.com
Museums and historic buildings:
Museum in the Park - www.museuminthepark.org.uk
Woodchester Mansion - www.woodchestermansion.org.uk
Dunkirk Mill Centre - www.stroud-textile.org.uk
Gloucester Cathedral - www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk
Cirencester Abbey and the Corinium Museum - www.cirencester.com/cirencester_attractions
Outdoor attractions nearby:
Westonbirt Arboretum - http://www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt
Cirencester Polo Club - www.cirencesterpolo.co.uk/
Stroud Farmers’ Market - www.fresh-n-local.co.uk/markets/stroud
The Farm Shop Cirencester - www.theorganicfarmshop.co.uk/
Stroud Brewery - www.stroudbrewery.co.uk/
Local Pubs:
The Ragged Cot, Minchinhampton - www.theraggedcot.co.uk
The Crown at Frampton Mansell - www.thecrowninn-cotswolds.co.uk
The Weighbridge – famous for its 'two in one pies' www.easytorecall.com/2in1/index.html
The Tunnel House pub, Sapperton - www.tunnelhouse.com/
The Black Horse and The Amberley Inn – wonderful views -
www.blackhorseamberley.co.uk/ and www.theamberleyinn.co.uk/
The Royal Oak and the Old Fleece here at Woodchester -
www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/Royal-Oak-GL5-5PQ and www.food-club.com/old-fleece
Egypt Mill - www.egyptmill.com
The Crown and Sceptre, Stroud - www.crownandsceptrestroud.com