Home Family History Oswaldtwistle
Prestbury
| Prestbury is a village of about 6,000 people on the edge of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. It has two claims to fame; as 'The Most Haunted Village in England" and as the host of National Hunt Racing's premier meeting - the Cheltenham Festival - at Prestbury Park. | |
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Even though there is no green space between the town and the village, Prestbury still retains a village atmosphere. There are three churches, two schools, four pubs, a post office, a chemist, two general stores, a newsagents, a butchers, a library, two hairdressers, a branch of the WI and a doctor's practice. |
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The village is dominated by the bulk of the Cotswold escarpment, the highest point of which, Cleeve Cloud, is just up the road to Winchcombe. |
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The old buildings are a mixture of houses built with the mellow
cotswold stone, local bricks and half-timbered cottages with
thatched roofs. There are several new estates of all sizes dotted around ranging from the Prestbury Garden Village development of the 1950's to the newest houses on Bouncers Lane. |
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There are many pleasant walks around the village - some that lead up onto the hills and others that allow for a free view of the racing! |
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There are three regular bus services from Cheltenham. The
Stagecoach A service runs every 10 minutes on weekdays, every 12
on Saturdays and every 20 minutes on Sundays. The
Swanbrook N goes up to Noverton ever 30 minutes and the
Castleways 606
regularly passes through on the way to Winchcombe and Willersley. There is even a heritage railway - The Honeybourne Line with trains running from Prestbury Racecourse to Stanton in the Cotswolds |
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| Every so often we have a party - the last time was for the Jubilee in 2012 - when the Burgage is closed to traffic and the village comes together for a giant celebration. | |
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| Parts of the Parish Church of St Mary's which sits in the centre of the village are over 1000 years old |
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In contrast the red and white brick
United Reformed Church is
about 150 years old and St Nicolas' is less than 60. All churches in the area are a focal point for village life with Coffee Mornings and Toddler Group at the URC and the Mother's Union and talks and events for the 'Friends of St Mary's' . |
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The original free school in Prestbury was founded in the 1830's. It
is now split into two -
Prestbury St Mary's C of E Junior School and
St Mary's C of E Infant School. There are many activities for young children: 3 Baby and Toddler groups, 2 pre-school groups and a nursery. For the slightly older ones there are ballet, karate and gym classes and also full complement of Scout and Guide activities based at the Scout Hut on the Burgage. |
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We are fortunate in having many 'rooms' for hire. There is a WI
Hall, St Nicolas' Church Hall, the Village Hall, the Scout Hut, the Library and
Prestbury URC. For the 'healthier you' we can offer Zumba, Keep fit, and Slimming classes. As well as a Reading Group and a Local History Society. |
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We are well catered for on the eating a drinking front. All the pubs
offer food and entertainments ranging from big screen sport, to
skittles and boules to jazz and folk dancing. The Prestbury Memorial Trust provides a social and support network for our senior citizens with a lunch club, shopping trips and outings. |
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| Too often Prestbury is just seen as a suburb to pass through on the 'pretty way' from Cheltenham to Stratford. It is worth parking the car and and walking to see what lies behind the busy main road. | |
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The old heart of the village can be seen on a circular route
starting at the Car Park by the War Memorial just off the High Street. Walking down the winding Mill Street past the Church and the Plough will also take you past the old Catholic Chapel and the old Mill and onto the wide Burgage where the old street fairs and markets were held. Go along past the Prestbury House, the Royal Oak, Scout Hut and Library to get to Tatchley Lane and then on to the 'double-minis' at the WI Hall and the busy junction of several roads: Bouncers Lane, Prestbury Road, Blacksmiths Lane , Tatchley Lane and Deep Street. Go up Deep Street past the URC and onto the High Street past the Bakery Stores and the Kings Arms back to The Bank and the Car Park. |
| Who knows - you may meet the Black Abbott, the flock of ghostly sheep or the Headless Cavalier on the way! | |
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