Cheltenham is a small town in the county of Gloucestershire with a population of around 116,306. It is located on the edge of the Cotswolds, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. According to Wikipedia, Cheltenham had a discovery of mineral springs in the year 1716, which lead to the town becoming known as a health and holiday spa town. The River Chelt flows through the town.
Cheltenham is also known for hosting several festivals of culture, including the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, and the Cheltenham Cricket Festival.
Cheltenham Festival is an important National Hunt racing gathering which takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse. It is also very popular with Irish visitors as the events coincide with St. Patrick’s Day. The Gold Cup is the main event of the Cheltenham Festival and is held every March. It is a competition of Horse Racing, which began in Cheltenham in 1815. The horse racing became a major national attraction after the Festival was established in 1902. Every year, the festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every day. This large number of tourists causes a significant impact on the town, generating substantial amounts of income for the local businesses. Accountants in Cheltenham can be easily contacted to help with financial needs.
Pate’s Grammar School is the oldest school in Cheltenham, which was founded in 1574. The first of the public schools of the Victorian period was Cheltenham Ladies’ College, which was founded in 1841. Dean Close School was founded in 1886.
Cheltenham’s sporting and festival calendar
The town that grew up around its spa waters is now just as famous for what goes on through the year. Visitors come for the Georgian architecture and boutique shopping, but mostly for the events. Prestbury Park, home of the Gold Cup, the most prestigious prize in National Hunt racing, draws the racing world to the town every March. There is also an annual cricket festival and a marathon.
Festivals cover an eclectic mix of subjects, from jazz and science to literature and dance, along with more unusual events such as the Ukulele Festival of Great Britain and a Midsummer Fiesta, which reflect the town’s creative reputation.
For something quieter, Montpellier Gardens, Pittville Park and Imperial Square are popular for afternoon walks or a spot of reading in the sun. Beyond the town, Leckhampton Hill and Cleeve Hill offer some of the best walking in the Cotswolds, with wide views over the surrounding countryside.
Festivals and the county around Cheltenham
Cheltenham’s story is tied to the county around it. The Cheltenham Literature Festival, first held in the late 1940s, was the first festival of its kind and has since been copied around the world, drawing thousands of visitors and leading names in literature. The town’s racecourse hosts the Cheltenham Festival, one of the most important events in horse racing, which brings many thousands to the town during the week it runs.
Beyond the town, Gloucestershire is known for its villages, from the yew trees of Painswick churchyard to Bibury and the historic buildings and antique shops of Tetbury. The Cotswolds have around 4,000 miles of dry-stone walls, and the Slad Valley inspired Laurie Lee’s Cider with Rosie.
Gloucester Cathedral, where Henry III was crowned, has one of the oldest fan-vaulted ceilings in the country, and its cloisters have appeared in many films, including as the corridors of Hogwarts. Berkeley Castle and Sudeley Castle add to the county’s royal history.
